Before the hockey game Sunday at Climate Pledge Arena, the Seahawks-Colts NFL game was shown on the twin video scoreboards.
Now, if the Seattle Kraken could come close to scoring as many ice goals as ‘Hawks kicker Jason Myers had field goals (six, in an 18-16 win), local fans could celebrate a double dose of sporting joy.
Unfortunately, a combination of poor health and poor defensive coverage proved too much to overcome.
The Buffalo Sabres got a 1st period goal from Noah Ostland on a 2-on-1, and a 2nd period goal from Tage Thompson on a 2-on-0 – you read that right – to back the 23-save goaltending of Alex Lyon in a 3-1 victory.
Chandler Stephenson scored for Seattle, while Joey Daccord made 20 saves. Seattle falls to 1-7-1 in their last nine games. Say, do you know if Jason Myers is any good on skates?
Taylor Codomo Photo
1st Period
This could uncharitably be described as a clash of the stoppable force meeting the movable object. Buffalo is 28th in allowing goals, while Seattle is 31st in scoring them.
Jacob Melanson, called up from AHL Coachella Valley due to a team-wide flu bug, makes his presence known – and felt – early. First, he bangs bodies with a pair of Sabres in front of their net. Later in the same shift, Melanson gives Jordan Greenway a rough ride into the boards.
Melanson was credited with four hits in the period! His spot in the lineup became available because Mason Marchment, who scored twice against Utah on Friday, is out ill.
Down left wing on a 2-on-1, Seattle’s Freddy Gaudreau sends a backhand off the crossbar.
Kraken goalie Joey Daccord can’t find a rebound at the tail end of a penalty kill, but defenseman Vince Dunn swoops in to prevent trouble.
The game’s first goal is painful for both teams. Painful for the Kraken because they’re victimized by beautiful give-and-go passing on a 2-on-1. Noah Ostland scores into an open net before Daccord can get across at 17:09. Painful for the Sabres because Josh Norris, after giving up the puck to Ostland, trips over Ryker Evans’ stick, loses his balance, and crashes heavily into the end boards.
The crash was reminiscent – and in the same corner – of one that caused Kraken captain Jordan Eberle to miss half a season last year. Norris was able to rise under his own power and skate gingerly back to the bench.
Could Buffalo’s 9-3 edge in shots be due in part to the bite of that flu bug?
2nd Period
As a Kraken power play expired, Buffalo’s Alex Tuch blocked Vince Dunn’s exit pass from the Kraken defensive zone. Tuch looked up – and couldn’t believe what he saw: not one, but TWO Sabres teammates camped out in front of Daccord’s crease, with no one wearing a blue “S” in sight.
Even if I knew what the Kraken goalie was thinking, it would probably burn out your retinas reading it. For the record, Daccord sprawled helplessly while Peyton Krebs fed Tage Thompson on the doorstep (his 16th) for a 2-0 Buffalo lead at 10:08.
Seattle cuts the lead in half six seconds after Buffalo’s second time shorthanded. With Jordan Eberle setting a screen, Chandler Stephenson uses a double deflection – the left post and the back of Sabres netminder Alex Lyon – for his 6th goal at 12:24.
Each team had a late-period power play, but the score didn’t change. Seattle outshot Buffalo 11-7 in the period, and trails in that metric just 16-14 after 40.
3rd Period
Stephenson isn’t known for big hits, but don’t try telling that to Buffalo’s Zach Benson. Daccord expertly fights off a Rasmus Dahlin deflection through traffic.
The Kraken find their skating legs five minutes into the period. Buffalo goalie Lyon turns aside shots from Jamie Oleksiak, Matty Beniers, Ryker Evans and Ben Ben Meyers.
Tye Kartye is cross-checked into the side boards with six minutes left, but neither referee chooses to raise an arm.
Because of Buffalo pressure in the Kraken zone, Seattle isn’t able to pull Daccord for a sixth attacker until the final 80 seconds. When they do, Benson scores into the empty net.
Up Next
The first-ever Kraken head coach, and the only one to guide the team to a playoff berth, Dave Hakstol, makes his return to Seattle as assistant coach with the Colorado Avalanche. Coincidentally – or not – the Avs are off to an other-worldly start, suffering just two regulation losses in their first 32 games (23-2-7).
Meanwhile, the Broncos have the best record in the NFL, and the Nuggets have the 3rd-best record in the NBA. Whatever they’re inhaling in the Mile High City, send some this way, would ya?