Canadiens @ Kraken: Game preview, start time, Tale of the Tape, and how to watch

Game 11: Montreal Canadiens @ Seattle Kraken

Start time: 10:30 PM EDT / 7:30 PM PDT
In the Canadiens region: TSN2 (English), RDS (French)
In the Kraken region: Kraken Hockey Network, KONG
Streaming: ESPN+, TSN Live

The Montreal Canadiens have seven wins in their first 10 games, something that they haven’t accomplished (Covid season aside) since the heady days of Carey Price’s prime. Furthermore, they’ve done this despite inconsistent goaltending, a hit-or-miss power play, and injuries to Kaiden Guhle, Kirby Dach, and Patrik Laine.

The key to the Canadiens’ season early on has been star power. Over the last decade, Montreal fans have witnessed on countless occasions a superlative effort by the CH rendered meaningless by a few flashes of opposition brilliance. Now, the Canadiens have the potential to put the shoe on the other foot. Thirty-plus minutes of controlling the play by the Vancouver Canucks? Gone in the span of two power plays thanks to Nick Suzuki and Ivan Demidov. That’s not to say that the Habs should rely on being bailed out by their superstars, but it’s very nice to finally have the possibility for a change.

Tale of the Tape

Canadiens
Statistics
Kraken

7-3-0
Record
5-2-2

47.7% (22nd)
Expected-goal share
44.4% (30th)

3.60 (8th)
Goals per game
2.78 (25th)

3.00 (15th)
Goals against per game
2.67 (11th)

23.3% (11th)
PP%
19.2% (19th)

75.0% (18th)
PK%
69.6% (26th)

1-0-0
Head-to-Head Record
0-0-1

Cole Caufield (7)
Most goals
Eberle/Schwartz (4)

Nick Suzuki (11)
Most assists
Matty Beniers (5)

Nick Suzuki (13)
Most points
Eberle/Schwartz (8)

The last time the Canadiens met the Seattle Kraken, it was at the Bell Centre for Montreal’s home-opener. The Habs took that one, a see-saw affair that witnessed four separate one-goal leads — three for the home side and one for the visitors — get cancelled out before Cole Caufield snuck a puck above Joey Daccord’s shoulder for the overtime winner.

Given how close that game was, it’s perhaps not surprising that the two clubs have shared similar fates since then. The Kraken greet the Canadiens with a 5-2-2 record after celebrating their return to Climate Pledge Arena with a win over a short-handed Edmonton Oilers team missing their two best assets. Seattle is undefeated at home this season, and has yet to allow more than two goals in a game. That said, they’ve also yet to score more than three, and this perhaps highlights a bigger issue. The team has only scored more than three goals within regulation time on one occasion this season: October 14, at the Bell Centre, against Montreal.

Both the Kraken and the Canadiens are relatively unchanged from their first meeting. Seattle’s biggest loss is Jared McCann, who has not played since the team’s fifth game of the season and was placed on IR prior to their matchup with the Oilers. His loss is Berkly Catton’s gain, as head coach Lane Lambert has given an opportunity to the eighth overall selection in 2024. Catton, for his part, has responded with two points in four games. Montreal’s lineup will still be missing Laine and Guhle, which means Jayden Struble and Joe Veleno will face off against the Kraken for the first time.

In net, Seattle will probably turn once again to Daccord, who has played seven out of nine possible games so far. Montreal’s goaltending situation is less clear. Jakub Dobeš has clearly outplayed Samuel Montembeault so far, but the Canadiens will likely continue rotating the two in order to give their de facto starter a chance to play himself out of this slump.

So far this season, the Kraken have relied on three things: disciplined defending, resolute goaltending, and opportunistic offence. The last time they met, Montreal managed to secure two points by breaking down two of the three. Can the Habs turn the trick again and finish off their Western road trip on a successful note?