The Colorado Avalanche are gearing up to face the Seattle Kraken this Sunday evening at Ball Arena, marking another chapter in their challenging 2024-2025 NHL season. The match is set to begin at 8:00 PM ET, and fans are eagerly anticipating the showdown between these two Western Conference rivals.
Currently, the Avalanche sit at sixth place with 40 points, holding onto their playoff aspirations, whereas the Kraken are struggling at twelfth with just 32 points. Their last encounter resulted in the Avalanche claiming victory with a dominating 6-3 score, adding to the competitive nature of their upcoming match.
This season has seen stellar performances from Avalanche superstar Nathan MacKinnon, who has put up 55 points through 35 games, making him a cornerstone of Colorado's offense. Mikko Rantanen, another key player, has also been impressive, netting 50 points this season. Defensively, Cale Makar has contributed with 42 points so far, displaying his dual-threat capabilities. Despite these strong talents, the Avalanche have struggled with injuries, affecting players such as Jonathan Drouin and Gabriel Landeskog, which may pose challenges against the Kraken this Sunday.
For Seattle, Jared McCann has emerged as one of the few bright spots, contributing 26 points so far, making him the offensive leader for his team. Alongside him, Oliver Bjorkstrand has been consistently delivering, enhancing the Kraken's attack with 24 points this season. The goaltending situation appears to be more favorable for Seattle so far, with Joey Daccord posting solid numbers, boasting a .913 save percentage, ranking him among the top ten goalies this season.
Delving beyond player stats, the Avalanche's overall team performance shows areas of concern juxtaposed with unexpected promising metrics. For example, their shooting-to-save percentage ratio stands at 7.8 to 0.906 at 5-on-5 play, which is noticeably below the league average. Evan Rawal of the Denver Gazette notes, "The Avalanche's shooting-to-save percentage ratio at 5-on-5 is 7.8 to 0.906, lower than the NHL average." This could be indicative of what has been required from them to maintain their position within the standings.
Interestingly, Colorado's strength is their power play, currently converting at 24.07 percent, significantly higher than the league average. Rawal elaborates, "Colorado has converted 10.4 percent of their High-Danger Chances to goals, contributing to their current standing." If the Avalanche can keep maximizing their opportunities on the power play, they may find the success they’ve struggled to translate at even strength. Still, their penalty kill needs improvement as it currently stands at 77.66 percent, under the league's average.
With the game fast approaching, both teams are aware of the magnitude this matchup carries. The Avalanche must bolster their lineup and rally around their top players to claim victory and gain momentum heading toward the backend of the season. Meanwhile, the Kraken will be aiming to leverage their grit and perhaps surprise their opponents.
Fans are urged to tune in to the game on Altitude Sports or via live stream options like Fubo, which offers extensive coverage of hockey and other sports.
Once again, the sports world will be watching as the Avalanche host the Kraken this Sunday. It’s more than just another regular-season game; it’s about fortifying positions, battling through adversity, and making each moment count as both teams strive for the ultimate goal of playoff glory.
