Tanev Returns, Kraken Stand Toe-To-Toe With NHL-Best Jets, Fall 3-2 In Overtime

For four seasons and 238 games, Brandon Tanev brought energy and passion to the Seattle Kraken.

When Tanev appeared in Seattle for the first time as an opponent on Sunday, fans at Climate Pledge Arena brought the energy and passion for him.

Tanev, dealt at the Mar. 7 trade deadline, returned with the NHL-leading Winnipeg Jets, the franchise with which he began his career.

Fortunately, he’d finished his roughing penalty (!) before his tribute video resulted in a rousing ovation. Tanev, from the Jets bench. stood, waved, and patted his heart.

The Kraken continued their late season improved play, with newcomers Jani Nyman and Mikey Eyssimont staking Seattle to a 2-0 1st period lead. After Winnipeg rallied to tie, the Kraken stood firm during a pair of 3rd period penalty kills to send the game to overtime.

Seattle had the majority of possession in OT, but a team as talented as Winnipeg needed only one chance. Dylan Sandberg scored the game-winner at 1:47 of overtime from the edge of the crease, on a feed from Cole Perfetti.

Seattle captured five of a possible six points on their homestand.

1st Period

In the first half-minute, Winnipeg goalie Eric Comrie plays bowling pin, felled when Matty Beniers and Dylan DeMelo come rumbling down the lane. Vezina Trophy favorite Connor Hellebuyck soon replaces Comrie in the Jets’ net.

Six minutes in, even before the tribute video can be played, Brandon Tanev is doing Brandon Tanev things. He gives Shane Wright a rough ride into the boards at center ice, drawing a minor along with Tye Kartye, who objected to the original hit.

Montreal learned on Wednesday that leaving rookie callup Jani Nyman alone in the slot on a Kraken PP is asking for trouble. At 9:58, the Jets learn the same lesson. Eberle, below the goal line just as he was against the Habs, feeds an inexplicably wide open Nyman, who fires a power play laser past Hellebuyck.

Winnipeg makes another goalie swap, with Comrie re-taking his net after a 10 minute absence. He may have been required to complete concussion protocol.

Mikey Eyssimont, you do not have moves like that. Do you? The player acquired in the trade sending Yanni Gourde and Oliver Bjorkstrand to Tampa Bay undresses Jets defenseman Colin Miller. Eyssimont finishes his highlight-reel goal, first as a Kraken, by sliding the puck five-hole on Comrie. 2-0 Kraken at 15:23.

The Kraken, who really needed to take their 2-0 lead to the dressing room, can’t. 17 seconds before intermission, Cole Perfetti finds a puck at his feet in the goal mouth and puts it past Kraken goalie Joey Daccord.

2nd Period

Tanev’s Seattle number, 13, belongs in Winnipeg to Gabriel Vilardi. So he took the ice wearing #73, likely because the number is closest in appearance to #13. Winnipeg’s Mason Appleton is an original Kraken, and captain Adam Lowry has a Seattle connection, too. His dad Dave is a Kraken assistant coach.

Sustained Seattle pressure came to nought when Andre Burakovsky rang the right post from in close. Halfway through, the Kraken appear willing to play firewagon hockey with the league’s #3 offense. So far, they’re keeping up. Shots in the period, 2-2, don’t reflect the pace of play.

The Kraken are thinking offense, perhaps too much, because Ryker Evans’ blue line wrister is blocked by Morgan Barron. Anticipating that result, Kyle Connor cheats up ice. Connor accepts Barron’s indirect pass off the boards and converts his breakaway – his 36th goal – to tie the game 2-2 at 11:42.

Eeli Tolvanen hits a breaking Adam Larsson, who powers around two defenders. His 89 mph backhand whistles just wide of the near left post.

3rd Period

The NHL won’t officially own up to it, but the Kraken are actually playing back-to-back games against Winnipeg franchises. Friday’s opponent, Utah, was once the Arizona Coyotes, and before that, the original Winnipeg Jets 1.0.

Winnipeg is the NHL’s stingiest defensive team, allowing 2.28 goals per game. That’s more than a full goal per game better than Seattle’s 3.21. But Seattle knows how to play this team tough, with both previous Jets wins this season by a single goal. In the last meeting, January in the ‘Peg, Seattle dueled the Jets to a 1-1 deadlock before a last-second bad bounce allowed Winnipeg to escape with a 2-1 home win.

Vince Dunn’s early chance is swallowed by Comrie. Dunn then gives the Jets’ top-ranked power play (31.3%) its first opportunity. Seattle kills it with surprising ease, and without allowing a shot on goal. The Kraken are paying the price, including a stinging block by Jamie Oleksiak.

Back to the box go the Kraken, Larsson for a high stick. Not a recipe for success – the Jets have four PP goals in their last five games – but Seattle survives again.

Daccord kept the game tied after Larsson exited the box with two 10-bell saves on Connor. Comrie made one of his own, Jared McCann’s deflection try barely tipping off the goalie’s glove. Then it’s Daccord’s turn again, stopping a slot drive through traffic by Nino Niederreiter.

Overtime

Dylan Samberg scored the game winning goal from the lip of the crease. Seattle was unable to score for the last 46 minutes of the game against the league’s best defense.

Up Next

The Kraken embark on a four game road trip, with stops in Chicago Tuesday and Minnesota Wednesday. Then it’s north of the border for games in Edmonton and Calgary.