Kraken comeback falls short (this time)

 

For the third time in four games, the Seattle Kraken attempted to make a third period comeback trailing by multiple goals. But to mix some metaphors, that’s a well you can only go to once too often.

The Kraken came to life in the third period after a lethargic 40 minutes of hockey, and attempted to score the tying goal after pulling the goaltender as they successfully did in recent games with Vancouver.

Instead, it was Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl, scoring his second goal of the game (and league-leading 29^th of the season) an empty netter on a breakaway, giving the Oilers (24-12-3) a 4-2 victory The loss drops the Kraken to 17-20-2 on the season.

``We’ve got to get better starts,” said Jaden Schwartz, whose third-period goal cut the Oilers’ margin to 3-2.``It’s tough coming back all the time in this league. It’s good to be able to do it and put ourselves in a position to tie it up again. But especially with (Edmonton) playing last night, we’ve just got to be sharper at the start.”

In fact, the Kraken did lose this game in the first period. Edmonton’s Vasily Podkolzin and Jeff Skinner both scored in the first 5:18 of the contest

Things started on an ominous note as the Climate Pledge Arena lights went out only 11 seconds into the game. The outage lasted only a few seconds so the goal light came on moments later when Draisaitl made a picture-perfect pass to Podkolzin driving to the net and scoring 57 seconds into the game.

Jeff Skinner scored from directly in front at 5:18 as Kraken coach Dan Bylsma noted after the game, ``a little bit too much standing around and watching their good players and not putting enough bodies on guys.”

Meanwhile, the Kraken’s offense was anemic with only three shots in the first period and merely ten after two frames.

The only saving grace for the team in blue were the saves of goaltender Philipp Grubauer. Playing his fourth consecutive game with Joey Daccord out with an injury, `Grubi’ stopped Edmonton superstar Connor McDavid on a first period breakaway. After that, Grubauer made four more quality saves to keep things close.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins made it 3-0 Edmonton when Brett Kulak’s pass appeared to go off teammate Conor Brown’s skate and found Nugent-Hopkins alone in front.

Chandler Stephenson finally put the Kraken on the scoreboard at 15:56 of the second period, when he came down the right wing and fired a shot past Oilers’ goalkeeper Calvin Pickard.

The Kraken then found themselves back in the hockey game, when Schwartz sent home the rebound of Vince Dunn’s shot from the point at 7:27 of the third period.

Grubauer headed to the bench with under three minutes remaining – a familiar site for the Kraken who scored three goals in two games against Vancouver, with the extra attacker.

The strategy looked like it might pay dividends again as the Kraken kept the puck in the O-zone for about a minute. But then Draisaitl cut through the Kraken defense and Oliver Bjorkstrand, the last line of Kraken defense fell down, giving Draisaitl center ice as he headed unimpeded to the net.

“We kept pushing in the third and got back into the thing,” said Bylsma. “Credit to our guys just to keep hounding them. You don’t want to keep coming back all the time, but we had a push in the third period, and that’s what you want to see from your team.”

The Kraken conclude the homestand (three standings points in three games) against the New Jersey Devils tomorrow (Monday) night. The Devils are 24-15-3 on the season but have lost their last four games, including a 3-2 loss to San Jose, where the Sharks scored in the final minute.

First Period

E- Vasily Podkolzin (Leon Draisaitl, Viktor Arvidsson) 0:57. E- Jeff Skinner (Kasperi Kapalev, Derek Ryan) 5:18.

Second Period

E- Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (Conor Brown, Brett Kulak) 11:52. S- Chandler Stephenson 5 (unassisted) 15:56.

Third Period

S- Jaden Schwartz 13 (Vince Dunn, Kaapo Kakko) 7:27. E-Draisaitl (Viktor Arvidsson, Evan Bouchard) empty net, 18 :02.

Shots on Goal- Edmonton 32 (Connor McDavid 6) Seattle 17 (Matty Beniers, Vince Dunn, Kaapo Kakko, Shane Wright 4).

Blocked Shots- Edmonton 21 (4 players with 2), Seattle 19 (Brandon Tanev 5).

Referees- Brian Pochmara, Mitch Dunning. Linesmen- Bevan Mills, Libor Sucharek.

Three Stars-1. Leon Draisaitl 2. Vasily Podkolzin 3. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.