A stingy Seattle Kraken allowed just 11 goals over a recent seven-game stretch. Then the floodgates opened, as Seattle was drowned in a combined 13 goals by the NHL’s #28 team, Anaheim (5-2 loss Wednesday) and #29 San Jose (8-5 loss Friday). So the most relevant question in Saturday’s rematch with the Sharks at Climate Pledge Arena was whether the Kraken could tighten up defensively.
The return of first-pairing defenseman Vince Dunn, off long-term injured reserve and back in the Kraken lineup for the first time since Oct. 17 against Philadelphia, will certainly help. But not yet. It was Sharks defensemen Mario Ferraro and Cody Ceci who lit the lamp along with two teammates, as San Jose raced to a four-goal lead and coasted to an improbably easy 4-2 victory.
It was a shocking lack of response from a Kraken team which had been embarrassed in San Jose a day earlier. One game after getting subpar goaltending from Philipp Grubauer, Joey Daccord didn’t fare any better – and neither did the skaters in front of him. Seattle thus drops three of four against the supposedly “soft touch” Ducks and Sharks in a six-day period.
1st Period
The Kraken will be down an “o” and an “n.” Chandler Stephenson is out ill, so AHL Coachella Valley forward Mitchell Stephens takes his spot. Another Firebirds callup, Ryan Winterton, is back among the forward ranks, while Daniel Sprong sits.
Each team has a power play chance in the first half of the period; neither converts.
During one stoppage, former Kraken – now Shark – Alex Wennberg is honored with a video tribute. It hits home, based on the warm ovation from the CPA faithful and the wide grin on Wennberg’s face as he waves to the crowd.
What the Kraken desperately need out of the period is a clean sheet from their goalie, Joey Daccord. But at 16:54, a seeing-eye shot by defenseman Mario Ferraro eludes Daccord to break the visitors on top.
Seattle outshoots San Jose 13-9, with Sharks goalie Mackenzie Blackwood looking sharp.
2nd Period
San Jose’s Luke Kunin took a holding penalty in the final 17 seconds of the 1st period. The Kraken start the 2nd with a fresh set of ice, and an entire intermission of power play prep. Coach Dan Bylsma utilizes offensive-minded defenseman Dunn and Brandon Montour as a tandem.
Eight seconds after the penalty to Kunin expires, he steps out of the box and scores. Daccord gets a piece of his shot, but not enough, and it’s 2-0 Sharks at 1:51.
Would it make you feel any better to know that Vegas gave up four 1st period goals at home to Utah tonight? No, huh?
When Cody Ceci pots a fortuitous bounce off the back boards at 8:59 to make it 3-0 Sharks, Byslma is forced to use his timeout. It doesn’t help, at least not right away. Here’s how bad it’s gotten for the Kraken – teenagers are scoring goals on them. Will Smith, San Jose’s 1st round pick in 2023, 4th overall, increases the Sharks lead to 4-0 by converting a 2-on-1 at 9:45 – 46 seconds after the timeout.
Jaden Schwartz finally gets one back for the Kraken at 10:17, his fifth of the season.
Despite outshooting San Jose 17-10 in the period and 30-19 through 40, Seattle trails 4-1.
3rd Period
Dunn, who’s skated more than 15 of the first 40 minutes, somehow is +1, and hasn’t been on ice for any of the Sharks goals. The same can’t be said of forward Andre Burakovsky, who’s -3. We’re either in for a miracle comeback or a full period of garbage time.
If Joey Daccord needed any additional confirmation that this wasn’t to be his night, he stumbles and falls on his wallet behind the Kraken net. He did rise and return to the crease in time to make a glove save.
Jared McCann breathes a little life into the Kraken with a dart blocker side high past Blackwood, his team-leading 10th of the season. The San Jose lead is cut to 4-2 at 6:27.
The Kraken pull Daccord for a sixth attacker. Matty Beniers appeared to score a window-dressing goal with 7.6 seconds left, which would have been his first in eight games. However, the NHL situation room determined Yanni Gourde was guilty of goaltender interference. Shots finish 38-23 Seattle, with San Jose goalie Blackwood excellent in a 36-save effort.
Up Next
Seattle jets off to North Carolina Sunday for the start of a Metro Division tour. First stop is Raleigh for a Tuesday game against the Hurricanes. Then it’s up to the New York Metro area for tilts against the Islanders Thursday, the Devils Friday, and the Rangers on Sunday, Dec. 8.