Lightning strikes against the Kraken

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            Kraken coach Dan Bylsma, perplexed by Seattle 5-1 loss to Tampa.

The Seattle Kraken opened last night’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning in a similar fashion to their `jump start’ against the Boston Bruins, Thursday night at Climate Pledge Arena.

The Kraken dominated the early minutes- at one point they outshot the Lightning by a 7-0 margin- and like Thursday night they scored an early power play goal. This time it was defenseman Brandon Montour, who rifled a shot from the point past Lightning netminder Jake Johansson.

However, the Lightning took charge after that and went on to post a 5-1 victory. The visitors held a narrow 2-1 lead after two periods, but tallied three goals in the final frame to coast to victory.

Jake Guentzel, the Lightning’s big offseason acquisition- and last night’s number-one star- made it 3-1 with a power play goal at 4:02 of the third period. Nikita Kucherov fired from the right circle and Guentzel batted it past Philipp Grubauer for the score. Similar to Vince Dunn’s goal against the Boston Bruins on Thursday night, Guentzel’s goal was legal because his stick was below the crossbar.

Despite Guentzel’s goal (he’s scored in the last six Lightning games) the Kraken were still in the game. Grubauer made a dandy kick save on Anthony Cirelli’s shot a few minutes later and then Andre Burakovsky hit the post at the other end.

Tampa’s Darren Raddysh was then whistled off when he tripped up a Seattle player right in front of a referee. The Kraken offense actually seemed to stall on the power play and after the Lightning kill, Grubauer headed to the bench replaced by a sixth attacker.

The Kraken netminder had hardly settled in when Seattle failed to keep the puck in their offensive zone and Brandon Hagel fired into an open net. His second of the game.

The Lightning added another late goal which didn’t mean much except to the scorer, Tampa’s Declan Carlile. It was the rookie defenseman’s first NHL goal.

``We can't ask for a better start,” Dunn bemoaned after the game. ``Monty gets us one early, and we don't really have much of a response the whole entire game. Guys are working hard, maybe not working necessarily in the smart places. We kind of look the same that we were eight games ago (when the Kraken lost to Anaheim and San Jose twice, the two teams below them in the Pacific Division standings).

``I don't think we just had enough juice and jam to play the way we needed to play to beat a pretty good team” said Kraken coach Dan Bylsma. ``When it's not maybe going your way physically, you have to be more mentally into the game, to adjust to not having legs. Sometimes, when your legs go, the brain follows.”

The Kraken who fall to .500 again (15-15-2) hope to get back into the victory column Tuesday when they host the Ottawa Senators. Seattle then goes on to a four-game road trip before returning home on Dec. 30 to face the Utah Hockey Club.

 

Scoring Summary

First Period

S- Brandon Montour 8 (Eeli Tolvanen 7, Shane Wright 7) PPG 4:24. TB- Brandon Hagel (Nick Perbix) 8:16. TB- Braden Point (Darren Raddyish, Jake Guentzel) 13:21.

Second Period

No scoring.

Third Period

TB- Guentzel (Braden Point, Nikita Kucherov) PPG 4 :02. TB- Hagel (Kucheron) empty net 16 :08. TB- Declan Carlisle (Luke Glendenning, Michael Eyssimont) 19 :38.

Shots on Goal- Tampa Bay 31 (4 players with 3), Seattle (Eeli Tolvanen 5).

Hits- Tampa Bay 15 (Erik Cernak 4), Seattle 33 (Ryker Evans 6).

Penalty Minutes- Tampa Bay 4, Seattle 6.

Faceoffs- Tampa Bay 45.4% Seattle 52.6%.

Blocked Shots- Tampa Bay 17 (5 players with 2), Seattle 15 (Brandon Tanev 3).

Referees- Trevor Hanson, Brandon Blandina. Linesmen- Dan Kelly, Trent Knorr.

Three Stars- Jake Guentzel, TB. 2. Jonas Johansson, TB. 3. Brandon Montour, S. 

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