The Seattle Kraken aim for a 2-0 series advantage, a spot that historically has put the Dallas Stars against the ropes, at American Airlines Center in game two of second round Western Conference play tonight at 6:30pm PT (93.3 KJR / Kraken Audio Network)
It would be a surprise to see any lineup changes for the Kraken, who could put Dallas in a 2-0 hole for the fifth time in their modern franchise history when starting a series at home (they've lost them all). However, Jaden Schwartz and Justin Schultz were reportedly missing from morning skate on Thursday. No injuries were reported after a game one victory.
"We'll see tonight," Kraken head coach Dave Hakstol told reporters after morning skate.
"At this time of year, I guess, you never know. We'll see where we're at tonight."
However, past history shows their absence from morning skate hasn't been a cause for concern, with both players given "maintenance day" breaks to account for necessary rest - a common method of health management across NHL rosters, especially in the postseason.
Schwartz and Schultz made an impact in game one, when Schwartz scored the first Kraken goal of the night and Schultz following up by tying the game on a wrist shot from the right circle on Jake Oettinger - all part of a four-goal outburst that set the sixth fastest three goals in Stanley Cup Playoff history. The Kraken scored three goals in 52 seconds to take a 4-2 lead after one period, forcing the one-man wrecking crew named Joe Pavelski to bring Dallas back in the game, forcing overtime with a four-goal effort.
A likely starter in net tonight, Philipp Grubauer has been extremely substantial for impacting the Kraken playoff fortunes in net, starting every game while carrying a .921 save percentage with a 5-3 playoff record this season.
*Kraken radio color analyst Dave Tomlinson contributed to this story.