They never, ever, ever make it boring.
But first, the Highlights!
Game Notes
- Your TOI leader was Jamie Oleksiak, who played 21:13 tonight.
- This should’ve been a nice, easy-ish game where the Kraken mostly steamrolled a hapless Blackhawks, but it was as Allyson suggests: Chicago was genuinely pesky. They led a frankly unacceptable amount of this game in shots, they managed to get some incredible looks and odd-man rushes, and of course…two goals. The Net-front defense still has a little bit of work to figure out and boy…they gotta get some skating legs underneath them for more than a couple of major shifts. They might’ve even been in trouble at points in this game were it not for…
- …some of the single worst individual AND team defense I have ever seen an NHL team play. Oh my good lord; this Chicago Blackhawks Hockey Club team just SUCKS in their own end. Absolute basura. Nothing they did was correct. They screened their own goalie, they frequently artificially made their own backcheck work harder, and in general made the night of one Elmer Soderblom absolutely miserable. I was in awe of some of the sequences the Kraken were able to put together simply because of the complete lack of ability to be an effective NHL team on display. Truly inspiring stuff.
- All of that culminated in maybe a solid candidate for worst goal of the year if the Penguins hadn’t gotten a lead on that. Seth Jones created a cavalcade of errors that only goes into your own net once every million shots and passes. That was hilarious.
- How on earth did 6’4 Jarred Tinordi find a way to cross-check 5’6 Kailer Yamamoto? You have to bend over and put some effort into that one. Sheesh.
- Speaking of penalties, that power play had a rough night. They really should’ve been, because the Blackhawks are not very good, but otherwise nothing doing.
- TNT definitely put on one of the broadcasts of all time; it’s clear they wanted to talk more about a Chicago team with Connor Bedard on it, and were left scrambling for who they wanted to focus on that…was not a Kraken player. Look, I’ll be frank; this team’s stars, if it can be said they have marketable stars, are very local…and some of them are hurt. Matty’s out, Vince Dunn was a game time decision, Ollie Bjorkstrand was sort of a sneaky pick for an all-star, Joey Daccord came into being just around christmas time. I get that they probably didn’t have a terribly clean rider…but it was clear they just did not care. It’s a shame; this team is a pretty fun group of guys if you get to know them.
Let’s Give a Hand To!
- Joey Daccord! Once again that man in net has been the difference maker for the boys in Deep Blue. He had a .943 SV% on 35 shots, stopping 33 of them. First Star well earned again.
- Tomáš Tatar! Tuna tuned up the Blackhawks on both of the goals he scored tonight! A great breakaway goal, and the execution of a second chance opportunity that just made them look silly.
- Jared McCann! For getting this nonsense rolling with a hell of an opening tally! He also had a much more improved game possession-wise, and that’s what we need him to do. He’s also almost up for his 20th goal!
- Jordan Eberle! No goals tonight, but two primary assists is some quality playmaking. Great game for him.
- Brandon Tanev! Playing that Turbo style paid off tonight with a great goal!
- Justin Schultz! For having a 2-point night! Also worked directly with Jordan Eberle on that. For a guy who often gathers some
- Jaden Schwartz! Who took a hell of a stinger from a shot, but still managed a goal by being in the right place at the right time for a Burakovsky bomb. Hell of a game for him. Hopefully that shin is okay? The Squids do not need any more injured forwards.
- Alex Wennberg! For being the closest player to all of that nonsense on the Kraken’s third goal.
The NaturalStatTrick.com Charts
Boy! That sure was a much closer game than it ever had to be!
This better be an aberration, Kraken!
Hope you like teams from the midwest, because the Kraken take on the St. Louis Blues on Friday night at 7pm PT, back on ROOT Sports Northwest for the TV enthusiasts.
We’ll see you there, and as always…
Keep Calm, and Post Zoidberg When We Win.
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