Kraken @ Kings RECAP: Trevor Moore Hat Trick and 5-2 Defeat in LA Eliminates Seattle from Postseason Contention

Roll the Highlight Reel!

Game Notes

• None of Seattle’s offensive firepower against San Jose carried over into Wednesday’s game in Los Angeles, despite touting almost exactly the same lineup (save for Tomáš Tatar replacing Ryan Winterton). While a low-event, detail-oriented opening twenty— characterized by strong zone exits and patient, concise defense from the visitors— encouraged optimism that Seattle could find their offensive footing, they failed to establish a forecheck early, goals didn’t come fast enough, and their strong defensive play unraveled.
• A Yanni Gourde hooking penalty handed the Kings two minutes of largely uninterrupted offensive zone time, precious in such a back-and-forth game, and Adrian Kempe converted on a sly feed from Viktor Arvidsson to break the ice— the only action the first period saw.
• There were bright spots in the second period, like an impassioned early stint on the man-advantage powered largely by the first unit and several impressive net-front bids by André Burakovsky. But between the unit’s failure to sustain momentum beyond two minutes, the team conceding two more goals to Los Angeles via Trevor Moore, and temporarily losing Vince Dunn to injury, little of Seattle’s game was applaudable.
• As difficult as Los Angeles’ neutral zone structure was to attack, Seattle’s puck management “wasn’t effective enough” in the first two periods to give them a real chance to beat it, according to head coach Dave Hakstol. Although puck management— and Seattle’s effort— improved as the game progressed, opportunity to salvage the game had passed.
• Vince Dunn returned to the bench to start the third period and didn’t stick around long. A hit from Alex Laferrière looked to injure the defensemen but was sent down the tunnel to serve a game misconduct for reasons unknown— likely something said or done during the altercation that ensued, which included a rare display of physicality from Adam Larsson in retribution.
• Offensive signs of life presented themselves. A high-sticking double minor drawn by Jared McCann gave André Burakovsky a chance to finally score, and he did so on the power play. And when Kevin Fiala scored on a breakaway, Brian Dumoulin responded with a tally of his own. But a third goal from Trevor Moore sealed the deal, and Seattle succumbed to their 31st loss of the season.
• Hakstol liked the third period’s effort. It wasn’t enough: “Our energy was much better in the third, but that’s the energy that we needed to start the hockey game with. We weren’t terrible but we didn’t do enough. We needed a little bit more of that emotion, and some of that energy, some of that physicality that you saw come out in the third period, that neded to be directed [into] the start of this hockey game.”
• “We left some of our effort on the table. And again, I don’t think our effort was poor, but we left too much in the tank here today. You have to evaluate it for what it is, both individually and collectively.”
• With this loss, Seattle is now mathematically eliminated from postseason contention.

Let’s Give a Hand To…

• Adam Larsson and Tye Kartye, for not hesitating to resort to physicality when the game called for it, despite the score.
• André Burakovsky, for recording his sixth goal of the season.
• Jordan Eberle, for generating the most individual xG of the team (1.57)

Three Stars of the Game

⭐️Trevor Moore (3G)

⭐️⭐️Pierre-Luc Dubois (3A)

⭐️⭐️⭐️Viktor Arvidsson (2A)

And here’s tonight’s heat map, courtesy of NaturalStatTrick. A lone five-on-five goal from the strangest of places: Dumoulin in the faceoff circle.