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The New York Rangers will launch a four-game Western road swing on Saturday when they visit the Seattle Kraken. However, that excursion pales in comparison to the journey awaiting the Kraken, who will fly to Helsinki, Finland, immediately after the game to take on the defending Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes in a pair of contests next Thursday and Saturday.
"We've obviously got a bit of a light schedule here before Finland, and I think we've just got to try to bank as many wins as we can and build that confidence into a trip that's going to be a really fun one," Kraken goaltender Joey Daccord said. "It's like a once-in-a-lifetime type of trip. Hopefully, we keep it going this weekend, and then we can feel good and kind of enjoy that trip and try to get some points over there."
Daccord was instrumental in Seattle's 2-1 overtime triumph over the visiting Calgary Flames on Wednesday, turning aside 25 shots. Matty Beniers sealed the win with a breakaway goal just 55 seconds into the extra period, handing Daccord his first victory in four starts since October 11.
"It's really important -- above all else, important for his confidence," Kraken coach Lane Lambert said. "You know, he's no different than any other player. A player who has to work to gain confidence. He's done a great job here over the last little bit of working. And Colin Zulianello, our goalie coach, just spent a lot of time with him and he responded. He had an outstanding game. We gave them a couple of opportunities, certainly in the third period on a couple of breakaways where we had breakdowns. Didn't love those, but certainly loved the fact he made the saves when he had to."
Berkly Catton also found the back of the net for Seattle, extending his point streak to seven games (three goals, five assists). In his second NHL season, Catton is tied for the team lead with Chandler Stephenson and former Rangers first-round pick Kaapo Kakko at 12 points. Seven Kraken players have reached the 10-point mark or better.
The Rangers, meanwhile, have won two straight, defeating the St. Louis Blues 3-1 on Tuesday and the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2 on Thursday, both at home. Former Kraken forward Tye Kartye netted the go-ahead goal in the third period against Philadelphia. Kartye has five goals in 17 games, already matching his total from 24 games with New York last season after being claimed off waivers from Seattle.
"He competes hard," Rangers coach Mike Sullivan said of Kartye. "He works at his game every day. He's a relentless worker. He's just a great teammate. Ever since we've picked him up and he joined our team, he's just fit in with our group. He brings so many intangibles. He's good on the penalty kill, his puck pursuit game, he skates, he hunts pucks, and he's conscientious defensively. He's been a great fit for our group. He thrives in the game that we're trying to play."
Gabe Perreault and Pavel Dorofeyev also scored for New York, while Adam Fox contributed two assists to boost his team-leading total to 21 points (two goals, 19 assists). The Rangers earned their first win this season when trailing after two periods, having previously gone 0-6 in such situations. Goaltender Dylan Garand, making his 12th consecutive appearance (10 starts, two in relief), made 23 saves.
"I don't think we had our best stuff (Thursday) in the first and second (periods)," Rangers captain J.T. Miller told reporters. "I thought we got off to a decent start, and after that I don't think we had our best. That being said, third periods have been our best periods this year so far, and I thought that being down a goal going into the third, I thought we deserved to win going into that period."
Key Analysis
The Kraken's upcoming trip to Finland presents a unique challenge and opportunity, as they face the defending champion Hurricanes in a neutral-site setting. Seattle will look to carry the momentum from Daccord's strong performance and Catton's hot streak into the international showcase. Meanwhile, the Rangers are finding their stride with consecutive wins and contributions from unlikely sources like Kartye. The matchup in Seattle serves as a crucial test for both teams before diverging paths.
Originally reported by yardbarker.