SEATTLE KRAKEN NOTES:
LAST GAME
SEATTLE 3 AT COLORADO 1
GOALS: Tolvanen, Wennberg, Geekie
GOALIE: Grubauer (34/35)
PP: 0/3 PK: 2/2 SHOTS: SEA 30 – COL 35
CURRENT INJURIES (MAN GAMES LOST: 3)
JOONAS DONSKOI (upper body; IR) | 1 game | no timeline for return
ANDRE BURAKOVSKY (lower body; IR) | 1 game | week-to-week
JOHN HAYDEN (lower body; IR) | 1 game | week-to-week
TRANSACTIONS IN PAST 7 DAYS
April 17, 2023: Recalled F Tye Kartye from Coachella Valley (AHL)
April 19, 2023: Reassigned F Tye Kartye to Coachella Valley (AHL)
SERIES SCHEDULE
Game 1 – April 18, 2023: Seattle Kraken at Colorado Avalanche, 3-1 SEA win
Game 2 – April 20, 2023: Seattle Kraken at Colorado Avalanche, 6:30 p.m. PT
Game 3 – April 22, 2023: Colorado Avalanche at Seattle Kraken, 7 p.m. PT
Game 4 – April 24, 2023: Colorado Avalanche at Seattle Kraken, 7 p.m. PT
Game 5 – April 26, 2023: Seattle Kraken at Colorado Avalanche*
Game 6 – April 28, 2023: Colorado Avalanche at Seattle Kraken*
Game 7 – April 30, 2023: Seattle Kraken at Colorado Avalanche*
*if necessary
THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW
• If the Kraken were to win tonight, they would become the sixth expansion franchise in NHL history to win their first two playoff games. They would also be the first team to do so while playing both of those games on the road.
• A win would also make the Kraken the first team to win their first two games against the defending Stanley Cup Champions since the Vancouver Canucks defeated the St. Louis Blues in the first two games of their first round matchup in 2020.
• The Kraken went 2-for-2 on the penalty kill in Game 1 against the Avalanche, making them one of six teams to not allow a power-play goal in the first game of their series. Seattle also went a perfect 6-for-6 on the penalty kill against Colorado during the regular season.
• The Kraken also played the Avalanche on April 20 last year, defeating them 3-2 at Climate Pledge Arena.
• 2023 marks the first trip to the Stanley Cup playoffs for five Kraken players: Matty Beniers, Will Borgen, Cale Fleury, Jesper Froden and Jaycob Megna.
• The Kraken’s American Hockey League (AHL) and East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) affiliates also made the playoffs in their respective leagues this year. The Kraken are one of ten NHL organizations to qualify for the postseason at the NHL, AHL and ECHL levels, with the others being Boston, Colorado, Dallas, Edmonton, Florida, Los Angeles, New Jersey, NY Rangers and Toronto.
— The Coachella Valley Firebirds will face off against the Tucson Roadrunners in the first round of the Calder Cup Playoffs. The three-game series is set to begin on April 19.
• If the Kraken were to win tonight, they would become the sixth expansion franchise in NHL history to win their first two playoff games. They would also be the first team to do so while playing both of those games on the road.
• A win would also make the Kraken the first team to win their first two games against the defending Stanley Cup Champions since the Vancouver Canucks defeated the St. Louis Blues in the first two games of their first round matchup in 2020.
• The Kraken went 2-for-2 on the penalty kill in Game 1 against the Avalanche, making them one of six teams to not allow a power-play goal in the first game of their series. Seattle also went a perfect 6-for-6 on the penalty kill against Colorado during the regular season.
• The Kraken also played the Avalanche on April 20 last year, defeating them 3-2 at Climate Pledge Arena.
• 2023 marks the first trip to the Stanley Cup playoffs for five Kraken players: Matty Beniers, Will Borgen, Cale Fleury, Jesper Froden and
Jaycob Megna.
• The Kraken’s American Hockey League (AHL) and East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) affiliates also made the playoffs in their respective leagues this year. The Kraken are one of ten NHL organizations to qualify for the postseason at the NHL, AHL and ECHL levels, with the others being Boston, Colorado, Dallas, Edmonton, Florida, Los Angeles, New Jersey, NY Rangers and Toronto.
— The Coachella Valley Firebirds will face off against the Tucson Roadrunners in the first round of the Calder Cup Playoffs. The three-game series is set to begin on April 19.
GAME WON
• With their 3-1 win over the Colorado Avalanche in Game 1, the Kraken
became the 13th expansion franchise in NHL history to win their firstever playoff game. They also are just the seventh team to do so while
playing their first playoff game on the road.*
• The Kraken also became the second franchise in NHL history to win their first-ever playoff game against the defending Stanley Cup Champions.
The other to do so was the Washington Capitals, who won their first-ever playoff game against the New York Islanders in 1983.*
• Seattle also became the seventh franchise in the last 40 years to score at least three goals in their Stanley Cup Playoffs debut, joining the Atlanta Thrashers in 2007, Minnesota Wild in 2003, Anaheim Ducks in 1997, Florida Panthers in 1996, Tampa Bay Lightning in 2006 and San Jose Sharks in 1994.*
• Tuesday’s win also marked the first time that the Colorado Avalanche lost a game in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs since 2020.
They swept the Nashville Predators in the first round 2022 and swept the St. Louis Blues in 2021.
*Stat courtesy of NHL Stats
ROAD WARRIORS
• All four road teams won their respective games Tuesday night, including the Kraken’s 3-1 win over the Avalanche. Entering play Wednesday, road teams were 6-2 in the first game of each series.
• The 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs marks the third time at least six of eight Game 1s in the opening round were won by the visiting team according to NHL Stats.
• Including the regular season, the Kraken are undefeated in Ball Arena in 2022-23, going a perfect three-for-three when playing the Avalanche on the road this year.
— Seattle and Los Angeles were the only two teams to win two games at Ball Arena during the 2022-23 regular season.
• The Kraken were one of the league’s top road teams during the regular season, ranking in the top five in road wins (26, tied fifth), regulation wins (21, tied third), goals (152, tied third) and goals per game (3.71, tied third).
COLORADO AVALANCHE NOTES:
FIRST ROUND SCHEDULE
Date Time (MT) Location TV / Result Radio
Tuesday, April 18 8 p.m. Seattle at Colorado L, 1-3
Thursday, April 20 7:30 p.m. Seattle at Colorado Altitude, ESPN, SN360, FX, TVAS 92.5 FM
Saturday, April 22 8 p.m. Colorado at Seattle Altitude, TBS, SN360, TVAS 92.5 FM
Monday, April 24 8 p.m. Colorado at Seattle Altitude, TBS, SN360, TVAS 92.5 FM
*Wednesday, April 26 TBD Seattle at Colorado TBD
*Friday, April 28 TBD Colorado at Seattle TBD
*Sunday, April 30 TBD Seattle at Colorado TBD
TONIGHT’S GAME
GAME 2 – FIRST ROUND SERIES
COLORADO AVALANCHE vs. SEATTLE KRAKEN
7:50 p.m. – Ball Arena, Denver, Colorado
Altitude, ESPN, SN360, TVAS / 92.5 FM
The Colorado Avalanche will try and even the series tonight when they take on Seattle Kraken in Game 2 of the First Round at Ball Arena … Seattle won the opener 3-1 on Tuesday night … This is the first time Colorado has trailed a playoff series since the 2020 second round against Dallas … The Avalanche are the Central Division champions while Seattle enters its first postseason as the top wild card in the Western Conference … The Avs are the defending Stanley Cup champions as they earned their third championship last spring … Colorado claimed its title by going 16-4 in the postseason, the sixth team to win a Cup with four or fewer postseason losses since 1987 when the NHL went to four rounds of best-of-seven … This is the first-ever playoff matchup between Colorado and Seattle.
ON THE CALL
ESPN: Bob Wischusen (play-by-play), Brian Boucher (analyst), Leah Hextall (reporter)
Altitude: Marc Moser (play-by-play), Mark Rycroft (analyst), Katie Gaus (reporter)
Altitude Radio: Conor McGahey
GAME 1 RECAP – SEATTLE 3, COLORADO 1
The Seattle Kraken scored within the first five minutes of all three periods and Philipp Grubauer made 34 saves to lead Seattle to a 3-1 victory over the Avalanche in the Kraken’s first-ever playoff game … Alex Wennberg had a goal and one assist and Eeli Tolvanen and Morgan Geekie also scored for Seattle … Mikko Rantanen had the lone tally for Colorado and Alexandar Georgiev made 27 saves in his first career postseason start.
SF: 35 SA: 30 PP: 0-2 PK: 3-3 FO: 56% (31-24) Hits: 29-40 Blocks: 19-23
FIRST ROUND OPPONENT – SEATTLE KRAKEN
This marks the first-ever playoff meeting between the Colorado Avalanche and Seattle Kraken … That leaves Winnipeg as the only Western Conference team who has never faced the Avalanche in the postseason … The Avs finished 1-1-1 against the Kraken during the 2022-23 regular season, with all three matchups decided by one goal (two went to overtime) … The Avs finished 2-1-0 against Seattle during the Kraken’s inaugural season in 2021-22 … This is the fifth all-time playoff series between an NHL franchise making their postseason debut and a reigning champion, following the 2009 Conference Quarterfinals (CBJ vs. DET), 1983 Division Semifinals (WSH vs. NYI), 1980 Preliminary Round (HFD vs. MTL) and 1929 Quarterfinals (NYA vs. NYR).
REGULAR SEASON SCHEDULE vs. KRAKEN
Oct. 21 vs. SEATTLE (L, 2-3)
Jan. 21 @ Seattle (W, 2-1 SO)
Mar. 5 vs. SEATTLE (O, 2-3)
RECORD vs. KRAKEN
THIS SEASON 2021-22 ALL-TIME PLAYOFFS
Overall: 1-1-1 Overall: 2-1-0 Overall: 3-2-1 Series: 1
Home: 0-1-1 Home: 1-0-0 Home: 1-1-1 W-L record: 0-1
Road: 1-0-0 Road: 1-1-0 Road: 2-1-0
PLAYOFF NOTES
PLAYOFF BOUND
The Avalanche are in the postseason for the sixth consecutive year, tied for the third-longest active streak in the NHL … The Avs are appearing in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the 19th time since relocating to Denver and 28th time in franchise history.
ACTIVE STREAKS MAKING THE PLAYOFFS
7 Boston since 2016-17
7 Toronto since 2016-17
6 Colorado since 2017-18
6 Tampa Bay since 2017-18
TRYING TO EVEN IT UP AFTER GAME 1 LOSS
The Avalanche tonight will try and even the series at one game apiece … The Avalanche are 5-9 in best-of-seven playoff series when losing the first game … Colorado is 8-8 in playoff series when splitting the first two contests of a best-of-seven and 1-5 when dropping the first two games.
GAME 1 STREAK COMES TO END
Seattle’s 3-1 victory on Tuesday snapped a streak of six consecutive Game 1 victories for the Avalanche … The Avs won all four series openers a year ago en route to the Stanley Cup.
FIRST ROUND SUCCESS
Tuesday’s loss ended a streak of 10 consecutive victories in the first round … The Avs swept their first round series in each of the last two postseasons … Colorado is 16-2 in its last 18 first-round games since dropping the 2019 playoff opener to Calgary.
EAGLES WIN SERIES OPENER
The Avalanche’s American Hockey League affiliate, the Colorado Eagles, opened the 2023 Calder Cup Playoffs with a 3-2 overtime victory over the Ontario Reign last night at the Budweiser Event Center in Loveland, Colorado … Gustav Rydahl scored the OT winner, Charles Hudon and Cedric Pare also found the back of the net and Justus Annunen made 30 saves … The Eagles will look to close out the best-of-three Pacific Division Quarterfinal series on Friday night in Loveland.
BACK FOR MORE
Eighteen (18) players from last season’s Stanley Cup championship team are on Colorado’s 2023 playoff roster: Bowen Byram, Andrew Cogliano, J.T. Compher, Pavel Francouz, Samuel Girard, Darren Helm, Erik Johnson, Jack Johnson, Artturi Lehkonen, Kurtis MacDermid, Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, Josh Manson, Alex Newhook, Valeri Nichushkin, Logan O’Connor, Mikko Rantanen and Devon Toews … The list becomes 19 if you include injured captain Gabriel Landeskog … Helm has two Stanley Cups (2008 Red Wings) and Lars Eller won a Cup with the Washington Capitals in 2018.
PLAYOFF HOCKEY…AN AVALANCHE TRADITION SINCE 1996
The Avalanche are 140-100 in playoff games since relocating to Denver in 1995-96, the second most wins during that stretch behind only Detroit (145) … The Avalanche have won three Stanley Cups and made seven appearances in the Western Conference Final during that stretch … Over the last five seasons, only Tampa Bay (49) has more postseason wins than the Avalanche’s 38 … This is the 43rd playoff series for Colorado, with the club posting a 26-15 record in those series (.619).
POSTSEASON PRODUCTION
Nathan MacKinnon has 94 points (41g/53a) in 71 career playoff games, the third-highest points/game (1.32) average in postseason history behind only Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux … Mikko Rantanen, who has 78 points (24g/54a) in 64 playoff contests, ranks seventh on this list at 1.22 … Cale Makar has 60 points (15g/45a) in 56 playoff games, the second-highest points/game average (1.07) by a defenseman in NHL history behind only Bobby Orr … Only two blueliners, Brian Leetch (72) and Orr (68), had more points through their first 56 career postseason games.
HOME COOKING
Nathan MacKinnon had an assist in Game 1 against Seattle on Tuesday and now has points in 11 straight home playoff games going back to last year … He tallied points in all 10 home games (8g/8a) last postseason, the longest home point streak in franchise playoff history.
