Following the Seattle Kraken’s fifth straight defeat, Chandler Stephenson late Monday offered a stark two-word assessment of his team’s status: “Rock bottom.”
When you hit rock bottom, there’s only one way to go. The Kraken climbed the first rung out of their hole Wednesday at Climate Pledge Arena, downing the L.A. Kings 3-2 in overtime. Matty Beniers scored in the dying seconds of regulation, and Vince Dunn rocketed home the game winner in the extra session.
Dunn’s 4-on-3 marker completed a three-point night for the defenseman, and was his third career OT goal in a Kraken sweater.
None of the game’s goals were scored at even strength. Jared McCann on the power play broke the Kraken on top in the 2nd period, only for L.A. to counter on Alex Laferriere’s shorthanded goal. Late in the 3rd, after Ryker Evans took a high-sticking double minor, Kevin Fiala scored the go-ahead marker. But Beniers re-tied on another man advantage with 26 seconds left.
The Kraken didn’t lack for shots – 33 to L.A.’s 26. And goalie Joey Daccord returned to form in net. The victory, their lone triumph on a three-game homestand, also snaps an overall six-game winless slide (0-5-1).
1st Period
If season averages are any guideline, goals will be at a premium when the Kings and Kraken get together. L.A. is 27th in goals-for per game (2.72), while Seattle is 32nd and last (2.48). Incidentally, that’s exactly how many goals per game L.A. surrenders. “There’s not going to be a lot of space,” predicted Kraken coach Lane Lambert.
Crawl before you walk dep’t. L.A.’s Warren Foegele loses a skate blade blocking a shot, necessitating he literally crawl on all fours across the ice to reach the bench.
Matty Beniers flies down left wing on a 2-on-1 with reunited linemate Jordan Eberle to his right. Beniers calls his own number, but L.A. goalie Anton Forsberg swallows his shot.
Can the Kraken PK make it four successful kills in a row, dating back to Monday’s 3-for-3 against Minnesota? Adam Larsson is tagged for holding, and with Joey Daccord making two saves, the game remains scoreless.
A low-event 1st period – one unsuccessful man advantage each way – ends with shots favoring Los Angeles, 9-6. Always sophisticated Buoy-nemesis Paul Bissonnette, describing the period on the TNT national broadcast: “We’re trying to polish a turd here.” Nuanced analysis from Biz, who also called the Kraken mascot a “degenerate.”
2nd Period
Jani Nyman drives hard to the hoop around three Kings, forcing Cody Ceci to haul him down. The Kraken deserved a two-man advantage, because Quinton Byfield, having lost his stick, knocks down Vince Dunn from behind. Dunn doesn’t get mad, he gets even, finding an open Jared McCann, who slams the power play ice-breaker past Forsberg at 3:21.
The good times could have been short-lived, as Ryan Winterton takes a slash 26 seconds after the goal. But L.A. continues its own parade to the penalty box – Anze Kopitar and Foegele take minors 80 seconds apart, affording the Kraken that 5-on-3 they deserved earlier.
Not only do both penalties expire without Seattle extending its lead, the Kings’ Alex Laferriere converts a shorthanded breakaway to tie the game at 8:16.
The goal-starved Kraken can’t catch a break, having an apparent goal waved off for the second consecutive contest. This time, Forsberg can’t corral a puck in his crease that’s acting like a greased pig at the county fair. Los Angeles defenseman Mikey Anderson even lies along the goal line to keep the puck out, which could have resulted in a Kraken penalty shot. Eeli Tolvanen and Brandon Montour see the puck isn’t frozen and poke it into the twine.
Officials consult with the situation room before concluding they’d lost sight of the puck – and blew the whistle – before the pokes. A rousing chant of “Ref you s**k” doesn’t change their mind.
Worth noting: neither Tolvanen nor Montour let the non-goal call affect their play.
Montour at the defensive end makes a quality recovery; he appears to be turned inside-out by Kevin Fiala, but as Fiala cuts to the Kraken net, Montour legally cuts him down to the ice. Late in the period, Byfield sends a lead pass to L.A. defenseman Brandt Clarke. The pass at the crease never arrives because an alert Tolvanen intercepts.
The Kraken outshoot the Kings in the period, 16-6, and 22-15 through 40. This is the sustained offensive pressure Seattle needs to build on in the 3rd period.
3rd Period
Mason Marchment takes an ill-advised offensive zone tripping penalty. Fortunately, the Kings have a league-worst power play. That and Daccord’s best netminding of the night keep the game tied. Seconds apart, Joel Armia had two grade-A chances foiled in close. After recent subpar performances, Daccord appears back on his game.
Veteran Kraken defenseman Jamie Oleksiak, returning from a two-game healthy scratch pennance, rides Foegele heavily into the end boards.
Unlike a number of recent games, the Kraken have created numerous scoring chances – against a stingy Kings defense, no less. But they’ve either stubbed shots on open looks, had passes arrive an eyelash late, or have been stymied by goalie Forsberg, who has a history of being a thorn in Seattle’s side.
The latest is Chandler Stephenson, set up between the circles on a Kraken power play, firing into Forsberg’s crest. On the same PP, Kaapo Kakko sets up Tolvanen at the lower edge of the right wing circle, who can’t beat Forsberg. Back at full strength, it’s Ryan Winterton’s turn to power in deep, only to have his shot stymied by a Kings stick.
A remarkable, and pure Joey-esque sequence. Daccord bats a loose puck outside the crease with his glove, high into the air. Even though the goalie loses his stick, he’s still able to squeeze Alex Turcotte’s rebound shot between his pads.
Then, the apparent dagger to the Kraken’s heart comes in the form of a Ryker Evans double minor for high-sticking Corey Perry with 5:48 left. Fiala beats Daccord at 14:40 for the lead goal.
With Daccord pulled and goalie Forsberg called for tripping McCann, who was shaken up, Seattle skated 6-on-4 for the final 38 seconds. Or at least they did until Beniers deflected home the tying power play goal on a Tolvanen pass from the corner at 19:34.
Overtime
The Kings don’t learn from their last-minute penalty gaffe, and take another 1:05 into OT, Adrian Kempe slashing Beniers. Just 16 seconds into the man advantage, Dunn shoots the puck as hard as he’s able from the top of the right circle. The blast cleanly beats Forsberg, making Seattle a winner for the first time since Nov. 22 in Pittsburgh (also a 3-2 OT win).
Up Next
Seattle hits the road, but not for long. They play in Utah against the Mammoth on Friday. Then it’s back home for a pair of games, Sunday (5 pm start) against Buffalo, and Tuesday hosting Colorado.