FINAL: Seattle Kraken 2, Colorado Avalanche 1 – Game-7
Game-7 began with an avalanche, with Colorado controlling offensive zone time and dominating chances against the Kraken. It took about 14-minutes for Seattle to really establish any kind of a forecheck and puck possession.
After one period, the Avalanche had out-shot Seattle 16-6. The Kraken blocked 12 other shots while Colorado won 60% of the face-offs, at one point winning seven in a row in the offensive zone.
Bottom line from the Kraken perspective, they survived the early onslaught, hopefully from their standpoint shook off the nerves, and came out of the first 20-minutes with a scoreless tie. Goalie Philipp Grubauer was outstanding.
At the other end, Alexandar Georgiev was hardly tested.
Seattle fans could hope that their club could pull off what the Florida Panthers managed earlier in the evening; a Game-7 upset.
It happened.
Kraken Goal Scorers:
2nd Period
1-0 Kraken – Even Strength – Oliver Bjorkstrand (1) from Yanni Gourde and Adam Larsson, 3:24
A lucky break for Seattle as Bjorkstrand’s backhander from the left wing corner floated past traffic in front and then went in off Avalanche forward Ben Meyers’s glove.
2-0 Kraken – Even Strength – Oliver Bjorkstrand (2) from Eeli Tolvanen and Yanni Gourde, 7:22
On a break up the left wing boards, Bjorkstrand picked up the puck at the Colorado blueline and ripped a wrister off the post and in, glove side on Georgiev from the left wing circle.
— Colorado finally got on the board at the 19:32 mark of the 2nd period on the power play. Nathan MacKinnon’s one-time slapper from the left wing circle grazed off Mikko Rantanen’s pants and in past Grubauer to cut the Seattle lead in half.
3rd Period
— MacKinnon had a goal disallowed on video review due to the play being very much offside at 17:40 of the 3rd period.
— Seattle blocked 29 shots. Besides his two goals, Bjorkstrand hit the crossbar/post three times.
— Shots on goal ended up in favor of the Avalanche 34-27. Power plays: Seattle 0-for-0, Colorado 1-for-1.
Kraken 3 Stars:
1) Philipp Grubauer – 33 saves, many of the LARGE.
2) Oliver Bjorkstrand – Both goals in the game for the Kraken and three goal posts.
3) Yanni Gourde – Two assists and Yanni being Yanni.
