GDT Game #65 - Montreal Canadiens @ Seattle Kraken - Wednesday, March 11th @ 10:30PM EST

[xXx..CK..xXx]

In honour of @The Chicoutimi Cucumber starting us off with a victory last night, I present you with today’s game day thread. 
 

 

Today’s matchup:

 

Montreal Canadiens @ Seattle Kraken - Wednesday, March 11th, 2025 @ 10:30PM EST - Climate Pledge Arena

 

Montreal Canadiens

 

Caufield - Suzuki - Slafkovský

Roy - Newhook - Gallagher

Laine - Dvorak - Anderson

Pezzetta - Evans - Heineman

 

Hutson - Struble

Matheson - Carrier

Xhekaj - Savard

 

Dobeš

Montembeault 

 

 

Seattle Kraken

 

Schwartz - Beniers - Kakko

McCann - Wright - Nyman

Tolvanen - Stephenson - Eberle 

Eyssimont - Hayden - Burakovsky

 

Dunn - Larsson

Oleksiak - Montour 

Evans - Mahura

 

Daccord

Grubauer

 

 

Storyline:

 

Tonight’s matchup brings us a battle between two former 1st round draft picks in Shane Wright and Juraj Slafkovský. Shane Wright, having been touted as potentially being the number 1 overall draft pick in the 2022 NHL draft, the Montreal Canadiens chose to select Slovakian Juraj Slafkovský instead. Similar to Filip Zadina a few years earlier, this left Montreal with a target on its back involving another young high draft pick. While Shane Wright never explicitly said anything similar to promising to “fill their nets with pucks”, it took not so much as the look on Wright’s face to know how he felt towards the organization 

 

While @The Chicoutimi Cucumber himself as well as some others have often pointed to Logan Cooley potentially having been the best pick of the draft, the pick has turned out to be an alright selection when all things considered. The Habs may have not drafted a Connor McDavid with the 1st overall pick, but they did draft the player who currently has the most points out of anyone selected that year and a player who still has room to grow. When all is said and done, he is currently a 1st line player.

 

 

Shane Wright has not had the same start to his career, but has been playing well as of late. In the 2025 calendar year, Wright has an impressive 22 points in 27 games.

 

In terms of the game itself, the Habs are coming off a 4-2 victory over the Canucks and tonight’s game against Seattle represents the final game of the Canadiens’ western road trip where they hold a 1-1-1 record. Each game on the trip has held equal significance as the Habs find themselves on the precipice of a playoff position. The Canadiens will look to end their road trip with a winning record this evening.

 

 

While the Habs are entering this evening on the second end of a back to back, Seattle, on the other hand has had a few days off since their last match, a 4 - 2 loss against the Washington Capitals. While the Kraken didn’t play poorly and outplayed Washington for long stretches of the game, Seattle has lost 3 out of their last 4 and 5 out of their last 7 matches. The Kraken are the first team the Canadiens have faced on this road trip without playoff aspirations and so the Habs should play as though they are the more desperate team.

 

 

Previous Meetings:

October 29th, 2024: Kraken 8 - 2 Habs

 

This reality should be another storyline. Time to get some revenge for that 8-2 shellacking near the beginning of the season in late 2024.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[xXx..CK..xXx]

Laine in and Armia out (DTD)

[JoeLassister]

Ouch. Brutal by Dobes. He owes his team. Gotts make a huuuge save and prevent a sure goal now to get back to even. 

[xXx..CK..xXx]

Battle of the original six:

 

 

Hopefully by the end of tonight we’ll be ahead by 2.

[BCHabnut]

Tough start.

[xXx..CK..xXx]

Rough 1st period. Could be the worst 1st period of ours in a while.
 

4-5 posts for the Kraken but Dobeš also made some decent saves after the 1st goal against.

 

As I said earlier, the Kraken played well like this against Washington and still lost. The Habs are still in the game but they cannot afford to keep playing with fire the way they were.

 

Lucky to be down only by one after the first. Let’s make the Kraken regret it.

[Butterface]

Team looks like they are tired.

 

Hopefully a better second.

 

5 shots is bad… if they got 15 for real… we are lucky to be down only the one.

 

Not sure we got it in us …. Lots of rest for Seattle and none for Habs…. It shows.

 

 

[DON]

Outshot 15-5, lucky to be down just 1.

1st line 0 shots.

[Commandant]

Need to play the next 40 way better than the first period. 

[Commandant]

The goals aren't great, but I'm not gonna blame the goalie when shots are 19-6, just 5 minutes into the second and they have tons of shot attempts that hit posts and just missed too. 

[xXx..CK..xXx]

Laine time 🚨

 

I had a feeling once we had the PP

[Butterface]

Hopefully that scrum gives us life.

 

i would ask that Doby stay in his crease and just stop pucks. Don’t try to play the puck as much as he likes to.

 

Craig Button seems to like the Habs. Always complaining about refs in our favour. 

[Butterface]

Glad Patrick is getting some points. I’m sure he’s motivated to leap frog Columbus.

 

PP and now 4on4 goal.

[Butterface]

Oh man Slaf !

[Commandant]

BEAUTY

[sbhatt]

I am glad I didn't tune out when they looked terrible in the 1st.  Slaf needs to shoot more often...his past two goals should encourage him.

[BCHabnut]

Big improvement in the 2nd. Laine impact on return. 2nd half slaf doing his thing.

[BCHabnut]

27 minutes ago, Butterface said:

Hopefully that scrum gives us life.

 

i would ask that Doby stay in his crease and just stop pucks. Don’t try to play the puck as much as he likes to.

 

Craig Button seems to like the Habs. Always complaining about refs in our favour. 

It's the homer broadcast. But i think he's a hab fan as well. He is often a guest on sick podcast. 

[DON]

Much more entertaining 2nd with 15 shots and PP Laine strikes again.

Seattle up to 28 shots.

 

[Commandant]

Two points for Hutson is nice.

 

Lane for Calder or we riot.

[Helmethead]

Hutson casually with 51 pts. 
 

This kid 😍

[Butterface]

Goal ! That was a sweat !

 

Slaf with a second !

[sbhatt]

Slaf is on fire!

[Helmethead]

Sleep deprived for a 2nd night in a row but well worth it so far. 

[Commandant]

I tnought for sure it was a high stick on the first anfe but other angles showed he got it below the bar.