Win the 3rd period and win the game: That’s the simple message when you’re tied 2-2 after two periods.
The Calgary Flames were the team that took it to heart, scoring four of the five goals in the final stanza and winning the game 6-3 in front of goaltender Dan Vladar.
The Kraken weren’t as supportive of their netminder Philipp Grubauer.
1st Period
A big momentum swing came when Andrew Mangiapane cross checked Jared McCann in the back of the neck when the Kraken winger was on the ice and on the puck after blocking a shot. Mangiapane recieved a five minute major and a game misconduct for intent to injure.
Seattle scored once on the ensuing perpetual power play. Oliver Bjorkstrand ripped one home at 9:56 of the period and just 1:12 into the major penalty. That would be it in terms of making Calgary pay for Mangiapane’s transgression.
A suspension for the Flames second leading scorer could be imminent.
Just after the penalty ended and Martin Pospisil came out of the box from serving, he scored to tie the game. Nazem Kadri was the catalyst on the play. Starting the break-out after delivering a big hit in his D-zone, Kadri ended up picking up an assist going hard to the net with Pospisil.
Less than two-a-half-minutes later, Eeli Tolvanen one-timed a centering feed from Yanni Gourde past Vladar to put Seattle back on top 2-1.
2nd Period
Although they didn’t create a ton of Grade-A chances, the Flames dominated possession time in the period and out-shot the Kraken 12-3. They also scored the only goal of the period.
The turning point came with Kraken winger Eeli Tolvanen already in the penalty box. During the penalty kill, McCann swung his stick at a puck in midair and instead hit Yegor Sharangovich in the face. The two-minute high sticking infraction gave Calgary a 5-on-3 for 46-seconds. After Seattle killed Tolvanen’s penalty, the Flames would score with one second remaining on McCann’s. Noah Hanifin’s point shot snuck through a screen and through Grubauer to tie the game with just one minute remaining.
3rd Period
A player we mentioned in our preview that needed to pick things up for the Flames put his club on top just 1:33 into the period. Sharangovich deflected a point shot past ‘Grooby’ to put the visitors up 3-2.
At the four minute mark, the Kraken hung their goalie out to dry. Walker Duehr skated in on a breakaway. Grubauer stopped him, stopped the follow-up, the puck squirted loose, and the only skaters to arrive wore white jerseys, beating all of the Kraken to the net. Time stood still but help never arrived. 4-2 Flames.
Seattle tried to get it all back in the final two minutes. With Grubauer on the bench and the extra attacker on the ice, they mustered a Jaden Schwartz goal that caromed in off his foot.
The scrambling ended with the Flames scoring two empty net goals.
Shots on Goal finished 31-20 in favor of the Flames. Power Plays: Calgary 1-for-2, Seattle 1-for-3
Kraken 3 Stars:
1) Yanni Gourde – Two assists and won 70% of his face-offs.
2) Devin Shore – Tried to make the most of his six-plus minutes of play. Had an assist and sprung Tye Kartye on a breakaway.
3) Philipp Grubauer – One goal seemed leaky but it was a prolonged power play and the shot came through traffic. Saved the Kraken’s bacon in the 2nd period in particular.
ICYMI:
— Exclusive Kraken Chat: Matty Beniers ‘Sophomore Slump’
