We’re obligated to take issue with one comment from Seattle Kraken coach Dan Bylsma’s Saturday night postgame press conference. His Kraken had just knocked Calgary from the ranks of the unbeaten via a thrilling 2-1 overtime win at Climate Pledge Arena. Byslma suggested that the tight-checking game had been a “low event” affair.
Coach, any game in which Kraken goalie Joey Daccord participates by definition cannot be “low event.”
I understand what Bylsma was getting at. The shots on goal were few, and the goals in regulation were fewer. But what scoring chances there were tested both defenses. The Kraken had six power plays in the contest, and a pair of 2-on-1 rushes in the 1st period alone.
Two of Daccord’s Saturday adventures you’re probably familiar with – the vacated net which led to Calgary’s goal, and the postgame leap, made the social media rounds, including those outside hockey circles. Still, they deserve more context than you’ll get in a tweet or Insta. Crucial saves that received less attention were the reason teammates awarded him the wrestling belt after the game. Such as:
- 1st Period: Daccord gets tested by Mikael Backlund’s backhand in close; Joey’s right pad is up to the challenge.
- 2nd Period: The Seattle goalie makes a terrific blocker save on Andrei Kuzmenko’s right circle sizzler. Former goalie Greg Millen on CBC calls it his best save of the night, keeping the score knotted 1-1.
- 3rd Period: With 3:30 left, Calgary gets a pair of bang-bang grade-A chances from Nazem Kadri and then Kuzmenko. How we know these were dangerous chances: (1) Kadri raised his arms in celebration, then bent over at the waist and covered his mouth to hide his expletives (2) fans broke out in a spontaneous Jo-ey! Jo-ey! chant.
In the Kraken Reaction video below, Daccord describes the circumstances behind Calgary’s only goal, when he wandered into the corner during a penalty kill. He also explains how a goalie stays sharp when shots are few and far between; how he reacted during that late-in-regulation Calgary flurry; and, of course, his dash-leap-flop into the mass of Kraken celebrating Jordan Eberle’s game-winning OT goal.
Video credits: @SeattleKraken, @DavyJonesLR, @Sportsnet, Kraken Hockey Network, @midaeros, @Los_Kraken, @SasquatchNHL, Caean Couto-Imagn Images, @Jennthulhu_Photos