Seattle Kraken – 2023 Playoff Edition
The Seattle Kraken won their Stanley Cup opener in their best-of-7 opening round series at Colorado. It’s a great start; this is what they must do to defeat the defending champs and advance.
The Seattle Kraken not only made the playoffs in their second year of existence; they won their first-ever playoff game!
Continuing Regular Season Success
To begin the 2022-23 season, almost every major media outlet and analyst suggested the Kraken wouldn’t be a playoff team. That negativity provided some needed fuel to spark the flame in Seattle’s locker room.
Not only did the Kraken make the playoffs, but they also set an NHL record for the largest improvement in the standings from year one to year two. They won 46 games en route to a 100-point season, besting last year’s total by a whopping 40 points.
The regular season success resulted in the Kraken locking up the seventh seed in the Western Conference and a matchup against the defending Stanley Cup Champions – the Colorado Avalanche. Again, all the major analysts suggested that Seattle was in over their heads. They won’t stand a chance against the juggernaut offense of Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen, and defensive superstar Cale Makar.
On Tuesday night, Seattle put the NHL on notice with a 3-1 win over Colorado. They outshot their hosts, played an aggressive, hard-hitting style, and did a great job of shutting down the opposing top line.
Some might think the victory was beginner’s luck and Colorado will bounce back. Not so fast; the Seattle Kraken have the tools to pull off the biggest upset this season. This is the four-point plan they need to follow to win the series.