SEATTLE KRAKEN NOTES:
THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW
• Tonight’s matchup is the third game that will be played at American Airlines Center during the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Regardless of tonight’s outcome, the two teams will face off again on May 11 at 4 p.m. in Seattle.
• A win tonight would give the Kraken five road wins this season, tying Florida for the league lead.
• Entering play Wednesday, Justin Schultz was tied for third among defensemen in postseason scoring with nine points (three goals, six assists). His nine points make the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs the second-highest scoring postseason of his career, trailing only 2017 when he had 13 points (four goals, nine assists) in 21 games.
— Schultz enters Game 5 tied with Yanni Gourde and Jaden Schwartz for the team lead in scoring.
• Matty Beniers has a point in each of the last two games against the Stars. A goal or an assist tonight would make Beniers the second rookie
this postseason to record a point in three consecutive games, joining Toronto’s Matthew Knies (April 27 to May 2).
• Vince Dunn (1.25), Jordan Eberle (1.00), Matty Beniers (1.00), Jaden Schwartz (1.00) and Justin Schultz (1.00) are all playing at a point-pergame pace this series.
• In his first game after exiting Game 4 against Colorado with an injury, Jared McCann logged an 80 percent on-ice Corsi rating according to Natural Stat Trick, which was the highest mark of any skater on either team in Game 4.
• According to MoneyPuck.com, the line of Oliver Bjorkstrand, Yanni Gourde and Eeli Tolvanen was leading the league in expected goals for (5.7) entering play Wednesday
• Seattle’s second round series against Dallas will feature the youngest and oldest 50-point players from the regular season. Matty Beniers (20 years old) had 57 points in 80 games and Joe Pavelski (38 years old) had 77 points in 82 games.
• Through four games, the Kraken have scored 17 goals, which is three more goals the Minnesota Wild scored against the Stars in all of the first round.
• The Kraken posted a 1-1-1 record against the Stars during the 2022-23 regular season.
• Seattle owned a 13-4-6 record against the Central Division during the 2022-23 regular season.
DALLAS STARS NOTES:
SECOND ROUND SERIES SCHEDULE
Date Time (CT) DAL [C2] vs. SEA [WC1] Location TV/Radio/Result
Game 1 Tue, May 2 8:30 p.m. Seattle at Dallas American Airlines Center Kraken 5, Stars 4 (OT)
Game 2 Thu, May 4 8:30 p.m. Seattle at Dallas American Airlines Center Stars 4, Kraken 2
Game 3 Sun, May 7 8:30 p.m. Dallas at Seattle Climate Pledge Arena Kraken 7, Stars 2
Game 4 Tue, May 9 8:30 p.m. Dallas at Seattle Climate Pledge Arena Stars 6, Kraken 3
Game 5 Thu, May 11 8:30 p.m. Seattle at Dallas American Airlines Center TNT, SN, TVAS/KTCK
Game 6 Sat, May 13 6 p.m. Dallas at Seattle Climate Pledge Arena ESPN, SN, TVAS/KTCK
Game 7 * Mon, May 15 TBD Seattle at Dallas American Airlines Center ESPN, SN, TVAS/KTCK
- if necessary
RECENT TRANSACTIONS
April 3 – Recalled defenseman Thomas Harley from Texas (AHL)
April 19 – Recalled forward Riley Tufte from Texas (AHL)
April 26 – Loaned forward Riley Tufte to Texas (AHL)
May 6 – Signed defenseman Lian Bichsel to a three-year entry-level contract
HOW THE STARS-KRAKEN SERIES HAS UNFOLDED
Game 1: May 2, 2023 – STARS 4 vs. KRAKEN 5 (OT) | Seattle leads series 1-0
Despite a four-goal performance from forward Joe Pavelski (4-0—4), the Stars dropped Game 1 against the Seattle Kraken at American Airlines Center. Pavelski, who missed five games due to injury in the First Round vs. Minnesota, matched the franchise record for most goals in a playoff game – a feat previously established by Denis Gurianov (4-1—5 in Game 6 of 2020 R1). Forward Max Domi tied his postseason career high in assists (3) and points (0-3—3), defenseman Miro Heiskanen (0-1—1) picked up his seventh assist of the postseason and blueliner Thomas Harley (0-1—1) recorded his first career postseason point with an assist in the first period. Goaltender Jake Oettinger made 39 saves on 44 shots in 72:17 TOI.
PP: 0-2 | PK: 3-3 | SF: 35 | SA: 44 | DAL TOI: M. Heiskanen (34:54 – game high) | Attendance: 18,532 (sellout)
Three Stars: 1. DAL – J. Pavelski 2. SEA – Y. Gourde 3. DAL – M. Domi
Game 2: May 4, 2023 – STARS 4 vs. KRAKEN 2 | Series tied 1-1
After a four-goal performance in his return to the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs in Game 1, forward Joe Pavelski added another one in Game 2 and helped the Stars even their Second Round series against the Kraken. Pavelski (5-0—5) joined Steve Payne (5 in 1981) as the second player in franchise history to record five goals over a two-game span in the postseason. Rookie forward Wyatt Johnston (1-1—2) also made an impact, becoming the sixth teenager in franchise history to record a multi-point game in the playoffs. Forward Tyler Seguin (1-1—2) tallied his fifth goal of the postseason, Evgenii Dadonov (1-0—1) scored his fourth of the playoffs and goaltender Jake Oettinger returned to form with a 25-save performance in net.
PP: 1-3 | PK: 1-1 | SF: 37 | SA: 27 | DAL TOI: M. Heiskanen (28:51 – game high) | Attendance: 18,532 (sellout)
Three Stars: 1. DAL – W. Johnston 2. DAL – J. Oettinger 3. DAL – T. Seguin
Game 3: May 7, 2023 – STARS 2 at KRAKEN 7 | Seattle leads series 2-1
Forward Mason Marchment (1-0—1) and defenseman Jani Hakanpää (1-0—1) tallied goals for the Stars, who fell 7-2 in Game 3 against the Seattle Kraken at Climate Pledge Arena on Sunday. Marchment’s goal gave him points in four of his past five playoff games (3-2—5) while Hakanpää’s tally marked his first career postseason goal. Captain Jamie Benn picked up his sixth assist (1-6—7) of the postseason and forward Evgenii Dadonov registered his sixth point (4-2—6) of the playoffs with a helper. Goaltender Jake Oettinger made 12 saves on 17 shots in 40:00 and netminder Scott Wedgewood stopped six of eight in the third period.
PP: 0-3 | PK: 1-2 | SF: 26 | SA: 25 | DAL TOI: R. Suter (22:16) | Attendance: 17,151
Three Stars: 1. SEA – M. Beniers 2. SEA – P. Grubauer 3. SEA – C. Soucy
Game 4: May 9, 2023 – STARS 6 at KRAKEN 3 | Series tied 2-2
Led by a two-goal three-point performance (2-1—3) from forward Max Domi, a 31-minute night from defenseman Miro Heiskanen and offensive contributions throughout the lineup, the Stars earned a 6-3 victory over the Seattle Kraken at Climate Pledge Arena in Game 4, evening the series at two games apiece. Captain Jamie Benn (1-1—2), forward Joe Pavelski (1-0—1) and defenseman Thomas Harley (1-1—2) lit the lamp and Evgenii Dadonov (0-2—2) contributed two assists in the win. Goaltender Jake Oettinger improved to 4-0-0 in games following a loss in the 2023 postseason with a 16-save performance in net.
PP: 2-3 | PK: 2-2 | SF: 25 | SA: 19 | DAL TOI: M. Heiskanen (31:02 – game high) | Attendance: 17,151
Three Stars: 1. SEA – J. Schwartz 2. DAL – T. Harley 3. DAL – M. Domi
DALLAS STARS POSTSEASON NOTES
TONIGHT’S GAME: After knotting the series 2-2 with a crucial victory in Game 4 on Tuesday, the Stars look to regain control in a pivotal Game 5 tonight at American Airlines Center. (8:30 p.m. CT, TV: ESPN, SN, TVAS, Radio: The Ticket 96.7-FM/1310-AM). The winner of tonight’s contest will put the loser on the brink of elimination when the series shifts back to Seattle for Game 6 on Saturday. Dallas is 3-2 on home ice thus far in the postseason, including a victory in Game 5 vs. Minnesota.
LET’S GET IT KRAKEN
- This is the first all-time postseason meeting between the franchises.
- There have been 289 unique series matchups in NHL history, including one in the 2023 First Round (SEA-COL). The Seattle-Dallas series increases that number, as does the Vegas-Edmonton and Toronto-Florida series.
- The Stars/North Stars franchise has faced a club making its first appearance in the Stanley Cup Playoffs on two other occasions, both in the first postseason of the NHL’s expansion when the club itself was in the playoffs for the first time. In 1968, the North Stars defeated the Kings in the Quarterfinals (4-3 W) and then lost to the Blues in the Semifinals (4-3 L).
- The Stars went 2-0-1 against the Kraken during the 2022-23 regular-season and are 4-1-1 against them overall since they entered the NHL, including a 2-0-1 mark at home.
