With the Dallas Stars and Seattle Kraken set to clash in Round 2 of the postseason we take a look at what makes this matchup so fascinating.
The Dallas Stars are a successful franchise, finishing second in the Central Division with 108 points, good enough for the eighth-best record in the NHL. Hanging from the rafters at American Airlines Arena are many banners celebrating the team’s postseason successes, which include a Stanley Cup title in 1999 and a recent appearance in the Final during the 2020 season.
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Facing off with these Stars are the second-year Seattle Kraken, who just shocked the hockey world with a stunning upset over the defending Stanley Cup champions, the Colorado Avalanche, in a thrilling seven-game series.
Now, there is no reason for the Kraken to fear the Stars since seven players in their lineup have a Stanley Cup ring, and Tyler Seguin is the only player in the Dallas dressing room with his name on the silver chalice.
Interestingly, both of these teams come into their second-round matchup riding momentum and feeding off big wins in tightly contested opening-round series. Even though the Dallas Stars may be the favorites, the Seattle Kraken will be a tough test and could be this year’s Cinderella team.
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Dallas Stars vs. Seattle Kraken series notes
After losing to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2020 Stanley Cup Final, the Stars failed to qualify for the playoffs the following season. Since most of the team returned, they stumbled after a surprise run to the championship series. Ultimately, the franchise had to wait out the development of superstar players like Jake Oettinger, Jason Robertson, and Miro Hesikaen, who were beginning their careers that year.
In a short time, the Dallas Stars were back to being considered serious contenders for the Stanley Cup thanks to Oettinger’s brilliance between the pipes and Robertson’s 109-point season, becoming the first player in Stars’ history to reach 100 points. Considering the franchise’s history with Hall of Fame players, this current generation of stars may take down some of the team’s most treasured records.
Meanwhile, the Seattle Kraken did not duplicate the success of the Vegas Golden Knights, who lost in the Stanley Cup Final during their first season in 2018. Although Seattle got to draft a variety of NHL stars, they posted a losing record in year one. However, they quickly turned things around in 2022-23, finishing with 100 points, a 40-point increase since entering the league.
Interestingly, the Kraken contended for the Pacific Division all season and snuck in as a wildcard team, drawing the champions in round one. Thanks to a complete team effort, Seattle was able to eliminate the Avalanche with goals from 15 players. Instead of a team focusing on shutting down one star or one line, Kraken opponents have to focus on the entire team because the team employed 13 players who scored at least ten goals during the regular season.
Key Stars & Kraken matchups in NHL playoffs matchup
Ultimately, the winner of this series will be the team to solve their opponent’s goaltending. Whether it’s the Stars’ Oettinger or the Kraken’s Phillip Grubauer, this matchup will feature a thrilling battle between young goalies with much to prove.
Statistically, Oettinger has the edge with his Vezina Trophy caliber numbers from the regular season, like a 2.37 goals-against average (GAA) and .919 save percentage (SV%). Still, Grubauer has a ring from his days with the Washington Capitals.
Ultimately, Grubauer’s performance, 2.44 GAA and .926 SV% against the Avalanche is a significant reason the Kraken advanced. Meanwhile, the Stars quickly handled the Minnesota Wild in six games, as Oettinger, from Lakeville, MN, became the first goalie in NHL history to beat a team from their home state during the playoffs.
Interestingly, special teams will be a significant factor in the matchup since the Stars already have nine power-play goals, good enough for the third-best percentage (37.5%) in the playoffs. In comparison, the Kraken boosts the second-best penalty kill at 88.9%, giving up just two extra man tallies to an Avalanche team that potted 64 during the regular season.
During the regular season, 40-goal scorer Jared McCann led the Kraken with seven power-play and three shorthanded goals. However, he suffered an “undisclosed” injury in the opening round, and his status is still undetermined for the start of the second round.
Whether he’s in the lineup or not, the Seattle Kraken continues to employ a next-man-up mentality and will present Dallas with a significant challenge. Although the Stars, with six players who scored more than 20 goals, employ a veteran core still chasing their first championship, the pressure is squarely on their shoulders as the favorites to advance to the final four.
History of Stars vs. Kraken
According to statistics from NHL.com, the Dallas Stars and Seattle Kraken have played six regular season contests together, with Dallas holding the lead with a 4-1-1 record while leading on the scoreboard by a margin of 22-18, good enough for 3.67 goals per game and 3.00 goals against per game.
Historically, this year will mark the first time these two franchises have crossed paths in the Stanley Cup playoffs, considering this is the Kraken’s first time qualifying for the postseason. During the 2022-23 campaign, the Stars won two of the three matchups, securing a win in overtime and losing once in the extra frame. Additionally, they outscored Seattle by a 13-10 margin.
Interestingly, the Stars have only lost once to the Kraken on home ice, American Airlines Arena, posting a 2-1 record in three contests while securing the same 2-1 record in three visits to Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle. Moreover, as the higher seed, the Stars earned home-ice advantage for the series, hosting Games 1 and 2, with the possibility of Game 5 and Game 7, if need be.
Stars v. Kraken prediction: Stars in 6