Ouch.
That was the (PG rated) word that came to mind for Seattle Kraken players and Kraken nation after Seattle somehow dropped a 5-4 decision to the Arizona Coyotes last night in Glendale. It was the Coyotes first victory of the season.
From a Coyotes’ perspective they may have felt that a home game against the league’s newest team afforded a good opportunity for a victory but the game began looking like a Kraken blowout.
Jordan Eberle, who recorded the first hat-trick in team history on Thursday night, took all of 15 seconds before scoring in last night’s contest. Eberle scored off a feed from Alex Wennberg behind the net. With the fans still settling in, Seattle went up 2-0 as Yanni Gourde and Brandon Tanev came down the ice on a two-on-one with Gourde firing a wrist shot home.
With 59 seconds gone in the game, first-year coach Andre Tourigny pulled goalkeeper Karel Vejmelka – who had played Friday night in Anaheim – in favor of Scott Wedgewood, who was picked up Thursday on waivers from New Jersey. Wedgewood has been on a shuttle between Jersey and Arizona the past few years, playing for both teams on two different occasions.
In keeping with the hectic pace of the game, Antoine Roussell scored on the first Coyote shot of the contest. Nathan Bastian, known as a defensive forward and a penalty killer, recorded his first goal of the season at 11:04, “a goal-scorer’s goal.” Bastien circled the net and when Wedgewood committed, lifted the puck into the open net.
Wedgewood was solid in the nets the remainder of the contest stopping 27 shots. Arizona clawed its way back into the game finally taking the lead at 13:54 of the third period making it 4-3. Veteran Phil Kessell, playing in his 912th consecutive game (fourth all-time) scored his 923rd NHL goal.
Kraken coach Dave Hakstol called the loss “disappointing.” “Our focus wasn’t there. Our awareness wasn’t there and that’s indicative of a couple of the goals-against.”
The Kraken’s veteran captain Mark Giordano looked like he would be the hero for Seattle (at least securing them one point in the standings for a regulation tie). With goalkeeper Philip Grubauer pulled, Giordano fired home his third goal of the season with 18:$2 gone in the third period to tie the game, 4-4. But the Coyotes took only 13 seconds to respond as Johann Larssen beat the Kraken’s Adam Larsson to a loose puck behind the net and hit Lawson Crouse with a pass in front of the net. Crouse’s one-timer was his second goal of the game.
Hakstol was particularly unhappy with Crouse’s first goal noted that Arizona’s third goal which tied the game 3-3 early in the third period “You look at the third goal, a pass-out play from underneath our goal line. Our awareness was not there. The communication wasn’t there.”
“We got two quick goals and I don’t think we played very well after that,” said Gourde. “We weren’t managing the puck very well. We weren’t playing fast. We weren’t playing our identity which is ‘be hard to play against. If you don’t do that, there are good teams in the league and they’re going to beat you.”
The Kraken (4-7-1) complete an abbreviated road trip Tuesday night in Las Vegas. This marks Seattle’s second trip to Vegas, and the first time the Kraken will play a team for the second time.
GAME NOTES
* Forwards Marcus Johansson and Colin Blackwell have joined the Kraken on the current road trip. Due to injuries, Johansson has played only one game this season and Blackwell has been out of action since training camp. The Kraken is still without the services of Jared McCann, who’s now missed four games due to COVID protocols.
* BrandonTanev finally picked up his first assist of the season on Yanni Gourde’s goal. Tanev has six goals on the season but last night was his first helper.
* Considering that Seattle has scored three power-play goals in 36 man-advantages it’s hard to believe that there are two teams that are worse than the Kraken on power plays. Those teams are the Kraken’s two road opponents Arizona and Vegas, although the Coyotes did add a PP goal last night. The Kraken went 0-for-3 with a man advantage, making them 3 for 39 overall and they’ve now gone 36 power pays without scoring. The Coyotes recorded their third power play of the season on Kessel’s goal last night. The Golden Knights are scoreless on their last 11 power plays.
* For those who’ve followed the Kraken before they ever signed a player it’s interesting to see players who were widely rumored to join Seattle but went elsewhere. Shayne Gostisbehere, who had three assists in last night’s contest, played for Kraken coach Dave Hakstol in Philadelphia and was often mentioned as a future Kraken.Gostisbehere played well under Hakstol and was runner-up for the Calder Trophy in 2015-16, totaling 46 points (17-29-46) in 64 games. Gostisbehere was eventually traded to Arizona for a second-round draft choice.
* Scott Wedgewood, who entered last night’s game 57 seconds in, was picked up on waivers by the Coyotes only two days ago from the New Jersey Devils. Wedgewood however, has previous experience with the Coyotes playing 20 games in the 2017-18 season. The last time Arizona started a season with 11 losses — four years ago — Wedgewood was the goaltender when the Coyotes finally got their first win.
GAME SUMMARY
1st Period
S – Jordan Eberle (Alexander Wennberg), :15.
S – Yanni Gourde (Brandon Tanev, Mark Giordano) :59.
A – Antoine Roussel (Shayne Gostisbehere) 1:52.
S – Nathan Bastian (unassisted) 11:04.
2nd Period
A – Travis Boyd (Christian Fischer, Gostibehere) 3:12.
3rd Period
A – Lawson Crouse (Johan Larsson, Jacob Chykrun) 9:46
A – Phil Kessell (Gostisbehere, Clayton Keller) power play 13:54.
S – Mark Giordano (unassisted) 18:42.
A – Crouse (Larsson) 18:55.
Saves/Goals – Seattle: Philipp Grubauer 5-17. Arizona: Scott Wedgewood 2-27.
Penaties – Seattle 2-4, Arizona 3-6.
Referees – Wes McCauley, Brandon Schrader. Linesmen – Andrew Smith, Julien Fournier.
Attendance – 17, 125.
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