Kraken show some fight in weekend split

Post NHL trade deadline, the Seattle Kraken split their weekend with a 4-1 victory over Philadelphia on Saturday and a 4-2 loss at Washington, yesterday afternoon.

However, the Kraken went down fighting, literally and figuratively, against the Capitals. Seattle showed a lot more energy in both contests than they did in a lackluster performance at Nashville on Thursday night.

``It was a contested game,’’ said Kraken coach Dan Bylsma after yesterday’s game. ``A good one for our group. Just disappointed we didn’t win in the end. There was a lot of good from our team.’’

Both captains were in the spotlight for their teams. Seattle’s Jordan Eberle, who missed four months of the season with a pelvic injury, scored his first goal since returning. He tied the game at 2-2 off a pass from Chandler Stephenson after a neutral zone turnover.

``Anytime the puck goes into the net it builds your confidence,’’ said Eberle. ``Other than that, you’re just trying to get your timing back.’’

Of course, the hockey world is focusing on Washington captain Alex Ovechkin. Called the Great Eight (sometimes spelled GR8) added an empty net goal with 1:40 remaining. Ovechkin, with 886 career goals, trails Wayne Gretzky; he needs eight goals to tie and nine to surpass the Great Gretzky as the all-time NHL goal scorer.

Overchkin’s the all-time leader in empty net goals (64) but has scored goals on a record 181 different goalies. This marks the second consecutive game that Ovechkin’s notched an empty netter against the Kraken after goalie Joey Daccord was pulled. So Daccord’s one netminder who HASN’T surrendered a goal to GR8.

Despite playing an afternoon game for the second consecutive day, the Kraken came out wide awake and took a first period lead. Shane Wright scored at 12:37 of the first period off a pass from Andre Burakovsky for his 15th goal of the season.

The Kraken outshot the Capitals 14-7 in the first but Charlie Lindgren was sharp in the Washington net. The Caps got their wakeup call after the first intermission.

Martin Fehervary tied the game just 35 seconds into the second period, scoring on a one-timer off a drop pass from linemate Aliaksei Protas. Dylan Strome gave Washington a 2-1 lead at 2:51 when he scored through a screen from the point.

However, the Kraken still showed their resiliency as they held the Caps without a shot in the final 11 minutes in the second period before Eberle’s goal sent the teams to the second intermission in a 2-2 tie.

Connor McMichael scored the game winner with a short-handed goal at 15:44 of the third, redirecting a drive from defenseman John Carlson past Daccord.

Prior to McMichael’s game winner, an old-fashioned line brawl broke out early in the third period. Washington’s Tom Wilson bulldozed Seattle’s Josh Mahura twice with bodychecks in the teams’ previous game. When Wilson drilled Mahura behind the net in yesterday’s contest, Mahura just held the Caps’ feisty forwards stick so he couldn’t rejoin the play.

When Wilson started punching Mahura, the remaining four Kraken on the ice (Michael Eyssimont, John Hayden, Tye Kartye and John Hayden) converged on Wilson, followed by his Washington teammates. The Caps’ Brandon Duhaime pulled Kartye off the pile and looked like he was trying to put the Kraken’s forwards head through the ice.

When the dust settled, every player on the ice was assessed a roughing minor (the first time in Kraken history ever player on the ice was penalized at once) except for Duhaime who received a double-minor and a misconduct. Hayden also picked up a misconduct for still trying to go after Wilson when things had settled down.

The Kraken win over Philly marked the return of Phillip Grubauer and Kartye. Both had been sent down to the Coachella Valley AHL team before and during the 4Nations tournament.

Kartye scored the first Seattle goal at 10:11 of the second period (Kartye scored a goal on his first NHL shot in a playoff game versus Colorada two years ago)

Stephenson and Matty Beniers also added second-period scores and Grubauer was solid in the nets stopping 26 of 27 shots. `Grubi’ who struggled before being sent down was 5-2 in seven games with the Firebirds.

The Kraken (27-34-4) return to Climate Pledge Arena for a three-game homestand, starting Wednesday night against the Montreal Canadiens.

 

KRAKEN 2 CAPITALS 4

Game Summary

First Period

S- Shane Wright 15 (Andre Burakovsky 8, Adam Larsson 14) 12:37.

Second Period

W- Martin Fehervary (Aliaksei Protas, Connor McMichael) :35.

W- Dylan Strome (Rasmas Sandin, John Carlson) 2:51.

S- Jordan Eberle 7 (Chandler Stephenson 32, Eeli Tolvanen 11) 7:23.

Third Period

W- Connor McMichael (John Carlson, Jacob Chychrun) SH 15:44.

W- Alex Ovechkin (Tom Wilson, Nic Dowd) 18:31.

Shots on Goal- Seattle 32 (Vince Dunn), Washington 24 (Jacob Chychrun  Connor McDavid)

Hits- Seattle 18 (Michael Eyssimont 3), Washington 19 (Tom Wilson 7)

Penalty Minutes- Seattle 22, Washington 28.

Faceoff- Seattle 44.1%. Washington 55.9%.

Blocked Shots- Seattle 9 (Chandler Stephenson 3), Washington 21 (Matt Roy 4).

Referees- Kelly Sutherland, Morgan McPhee. Linesmen- Ryan Daisy, Tommy Hughes.

Three Stars- 1. Connor McMichael 2. Dylan Strome 3. John Carlson

KRAKEN 4 FLYERS 1

Game Summary

First Period

P- Owen Tippett (Matvei Michkov, Sean Couturier) 14:28.

Second Period

S- Tye Kartye (Vince Dunn) 10:11

S- Matty Beniers (Ryker Evans, Adam Larsson) 10:57.

S- Chandler Stephenson (unassisted) SH 19:36.

Third Period

S- Brandon Montour (Beniers) 3:55.

Shots on Goal- Seattle 32 (Michael Eyssimont 3), Philadelphia 27 (Owen Tippett, Noah Cates 4)

Hits- Seattle 13 (Ryker Evans, Tye Kartye 3), Philadelphia 21 (Owen Tippett, Tyson Foerster 3)

Penalty Minutes- Seattle 10, Philadelphia 6

Faceoffs- Seattle 53.2%. Philadelphia 46.8%.

Blocked Shots- Seattle 13 (Jamie Oleksiak, Josh Mahura, Adam Larsson 3). Philadelphia 16 (Travis Sanheim, Egor Zamula 3).

Referees- Kelly Sutherland, Pierre Lambert. Linesmen- Brad Kovalchuck, Kyle Flemington.

Three Stars- 1. Matty Beniers, S. 2. Philip Grubauer, S. 3. Owen Tippett, P.