You ever dive down into water for a little too long and then kind of have to put some effort to get up to the surface? You remember how good that first breath of air feels?
That was this game.
But first, the Highlights!
Game Notes
- Your TOI leader tonight was Adam Larsson, who played 23:35
- Now that’s a win you can hang your hat on as the platonic ideal of what this team looks like when it succeeds. Working hard, controlling the puck, strong transition chances, not letting goals-against get to them and tightening up, keeping the pressure on for the entire game. The empty netter? Frankly, that’s a bonus at this point. Sure, the San Jose Sharks are still very not good, and they give you so so so so much ice, but given how the Kraken have been struggling to get that final gear to lock a game down to not take their entire transmission with it when it blows I think we can call this much needed relief from the agony of recent games. Now, if they can somehow pry three points out of the next two games in Cali? I’ll be over the moon. But they gotta take the lessons of this game and run with it. Still plenty to work on.
- Penalty Kill went 1-for-3, which given it’s play lately is frankly a miracle. It has been getting better…but the near automatic goal-against on any one of your opponents’ power plays needs addressing.
- I do not believe for a second that the Sharks only did one penalty worthy thing tonight. They’re out here playing the corpse of Ryan Reaves almost ten minutes a night. Come on now.
- HEY GONNA BE REAL ADAM YOU SHOULD PROBABLY JUST DEFEND THE BLUE PAINT INSTEAD OF ROTATE YOUR GOALTENDER IN JUST SUCH A WAY THAT THE PUCK THAT’S UNDER HIM STARTS MOVING AGAIN JUST A MILD CRITIQUE JUST THOUGHT I’D CHECK IN ABOUT YOUR NET-FRONT DEFENSE OKAY THANK YOU
- Did you know that the NHL now tracks own goals on their website? I thought that was interesting.
- Joey goddamn Daccord, man. He earned his first star with honors tonight. We’ll get into it, but man he was making saves that were soul crushing.
Let’s give a hand to…
- Eeli Tolvanen got the ball rolling with an excellent chance in transition, which should be something he should be using more often? He’s got an excellent shot.
- Ryker Evans had a fantastic game-tying goal that sorta just…hit the back of the net from a million feet out. Hey, I’ll take it, man!
- Ryan Lindgren got his first goal in a Kraken uniform and not a moment too soon! Congratulations to him!
- Chandler Stephenson, who continued his point streak with an empty netter!
- Joey Daccord. .972 SV% on 36 shots faced, a couple of whom were absolute murder for anyone other than him. Absolutely phenomenal game for The Mayor, first star well earned.
The Chartz, via NaturalStatTrick.com
The Kraken continue their little jaunt through California through the rest of the week. They play on Monday against the Ducks at 7pm, then play Los Angeles on Tuesday.
We’ll see you then, and always remember!
Keep Calm, and Post Zoidberg When We Win.