GDT #2: Blues vs Kraken 7 CT BSMW, 101ESPN

[theohall]

BLUES The St. Louis Blues began the 2023-24 season with an exciting matchup in Dallas on Thursday night. Though the shootout didn't go their way, taking a point from the Stars on the road and getting a stellar Jordan Binnington performance gives the Blues confidence heading into the Home Opener.

"I think it's gotta be a positive mindset and I think we gotta take a lot of good things out of tonight," Binnington said after his 33-save performance. "We played a good game, had a couple good chances - it's good energy in (the locker room)."

Tyler Tucker scored the Blues' first goal of the year, the second of his NHL career. Playing 26 games with the Blues last season, the 23-year-old defenseman helped the Blues even the score when he beat Dallas' Jake Oettinger with a snap shot in the second period.

The Blues are looking to get into the win column on Saturday, hosting another 2023 Western Conference Playoff team in the Seattle Kraken for the Home Opener.

Continuing the homestand after a four-day break, the Blues host the Coyotes and Penguins next week before heading out on their first long road trip of the season.

The Blues open up Enterprise Center with one point as the Central Division standings begin to take shape.

KRAKEN The Seattle Kraken are still seeking their first win as they head to St. Louis, though it will be their third straight road game to start the season.

In total, the Kraken will play seven of their first 10 games in 2023-24 on the road, including matchups against recent Stanley Cup contenders and champions Vegas, Colorado, Florida, Tampa Bay, St. Louis and two against Carolina.

They began their season in Vegas as the Golden Knights raised their 2023 Stanley Cup Championship banner, falling 4-1 before being shutout in Nashville on Thursday night.

"We just didn't quite execute well enough," said former Blue Jaden Schwartz after the 3-0 loss to the Predators. "Some good things, but not near enough."

The Kraken will be hungry to follow up their success from last year, earning a Stanley Cup Playoff berth in their second season as a franchise and eliminating the then-defending champion Avalanche in the First Round.

They'll visit Enterprise Center 0-2-0, hoping to get into a Pacific Division postseason slot by the end of the year.

HEAD-TO-HEAD The Blues finished 1-2-0 against the Kraken last season, including an overtime win on the road in the early portion of the year. They'll meet again in Seattle on Jan. 26, closing out the season series in the last regular-season game at Enterprise Center on April 14.

PLAYERS TO WATCH
BLUES Robert Thomas, whose 27 assists and 37 points at Enterprise Center led all Blues last year. Thomas has seven points in six career games against Seattle, the most by any Blue since the Kraken joined the NHL in 2021-22.

KRAKEN Vince Dunn, former Blues defenseman who broke out last season for a career-high 64 points. This summer, Dunn signed a contract extension with the Kraken worth $29.4 million over the next four years ($7.35M AAV).

BLUE NOTES
The Blues are 33-19-2-1 all-time in their home openers. They have won their last three home openers and have earned points in four straight (3-0-1)

Since the Kraken entered the NHL at the beginning of the 2021-22 season, the Blues are 4-2-0 against Seattle (2-1-0 at Enterprise Center)

The Blues have not allowed a power play goal to Seattle in any of their six matchups all-time, going 14-for-14 on the penalty kill in that span

Nick Leddy is expected to dress in his 100th game as a Blue on Saturday, acquired from Detroit ahead of the 2022 NHL Trade Deadline

The Blues earned a point in their season opener in Dallas on Thursday night, losing 2-1 in a shootout, and have now earned points in five straight season openers (3-0-2) to share the third longest active streak in the NHL

Brayden Schenn is set to play his first home game after being named the 24th captain in Blues history this offseason, beginning his seventh season in St. Louis in 2023-24. Schenn ranked No. 2 on the Blues last season with a career-high 44 assists, ranked third on the Blues with 21 goals and shared third on the Blues with 65 points. His 65 points marked the second-highest total in his career, trailing only his 70 points in 2017-18, his first season with the Blues

[theohall]

Welcome to the St Louis Islanders season. All D, very little O, excellent goaltending. Reads just like the NY Islanders of the past few seasons.

[gaijin]

Welcome to the St Louis Islanders season. All D, very little O, excellent goaltending. Reads just like the NY Islanders of the past few seasons.

Honestly, as bad as the defense has been the last couple years, it would be kinda nice for a change. But I bet they can't keep it up.

[glen a richter]

Get Perunovich in there for Krug and see what he can do on the PP. It's not too late to try to move Torey and there's no place on this team for two undersized defencemen.