After a tough 4-2 loss to the Anaheim Ducks that snapped their four-game win streak, the Seattle Kraken don’t have much time to dwell. They’re back in action tonight, and the stakes are high as they face the Los Angeles Kings at Crypto.com Arena.
This one’s more than just another regular season matchup - it’s a Pacific Division battle with real playoff implications. The Kraken currently sit two points behind the Ducks for third place in the division and just one point ahead of the Kings. A regulation loss tonight would drop Seattle below L.A. in the standings, tightening an already crowded playoff picture.
Seattle had been rolling before last night, stringing together four straight wins and showing signs of the team that made a playoff push last season. But the Ducks cooled them off with a balanced effort and timely scoring, handing the Kraken a loss they’ll be eager to bounce back from.
The Kings, meanwhile, are also coming off a loss - a 3-2 overtime defeat at the hands of the Carolina Hurricanes. So both teams enter tonight looking to get back on track, and with so little separating them in the standings, expect a playoff-style intensity from the opening puck drop.
Los Angeles is also making headlines off the ice. Earlier today, the Kings made a splash by acquiring Artemi Panarin in a trade with the New York Rangers.
The 34-year-old winger has been electric this season, putting up 19 goals and 57 points in 52 games. While he’s not expected to suit up tonight, his arrival signals a clear message: the Kings are going for it.
And once he’s in the lineup, he’ll bring a much-needed boost to a forward group that’s lacked a true game-breaker.
Seattle, for its part, made a roster move of its own. Rookie Berkly Catton has been placed on injured reserve, and the team has recalled forward Oscar Fisker Molgaard from the AHL’s Coachella Valley Firebirds. Molgaard is expected to be a healthy scratch tonight unless something changes before puck drop.
Here’s how the Kraken are projected to line up tonight:
Forwards:
- McCann - Beniers - Eberle
- Tolvanen - Stephenson - Winterton
- Schwartz - Wright - Kakko
- Kartye - Gaudreau - Melanson
Defense:
- Dunn - Larsson
- Oleksiak - Montour
- Evans - Lindgren
Goaltenders:
- Daccord
- Grubauer
Injured: Catton, Meyers, Murray
Scratched: Fleury, Mahura, Fisker Molgaard
Puck drops at 7 p.m. PST in Los Angeles. With both teams hungry for points and the standings this tight, this game could carry weight well beyond February.