<p class="mol-para-with-font">The Seattle Kraken can see the finish line in their bid to qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs in just their second year of existence.</p> <p class="mol-para-with-font">The Anaheim Ducks are one of the teams that stand in their path, and the Kraken will try to bump them aside when they meet on Thursday night in Seattle.</p> <p class="mol-para-with-font">The Kraken (40-25-8, 88 points) hold the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference with nine games remaining.</p> <p class="mol-para-with-font">Seattle is seven points out of third place in the Pacific Division and owns a three-point edge on the Winnipeg Jets, who hold the second wild card by two points over the Calgary Flames.</p> <p class="mol-para-with-font">The San Jose Sharks did the Kraken a favor when they beat the Jets 3-0 on Tuesday night, but Seattle would prefer to take care of business on its own.</p> <p class="mol-para-with-font">The Kraken are 3-4-2 in their past nine games, which has prevented them from solidifying a playoff spot.</p> <p class="mol-para-with-font">Seattle is also winless in its past four home games (0-3-1), with its last victory at Climate Pledge Arena coming against the Ducks on March 7, a 5-2 win.</p> <p class="mol-para-with-font">Kraken fans are also feeling impatient with their goalie situation.</p> <p class="mol-para-with-font">Philipp Grubauer was pulled in the most recent game, a 5-1 loss to the Minnesota Wild in St.
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Paul, Minn., on Monday, after surrendering four goals on 13 shots. Martin Jones made six saves in relief.</p> <p class="mol-para-with-font">Grubauer has a 2.57 goals-against average for his 11-year NHL career, but is over 3.00 for the second straight year with the Kraken.</p> <p class="mol-para-with-font">Seattle coach Dave Hakstol doesn't seem to be panicking, however.</p> <p class="mol-para-with-font">"We need our depth to keep doing what they're doing," Hakstol said after practice Wednesday.</p> <p class="mol-para-with-font">The Ducks (23-41-10, 56 points) are in a much different boat than the Kraken.</p> <p class="mol-para-with-font">Loser of five in a row, Anaheim could be without its top two scorers, Trevor Zegras and Troy Terry, when it opens a three-game road trip in Seattle.</p> <p class="mol-para-with-font">Zegras, who leads Anaheim with 22 goals and 37 assists, sustained a lower-body injury in the first period of a 5-1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Monday.</p> <p class="mol-para-with-font">He tried to play through the pain, but eventually left after the second period and did not return.</p> <p class="mol-para-with-font">Zegras did not practice with the team in Anaheim on Wednesday, but he will accompany the Ducks on the trip and his status is day-to-day, Anaheim coach Dallas Eakins said.</p> <p class="mol-para-with-font">Terry will not make the trip, as his wife, Dani, is expecting their first child.</p> <p class="mol-para-with-font">Derek Grant, who scored the lone goal in the loss to Colorado, said the team can't make excuses for not playing well.</p> <p class="mol-para-with-font">"You have to show up every night, no matter where you are in the standings or what time of the year it is," Grant said.
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