Seattle Kraken goalie Joey Daccord likes to tell people, with his characteristic smile, that he was pick #199 in his NHL draft year – the same number #199 Tom Brady was picked in the NFL draft. The other part of the story is that the team which drafted the Boston native was the Ottawa Senators.
Tuesday at Climate Pledge Arena, Daccord wasn’t at his best on the first two goals allowed to his old team. Not that it would have made a difference, given his teammates’ offensive struggles.
The Senators ran their winning streak to four with a 3-0 win, as despite 23 saves, Daccord fell to 1-2 lifetime against Ottawa. Joey’s counterpart, Linus Ullmark, coming off NHL 3rd Star of the Week honors, was again outstanding with 30 saves and a shutout.
Seattle’s four game homestand concludes with one win. Aside from the five-spot put up in that lone victory (5-1 over Boston), the goal scoring has dried up. In its three other most recent games, the Kraken scored once (a 2-1 OT loss to Florida), once (a 5-1 setback to Tampa Bay), and not at all against Ottawa.
1st Period
If Seattle’s 15-15-2 record coming in doesn’t convince you this is a glass-half-filled team, consider that the Kraken have scored exactly 2.97 goals per game, and allowed 2.97 goals per game.
Seattle’s Ryan Winterton gets the first grade-A from the slot, a hard wrister kicked away by the pad of Senators goalie Linus Ullmark – who hasn’t allowed a goal prior to the 3rd period all month. At the other end, Daccord stays with Adam Gaudette’s slick deflection. Both goalies stand tall again on the first Seattle power play. Ullmark makes three saves, while Daccord denies a shorthanded 2-on-1.
Observation: the Shane Wright-Oliver Bjorkstrand-Eeli Tolvanen line is showing early chemistry.
Daccord brings fans to their feet, not with a save, but by lifting a pinpoint pass over three lines to a streaking Tye Kartye, who – as they say in football – has gotten a step on the defense. However, Ullmark denies his 30-foot wrister.
The Kraken outshot the Senators 15-7 in a scoreless 1st.
2nd Period
Matty Beniers is playing his 200th career NHL game tonight. It must feel that long to him since he’s scored. In reality, it’s been 15 games and counting since he last lit the lamp, Nov. 14 against Chicago. Beniers was the Kraken’s first-ever draft pick, taken second overall in 2021.
On a second Kraken PP, Tolvanen snipes for the top corner; Ullmark puts his mitt in the way. Two SOG total with the extra man, but no icebreaker. The Kraken power play is ranked 21st, Senators PK 24th.
Andre Burakovsky finds trailer Chandler Stephenson for an open look, which allows Ullmark to once again flash the leather.
Though Seattle doubled Ottawa in shots, it’s the visitors who strike first at 8:02. Shane Pinto scored 5-hole on Daccord, who squeezed the pads too late. Of note, the assist goes to Michael Amadio, in his second tour of duty in Ottawa and playing his 400th NHL game.
Ottawa doubles the lead at 12:45. Noah Gregor sends a drive past Daccord’s glove and below the elbow where the near right post and crossbar meet.
The Kraken, who can ill-afford another goal against, must kill a Ryker Evans hold at 15:26. Despite the Senators operating the NHL’s #6 power play (26.5%), they can’t add to their lead. Daccord makes a fine buzzer-beating save on Drake Batherson. Shots in period two are 12-8 Ottawa, 23-19 Seattle through 40.
3rd Period
The final period statistically is Ottawa’s worst defensively (40 goals allowed) and Seattle’s best offensively (36 goals scored).
Ever dropped a glass object, and as it twists just out of reach and onto the hardwood floor, the whole thing seems to be happening in show motion, but there isn’t a damn thing you can do about it? That’s how Daccord must have felt on Tim Stรผtzle’s breakaway goal at 4:18. Daccord outwaits Stรผtzle to make a stick save – only to have the puck casually ramp up in the air, slowly twirling behind him before nesting in his net.
Ullmark, who’s done it again – no goals allowed this month in the first two periods – had the luxury of not facing a Seattle shot for the first 10+ minutes of the period. All that’s left now is whether the Kraken can break his shutout. Spoiler: they can’t.
In a metaphor for Kraken fans’ hopes and dreams, the goal camera inside Daccord’s net is smashed when Thomas Chabot slams into the cage and knocks it off its moorings. (What? Too much? Too Dickens-like?)
The save of the game – eliciting a rare cheer from the faithful – comes courtesy of defenseman Brandon Montour, who blocks a sure empty-net attempt by Batherson after Daccord had been pulled for an extra attacker. Despite a later Ottawa penalty which created a 6-on-4, Seattle is unable to score.
Up Next
Seattle begins a four game road trip Thursday in Chicago. Puck drop against the Blackhawks will come just after 5:30 pm Pacific time. The Hawks lost a 2-0 decision to the Capitals on Tuesday. The Kraken will also visit the Golden Knights, Avalanche, and Canucks. Because of the league-mandated Christmas break, the Kraken won’t play again at CPA until hosting Utah on Dec. 30 (a 5 pm local time start).