Kraken vs. Bruins RECAP: Yamamoto, Grubauer SO Heroes in Series-Sweeping Win Over Boston

Roll the Highlight Reel!

Game Notes

• Post-game on Saturday, head coach Dave Hakstol noted there were “game changing moments” his team failed to meet, the root cause of the loss. Seattle met and surpassed every one of those challenges versus Boston.
• For as dire of a position as Seattle’s was, seven points out from the second Wild Card spot headed entering Monday’s tilt, their start lacked all the appropriate urgency. One shot on goal was all the Kraken had to their name for a majority of the opening period, trapped in their own zone for long stretches by Boston’s suffocating, full-force attack.
• Little flurries of shots were all the home team managed for forty minutes. Seattle put five shots on Boston’s Linus Ullmark in the second period. Low-shot periods have become a problematic habit for this team.
• Thankfully for Seattle, Boston sole goal through the first 30 minutes was a shaky one, despite the skill with which it was finished. An odd bounce set up Kevin Shattenkirk up for an opportunistic stretch pass down ice that David Pastrňák received, scoring on a breakaway.
• A lucky bounce helped the Kraken to an early game-tying goal. Ricocheting off the wall in the offensive zone, the puck hurtled toward the net and Ullmark, attempting to clear it, placed it in Jordan Eberle’s possession right in front of the paint.
• Sloppy puck handling gave Boston two chances late in the middle frame, the first saved by Philipp Grubauer and the second scoring off a well-orchestrated pass from behind the net. Vince Dunn and Oliver Bjorkstrand added to the scoreboard in a Herculean effort to get ahead, but Charlie Coyle tied things up late. (Coyle sneakily tipped a shot from Pastrňák in, leading the building to think the Czech had scored his third goal. Hats rained down on the ice for a hat trick that didn’t exist). For the 17th time this season, the Kraken would required extra time to settle the game.
• Easily, tonight’s overtime period was the most impressive this season. Seattle dominated possession save for a solo chance by Jake DeBrusk. Matty Beniers hit the crossbar, Jared McCann came close to scoring but missed, scaring Ullmark with an attempted wrister anyways.
• Kailer Yamamoto scored the only goal of either team in the shootout, and Philipp Grubauer slammed the door on Coyle, Charlie McAvoy, and Pastrňák.

Let’s Give a Hand To…

• Tim Ohashi and Brady Morgan, the video coaches that helped Seattle overturn Morgan Geekie’s go-ahead goal to keep their winning aspirations alive. On coaches challenges this season, the Kraken are three-for-three.
• Philipp Grubauer, not for playing the prettiest game of his career, but making enough of timely saves to get the job done.
• Steve Briere, the team’s goaltending coach and the man Philipp Grubauer credited as helping him stay sharp despite having gone so long this season without consistent starts.

Three Stars of the Game

⭐️David Pastrňák (2G, 1A)

⭐️⭐️Kailer Yamamoto (SO winner)

⭐️⭐️⭐️Oliver Bjorkstrand (1G)

And here’s tonight’s heatmap, courtesy of NaturalStatTrick. Not the best by any means, but enough pressure to give Seattle a fighting chance they could capitalize on.