Kraken Take Scoring Depth to Capitals After Big Win in Detroit

Seattle’s fourth line supplied three goals in Detroit, and the Kraken now carry that scoring depth into Washington for the second stop of a five-game trip. Seattle, 3-2-0, faces the Capitals, 3-1-0, at Capital One Arena on Sunday at 5 p.m. ET after opening the swing with a 6-3 win over the Red Wings.

The Kraken have spent plenty of October away from home, with seven of their first nine games scheduled on the road. After Washington, the itinerary runs through Philadelphia on Tuesday, Tampa Bay on Thursday and Florida on Oct. 17.

Coach Lane Lambert sees the travel-heavy opening as a useful test for a club still building its habits. Visiting teams have to withstand the early surge in another building, he said, whether it comes in the opening minutes or during a difficult stretch later in the game. Learning how to handle those pushes night after night is part of the assignment.

After the horn

Seattle’s offense has found an early jump after a difficult scoring season. The Kraken ranked 28th in the NHL at 2.73 goals per game last year; through five games, they are at 4.20, third in the League. Each of their three victories has included six goals.

Jared McCann leads the club with six points on one goal and five assists. Vince Dunn has two goals and three assists, while Brandon Montour has four assists from the blue line.

Mackie Samoskevich, acquired from the Florida Panthers in the offseason, has scored three times in four games since returning from the upper-body injury that kept him out of the opener against the Calgary Flames. He and Curtis Douglas were the notable new faces added to a group that otherwise returned largely intact for Lambert’s second season behind the bench.

In Detroit, Ben Meyers, Frederick Gaudreau and Ryan Winterton combined for seven points. Meyers posted a goal and two assists, Gaudreau scored twice, and Winterton had two assists.

“It helps when you are playing from ahead instead of trying to chase the game,” Montour said. “It is only a short stretch, but it is encouraging to see players getting pucks into the net.”

The power play is 4-for-15, good for 26.7 percent. The goaltending tandem has also delivered steady work: Joey Daccord is 2-1-0 with a 2.64 goals-against average and a .911 save percentage, while Philipp Grubauer is 1-1-0 with a 2.59 GAA and .917 save percentage.

Center Chandler Stephenson said the opening weeks can be difficult to read because every club is still sorting through its game. He likes Seattle’s start but knows the schedule tightens as the season settles in, with the challenge rising after the first 10 to 15 games.

The bigger target is avoiding last season’s finish. Seattle was 29-22-9 for 67 points through 60 games, sitting third in the Pacific Division, two points behind Anaheim and three back of Vegas. The Kraken then went 5-15-2 over their final 22 games, ending at 34-37-11 and 79 points, 11 behind Los Angeles for the West’s second wild-card berth.

Stephenson said the club had plenty working in its favor before falling short when the games became tougher. Close contests and single-point outcomes become critical down the stretch, he said, and Seattle appeared to run out of energy.

Montour’s lesson from that collapse was simple: every game carries weight, including the ones played in October. The trip is a chance to stack experience against strong opponents before the Kraken return home for seven of their next eight games.

Washington represents another measuring stick. Montour called the Capitals a strong home club and said Seattle has four more road tests to handle after the positive start in Detroit.

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