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A berth in the NHL’s Western Conference finals is on the line Monday night, as the Dallas Stars host the Seattle Kraken in Game 7 of their second-round series (8 p.m. ET, ESPN).
The series has been quite a back-and-forth affair, as the teams split the first four contests then the Stars went ahead 3-2, before the Kraken roared back with a 6-3 win on home ice in Game 6.
Who will win the pivotal showdown? And which players from each team will have the biggest impact on the result? Our NHL reporters check in:
Who will be the key player for Seattle?
Ryan S. Clark, NHL reporter: There won’t be just one. There will be several, because that is how that team has operated. For all the reasons you can say it will be Matty Beniers, Vince Dunn, Yanni Gourde or Philipp Grubauer, it could end up being Adam Larsson, Eeli Tolvanen or Justin Schultz instead.
Victoria Matiash, NHL analyst: Grubauer will need to be his very best self against a Dallas offense that’s bound to press hard from the onset. The Stars are too well coached and experienced to allow themselves to be outshot in the first period for a third straight game, while Jake Oettinger has yet to lose two in a row this postseason. Seattle’s netminder will have to be the better of the two for his side to hold any hope of moving on. A big ask, all considered.
Kristen Shilton, NHL reporter: Grubauer. Seattle isn’t a star-driven team. The Kraken will need a star turn from their goaltender in Game 7. Grubauer is 3-3 with an .865 save percentage and a 3.78 goals against average in this series. Dallas watched the Kraken knock Oettinger out of Game 6. Goaltending has never been more pivotal in this matchup than it is now, and Grubauer has to be at his best and deliver a performance worthy of the moment.
Greg Wyshynski, NHL reporter: I know the Kraken have owned the no superstars, just a different hero every night corner during the Stanley Cup playoffs. That said, Jordan Eberle has been an individual force in this…
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