Seattle Kraken are 8-8-1 and in sixth place in the National Hockey League’s Pacific Division. The Islanders will play them at 4 p.m. Eastern time in Seattle on November 16. Seattle has scored 52 goals and allowed 51. They are also in the middle of the pack in penalty killing and power play percentage. Seattle is a decidedly average team, much like the Islanders. The game, therefore, is a winnable game for the Islanders.
The Islanders have scored points in five games in a row and had an improbable win in Vancouver on November 14. The Islanders are missing two of their biggest stars due to injury, Mat Barzal and Anthony DuClair. They are also missing three of their top six defensemen. With all of these injuries, the Islanders just need to keep getting points in each game to keep pace in the Metropolitan Division. This article previews this winnable game.
Seattle: Get at Least a Point
The key against an average team is for the Islanders to not have a letdown and to win this game as well. The Islanders need to keep progressing through the schedule until their injured players get back. A good way to do this is to win games, particularly the games against teams they are supposed to beat, even on the road. Getting at least a point in this game is important not only because this is a difficult West Coast Road trip but also because the Islanders need to continue on this successful and long road. The marathon road trip is half over after this game, and the Islanders just need to hang in there.
Getting a point is also important for the Islanders to keep pace in the Metropolitan Division, where they currently find themselves still in fifth place. In the Eastern Conference, the Islanders currently find themselves tied for eighth place, which is a playoff spot. That is what happens when a team goes on a five-game point-scoring streak. The Islanders can not fall further behind and need to keep progressing.
Seattle has a Familiar Face
On Seattle is former Islander star Jordan Eberle. Eberle came to the Islanders after the 2017 season, after seven good years with the Edmonton Oilers. Eberle was an established point scorer there, and he scored in his four years with the Islanders. This is Eberle’s fourth season with Seattle. Eberle is the captain of the Seattle Kraken, so he has assumed an important leadership role. He will present a familiar foe for the Islanders. Eberle wears number seven for Seattle, and he is on their first line.
Seattle’s Roster
The Kraken are 8-8-3 and have a roster similar to the Islanders. Seattle has won their last three games, so they are pretty hot. It is reasonable to wonder if Seattle being on such a streak makes them more likely to beat the Islanders. In the first line, the Kraken have Matty Beniers, Jared McCann, and Jordan Eberle. On the second line for the Kraken are Jaden Schwartz, Chandler Stephenson, and Oliver Bjorkstrand. The third line is Eeli Tolvanen, Shane Wright, and Andre Burakovsky. The fourth line has Tye Kartye, Yanni Gourde, and Brandon Tanev.
The defensive pairings for the Kraken are Ryker Evans and Adam Larsson. Jamie Oleksiak and Brandon Montour form the second defensive pairing. Joshua Mahura pairs with Will Borgen to form the third defensive unit. In goal, the Kraken have Joey Daccord and Philipp Grubauer. Grubauer is the top goaltender for Seattle, but Seattle plays the New York Rangers the day after they play the New York Islanders. Grubauer is likely to start that game, so the Islanders will most likely face Daccord.
Conclusion
The gritty Islanders would do well to win in Seattle against a mediocre team like them. Improbably, the Islanders have points in five consecutive games, including an unlikely win in Vancouver on November 14. The New York Islanders continue their West Coast trip after this game. The Islanders’ next trip to Calgary is on November 19. On their way back to the East Coast, the Islanders play in Detroit against the Red Wings on November 21. The Islanders come home, finally, to host the St. Louis Blues on November 23. They look forward to getting some of their injured players back at some point after that game.
