Seattle's first major league team?

 

Kraken win second in a row, topple Predators, 4-2

By Raymond V. Murphy

The first game back home after a cross-country road trip can be a tough one for a hockey team. But on a night when the Seattle Kraken honored their popular TV announcer with a `John Forslund Bobblehead Night,’ the Kraken posted a 4-2 victory over the Nashville Predators last night at Climate Pledge Arena.

Goalie Philipp Grubauer earned number-one star honors with 32 saves in the Kraken net. In two games against the Predators, Grubauer has stopped 65 out of 69 shots. Coming off a four-game Eastern road trip where they compiled five standing points out of a possible eight, last night’s win improves the Kraken record to 4-5-2 on the season. The Preds, who defeated the Kraken in the second game of the season, fall to 4-6.

Coach Dave Hakstol felt that the Kraken had trouble `getting their legs’ in the first two periods and former Conn Smythe Award winner for the league’s top defenseman, Roman Josi, notched a power play goal at 16:34 of the second period to tie the game at 2-2. But the Kraken would get a `response’ goal from an unlikely source.

A mere 21 seconds later, defenseman Brian Dumoulin fired home a shot from the point for what proved to be the game winner. Ironically, the tally marked the first time in his 11-year NHL career that Dumoulin had scored goals in two consecutive games as he also lit the lamp in the Kraken’s previous game in Tampa Bay.

“It’s great to contribute,” said Dumoulin, who played on two Stanley Cup winners with the Pittsburgh Penguins. “Especially with this team, everybody needs to contribute. And you’ve seen in this last stretch, we’ve got goals from different people.”

The Kraken surrendered the lead in all four of their recent road wins (although they escaped with two wins and a tie) but the visiting Predators opened the scoring last night. With seconds remaining on the power play, Tommy Novak opened the scoring for Nashville. Adam Larsson was in the sin bin for an inadvertent high stick that cost Predator forward Gustav Nyquist some teeth.

“It wasn’t the way we wanted to start obviously,” said Grubauer, who also manned the nets in Seattle’s win at Tampa. “But we found a way in the last period, The other guys picked it up from there.”

However, the Kraken would score twice before the intermission. With Nashville’s Dante Fabro in the penalty box, Oliver Bjorkstrand (nine points on the season) tied the game with a one-timer off a pass from Justin Schultz.. Jared McCann, the Kraken’s leading goal scorer (6) made it 2-1. After linemate Yanni Gourde broke up play at the other end, McCann beat ? on a tw-on-one,

The Predators had a territorial advantage in the second period but Josi had the only score. But that was answered by Dumoulin, who had only one goal all of last season.

“The second period, that's the key point where Grui did a really good job getting us through and putting us in a good spot coming into the third period,” said Hakstol. “The other guys picked it up from there.”

 

“He (Grubauer) made really big saves in big moments,” said Dumoulin. “He did a good job of controlling his rebounds, not giving them too many second or third opportunities.”

Was He Or Wasn’t He Hurt?

Another strange play (along with Nyquist losing his teeth) came late in the second period when Grubauer came out of his net and made a sliding save on Liam Foudy. The Nashville forward fell over Grubauer and the Kraken netminder lay on the ice for several seconds earning a trip from the Seattle training staff. Grubauer continued in the game but was actually accessed a tripping penalty for taking down Foudy, the first penalty the Seattle netminder has received in eight years.

While Grubauer appeared to still be in discomfort, he still made some big stops on the ensuing power play, including a sliding pad save on Connor Sissons. When asked after the game if he was really hurt or if it was just an `acting job,’ Grubauer smiled and said, “wouldn’t you like to know.”

The Kraken played a strong defensive game in the third period and Vince Dunn added an insurance goal with a slapper from the point.

Seattle hosts the Calgary Flames – who’ve lost six in a row- tomorrow night at Climate Pledge Arena.

SCORING SUMMARY

First Period

N- Tommy Novak (Colton Sissons, Luke Evangelista) power play, 6:35, S- Oliver Bjorkstrand 3 (Justin Schultz 2, Jared McCann 5) power play, 15:31. S- McCann 6 (Yanni Gourde 2) 17:41.

Second Period

Period

N- Roman Josi  (Tyson Barrie, Filip Forsberg) power play 16:34. S- Brian Dumoulin 2 (Schultz 3, Tye Kartye 1) 16:55.

Third Period

Vince Dunn 2 (Jaden Schwartz 3, Alex Wennberg 3) 8:38.

Shots On Goal- Nashville 34, Seattle 34.

Hits- Nashville 17, Seattle 14

Penalty Minutes- Nashville 10, Seattle 10.

Referees- Graham Skilliter, Morgan MacPhee. Linesmen- Michel Comier, Ryan Gibbons.

Faceoffs- Nashville 56.9. Seattle-43.1

Three Stars- 1. Philipp Grubauer 2. Jared McCann 3. Brian Dumoulin