Calgary Flames vs. Seattle Kraken Prediction, Preview, Picks & Odds - 4/9/2022

Time: 7 p.m. ET

Venue: Climate Pledge Arena, Seattle, WA

Where to watch: ROOT-NW, SNW, SN1

DraftKings: Check back later

BetMGM: Check back later

Caesars: Check back later

Flames: 43-19-9

Kraken: 23-42-6

This would’ve been a much more fun matchup if Mark Giordano wasn’t repping the Toronto colors anymore, but it’s still going to be an important game for the Calgary Flames as they try to keep pace with first place in the Pacific Division when they host the last-place Seattle Kraken at Climate Pledge Arena on Saturday.

 

It’s still that weird phase for me in not believing in the Flames until they win a playoff series. It’s not going to be any easy when it comes to facing the likes of either Dallas, Nashville or Vegas facing them in the first round. But it’ll help when taking down the bottom feeders like they are now. Calgary is on a three-game winning streak and is coming off a 4-2 win in San Jose after sweeping the California road trip.

 

Elias Lindholm had two goals to get him closer to 40 on the season, and Matthew Tkachuk added a 3-point night. Meanwhile, Johnny Gaudreau inched within one point of 100 with two assists and he’s likely making it unless thing just fall off the map at some point.

 

“What a game from him,” Tkachuk said of goalie Dan Vladar, who made 31 saves and played the second night of a back-to-back after Jacob Markstrom got the win in Anaheim. “I thought he was awesome tonight and he was probably the main reason we won.”

 

It’s essentially everyone making things happen right now in why the Flames are considered a contender in the Western Conference. Darryl Sutter has put an identity that works and it’s the biggest surprise for me right now. But, again, this group has been great before but hasn’t gotten over the hump. Maybe this is the year we start to believe in the burn of the Flames.

 

But with this run of easy wins the last week, of course the Flames need to keep taking care of business. One way to do that is to take care of the Kraken after coming off a 2-0 shutout victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday. Seattle was able to bounce back after losing 4-1 in St. Louis the previous night.

 

Philipp Grubauer turned back the clock a tad (to just last year, no big deal) to make 29 saves while Alex Wennberg and Jordan Eberle potted the only two goals that Seattle needed to reach its 23rd win of the season.

 

"Early in the year, we took the easy way out on a couple of back-to-backs, just being honest," Kraken coach Dave Hakstol said. "Our effort wasn't what it needed to be. … It's a hockey game. Yeah, we traveled, but everybody has back-to-backs. Everybody's got probably between a dozen and 15 this year. They're a fact of life. You show up and play, or you don't. It hasn't been a topic of discussion for us. It wasn't today. We all know it's a factor at different times of the games in terms of energy, but it's how big of a factor you allow it to be."

The fact that the Kraken have two solid wins in recent days against Chicago and Dallas hopefully builds some confidence that things are on the right track for Year 2. Right now, just banking more wins is going to help the cause. But Calgary is not Chicago or a tired Dallas team and should handle the Kraken rather easily. Flames win 4-2

Flames are 8-16 the last three seasons off a road win against a division rival.

Flames are 8-2 this season off two or more straight road wins.

Flames are 11-4 this season after a three-game unbeaten streak.

Kraken are 1-9 this season off a road victory.

Kraken are 1-8 this season after playing a game where three goals or less were scored.

Kraken are 5-17 this season coming off a win in their previous game.

Flames:

Johnny Gaudreau -- Elias Lindholm -- Matthew Tkachuk

Andrew Mangiapane -- Mikael Backlund -- Tyler Toffoli

Dillon Dube -- Adam Ruzicka -- Blake Coleman

Milan Lucic -- Ryan Carpenter -- Trevor Lewis

Noah Hanifin -- Rasmus Andersson

Michael Stone -- Christopher Tanev

Nikita Zadorov -- Erik Gudbranson

Jacob Markstrom

Kraken:

Ryan Donato -- Alex Wennberg -- Jordan Eberle

Daniel Sprong -- Morgan Geekie -- Joonas Donskoi

Victor Rask -- Yanni Gourde -- Kole Lind

Jared McCann -- Riley Sheahan -- Karson Kuhlman

Adam Larsson -- Vince Dunn

Will Borgen -- Cale Fleury

Carson Soucy -- Jamie Oleksiak

Philipp Grubauer

Points: Johnny Gaudreau -- 99

Goals: Elias Lindholm -- 38

Assists: Johnny Gaudreau -- 65

Goalie: Jacob Markstrom -- 33-14-9, 2.18 GAA, .924 SV%

Points: Jared McCann -- 41

Goals: Jared McCann -- 25

Assists: Yanni Gourde -- 24

Goalie: Philipp Grubauer -- 16-28-5, 3.12 GAA, .891 SV%