One: Keep the netminders sharp – Both Philipp Grubauer and Matt Murray looked very good on the road once they shook off initial rust from having not played in weeks. Murray was first off the ice during morning skate, so it looks as if he’ll face the Blue Jackets after playing very well against Dallas on Sunday in a 2-1 loss.
Regardless, it is imperative the Kraken keep both goalies sharp to avoid a repeat of what we saw upon their returns. Each gave up a combined four first period goals and then just one between them – allowed by Grubauer – in the final four periods they played. That would suggest they were both on their games and capable of timely saves when needed. The Kraken played very well defensively in front of both and will need to maintain that this week. Last spring, upon his return from a conditioning stint with AHL Coachella Valley, Grubauer turned his game up a level once he got some support from that had been a pretty porous defense. He seems to be continuing that now.
You’d expect the Kraken to keep regularly alternating them in starts unless one takes over and clearly seizes the top job ahead of Daccord returning.
Two: Keep this Tolvanen streak going – Eeli Tolvanen has been a somewhat streaky player ever since the Kraken acquired him on waivers three years ago. But going 13 games without a goal to start this season before scoring in the 14th was new territory. Tolvanen has managed six assists but he is one of a crew of Kraken forwards being counted on to put the puck in the net. He was second on the team with 23 goals a season ago and his lack of scoring thus far is part of the reason the team entered play on Monday tied for the NHL’s fourth worst goals per game mark at 2.60.
The good news is the Kraken have started strong despite the anticipated scoring from both Tolvanen and Mason Marchment not being there. That pair accounted for 45 goals between them a season ago but have just two thus far. Both played very well in Dallas on Sunday and the Kraken need that to continue.
Tolvanen historically has scored a bunch of goals in flurries once he gets that initial one off his back to break a slump. Last season, he endured a 12-game scoreless drought that began in December and carried into January before erupting for seven goals by that month’s end.
So, let’s see whether his initial goal to break the scoring ice now morphs into something much bigger.
Three: Know the foe – Tough to know which version of the Blue Jackets we’ll see. Columbus had won six of seven prior to their current four-game losing streak. Before taking an overtime loss to Edmonton on Monday night after blowing a third period lead, they were also one of only seven remaining teams to have not earned a point via an overtime or shootout defeat. Those are critical and one reason why the Blue Jackets entered Monday in last place in the Metropolitan Division despite a “true” .500 record. Three teams in that division had lost more games than they’d won but still had more points than Columbus.
The Blue Jackets have also been dealing with a bug that kept top winger Miles Wood and third line forward Cole Sillinger out of the lineup against Edmonton. Both center Sean Monahan and forward Mathieu Olivier did face the Oilers – with Monahan scoring a goal -- after having missed the morning skate earlier in the day. Blue Jackets defensemen have scored in 10 of the team’s 15 games after Ivan Provorov’s goal in Edmonton and their 12 goals from blueliners lead the entire league. Zach Werenski’s four goals are tied for third most among league defensemen.
Jet Greaves and Elvis Merzlikins had split netminding duties down the middle with almost dead even results thus far. With Greaves starting in Edmonton on Monday, that leaves Merzlikins to face the Kraken with his 3.14 goals against average and .909 save percentage.
Projected Lines (not official):
Schwartz - Beniers - Kakko
Marchment - Stephenson - Eberle
Tolvanen - Catton - Wright
Kartye - Meyers - Winterton
Dunn - Larsson
Lindgren - Montour
Evans - Oleksiak
Murray
