If the Seattle Kraken play as well all season as they did Sunday night against the New York Rangers, they’ll be just fine.
However, just fine wasn’t good enough against a Rangers team harboring Stanley Cup aspirations. One of the beasts of the Eastern Conference outlasted Seattle in a tight-checking contest at Climate Pledge Arena, 2-0. The Kraken’s four game winning streak comes to an end, despite a strong return in goal for Philipp Grubauer, seeing his first action since Nov. 5.
The Kraken were foiled by a suffocating New York defense and 38-year-old Blueshirts goalie Jonathan Quick, who made 24 saves for his 62nd career shutout, and second this season. Quick, in the “twilight” of a great career, lowered a goals-against that was a minuscule 1.17 coming in, and hiked a save percentage which can’t go a whole lot further north than the .964 he started with.
1st Period
The Rangers are elite no matter how you slice it. 6th best record coming in, 5th in goals per game, 5th in goals against, 2nd on the penalty kill, 7th on the power play. Oh, and they’ve won five of their first six road contests.
A night after playing a season-low 8:34 against the Islanders, center Shane Wright is a healthy scratch. Kraken coach Dan Bylsma inserts Ben Meyers in his place, making his Seattle debut. Signed as a free agent this summer, Meyers’ previous 67 NHL games came with Colorado and Anaheim.
New York has the first five shots, not including a post hit by Ryan Lindgren behind Kraken goalie Grubauer. The Kraken meanwhile have had one dangerous flurry in the first 17 minutes against Rangers netminder Quick. (Must be nice to have a two-time Vezina winner as your backup goalie.)
When Lindgren is called for holding at 17:25, Grubauer is called upon for a key glove save on Chris Kreider’s shorthanded chance. Key, because Kreider already has two shorthanded goals, and Seattle gave one up (and almost another) in their last game.
Just prior to the horn, Brandon Tanev makes a dynamic power move across the slot, but Quick kicks his shot away. SOG in the period are 9-6 New York, goals none either way.
2nd Period
Teams often talk about a good road period, in which you tamp down a quality opponent’s mojo, even if you don’t acquire a lead. Against the powerful Blueshirts, that was good home period for the Kraken.
Seattle d-partners working in tandem: uber-dangerous Artemi Panarin gets a step on Jamie Oleksiak, but Ryker Evans makes sure the winger can’t get a shot off. Speaking of the “Big Rig,” Oleksiak follows up with a pair of blocks. Kraken forwards are chipping in defensively with backchecks (Oliver Bjorkstrand) and blocks (Eeli Tolvanen).
When the puck later makes it through to Grubauer, the goalie makes an alert stop on Braden Schneider’s 12-foot redirection. He then makes positionally-sound saves on Alexis Lafrenière and Reilly Smith.
At 17:30, a sensational passing play gives the visitors the lead. Panarin, from the far boards, finds Lafrenière, who merely has to open the blade of his stick to tap the puck the final couple of feet.
Each team comes an eyelash from scoring within a 10-second span of the final minute. Brandon Tanev – whatever he’s been eating the last two weeks, I want some – breaks in alone, but New York’s K’Andre Miller makes the defensive play of the game. Without drawing a penalty, Miller from behind pokes the puck away. Tanev, meanwhile, slides underneath Quick – who’s in no hurry to rise off of the Seattle winger.
Up ice, the Blueshirts’ Jonny Brodzinski rings a shot off the post.
Seattle outshot New York 10-6 in the period, and 16-15 after 40. The Rangers lead on the big board, 1-0.
3rd Period
Analyst J.T. Brown on the KHN telecast: “You don’t want to go down 2-0 to a team that’s good playing with a lead.”
Seconds later, the Kraken go down 2-0 at 2:58. Zac Jones, open down the left wing, sneaks a shot between Grubauer’s torso and left arm before he can squeeze them together. It’s Jones’ first goal of the season, and not the hardest Grubauer has faced tonight.
Grubauer exits for a sixth attacker with three minutes remaining. The results are the same as the prior 57 minutes – zero goals. Shots in the period are 8-7 Seattle, 24-23 for the game. NYR wins 2-0.
Up Next
After a scheduled team day off Monday, Seattle will practice Tuesday morning at Kraken Community Iceplex. The season-high six game homestand concludes Wednesday at CPA, with the talented but struggling Nashville Predators providing the opposition.