FINAL: Vegas Golden Knights 3, Seattle Kraken 1
By virtue of the results in the National Hockey League Thursday night, the Kraken still don’t know who they will playing in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. They DO know they’ll stay in the 1st wild card position. The LA Kings held on to 3rd place in the Kraken’s Pacific Division by virtue of their 5-3 victory over the Anaheim Ducks.
Seattle has to wait for the results of the Colorado Avalanche game against the Predators in Nashville on Friday night. It’s one of two remaining games on the NHL regular season schedule. If the Avalanche win, they’ll hop over the Dallas Stars into first place in the Central and play the Kraken in the first round. Should Colorado lose the game in any manner, Dallas would win the division and play Seattle.
Kraken Vs. Golden Knights
The Kraken dominated the first period, out-shooting Vegas 13-5 and owning offensive possession time. The Golden Knights actually scored a fluke goal on their first “shot” of the game at 9:56. It was a kicked puck by Reilly Smith on a dangerous pass by Seattle defenseman Vince Dunn from behind his net.
Seattle netminder Philipp Grubauer was caught by surprise and the puck snuck through him.
Hot current number-one netminder Laurent Brossoit picked up the start for Vegas at the other end.
Kraken Goal Scorers:
1st Period
1-1 Tie – Even Strength – Jaden Schwartz (21) from Alexander Wennberg and Morgan Geekie, 16:20
Schwartz ripped a one-timer from the left wing circle to the short-side on Brossoit.
— The 2nd period was more evenly played. Vegas actually re-took the lead at 12:37 with a short-handed goal on a scramble in front. Alec Martinez chopped home a bouncing puck at the left post.
3rd Period
No goal scoring other than a Vegas empty-netter with 38-seconds remaining by Chandler Stephenson.
— Shots on goal favored the Seattle Kraken 31-19. Power plays: Vegas 0-for-2, Seattle 0-for-4 and gave up a shorthanded goal.
