FINAL: Seattle Kraken 7, Dallas Stars 2 — Seattle leads the series 2-games-to-1.
A five goal second period changed the complexion of a tight-checking game. Your diary and scoring:
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Shot totals in the 1st period for the Kraken and Stars took awhile to add up, but you’d never know from the fast and physical action right from the get go. Both teams were gaining the offensive zone with a decent amount of success, but conscientious back-checking made it difficult to finish off chances.
The Stars only had four shots reach Kraken goalie Philipp Grubauer in the 1st period while ten others were blocked. They missed with six others.
The Kraken had the best early chances with Morgan Geekie stopped point blank by Dallas goalie Jake Oettinger less than ten minutes into the first. Moments later, “Big Rig” Jamie Oleksiak had a puck go barely wide off his skate.
Due to a late surge, the Kraken finished with ten shots-on-goal in the 1st period.
Kraken Goal Scorers:
2nd Period
1-0 Kraken – Even Strength – Jordan Eberle (4) from Tye Kartye and Matty Beniers, 2:10
With Dallas D-man Miro Heiskanen down on the ice in front after getting hit in the face with a puck, Eberle picked up a rebound, deked, and scored from the low slot.
2-0 Kraken – Even Strength – Alex Wennberg (2) from Jaden Schwartz and Vince Dunn, 3:36
Wennberg took a drop pass from Schwartz, who initially tried to split the D-men, and deposited a twisted wrister top-shelf where grandma keeps the bourbon.
3-0 Kraken – Even Strength – Carson Soucy (1) from Ryan Donato and Justin Schultz, 6:30
Off the forecheck, Soucy took a pass at the blueline, deked around Mason Marchment, drove the net and fired a puck five-hole (between the legs) from the bottom of the left wing circle.
4-0 Kraken – Even Strength – Matty Beniers (2) Unassisted, 8:22
Beniers snapped a shot from the top of the left wing circle, that may have deflected a bit off the stick of defender Wyatt Johnston, past a shell shocked Oettinger.
— The Stars got on the board with Marchment ripping home a one-timer from the right wing circle with 7:20 remaining in the period. The problem for Dallas, Seattle would answer before the period was over.
5-1 Kraken – Even Strength – Eeli Tolvanen (2) from Ryan Donato and Oliver Bjorkstrand, 19:21
Donato drove to the net twice in the shift, the second time his attempt led to a rebound and traffic in front. Tolvanen picked up the loose change and deposited it.
3rd Period
6-1 Kraken – Shorthanded – Yanni Gourde (3) from Brandon Tanev, 1:49
On a perfectly executed 2-on-1, Tanev fed Gourde cross-slot for an easy one-timer on the move into a half empty net. New goalie Scott Wedgewood, who replaced Oettinger to start the period, was playing Tanev to shoot the whole way.
— Jani Hakanpää tallied for the Stars to cut the lead to four goals at exactly the 7:00 mark.
7-2 Kraken – Power Play – Justin Schultz (4) from Eeli Tolvanen and Alex Wennberg, 17:30
Schultz launched a seeing-eye wrister from the point through traffic that found its way inside the left post.
Shots on goal ended up 26-25 in favor of the Stars. Power plays: Dallas 0-for-3 while giving up a shorthanded goal, Seattle 1-for-2.
Kraken 3 Stars:
1) Matty Beniers – A goal and an assist for the rookie. Plus-3.
2) Carson Soucy – Seattle outhit Dallas 15-3 in the 1st period and Soucy had a tone-setting biggee. Scored his 1st ever playoff goal. Plus 3.
3) Philipp Grubauer – While his teammates were lighting up the scoreboard, he stopped 16 of 17 shots in the 2nd period.
— Game-4 is Tuesday night at 6:30 pm pacific.
