Kraken Recap
The Seattle Kraken fought long and hard, but their nemesis, the shoot-out, did them in at the end. Toronto was able to withstand an intermittent Seattle onslaught over the final two periods and prevail in a shoot-out 4-to-3.
Mitch Marner was the game’s first star: A hat trick in regulation and the game winner in the skills competition.
The Kraken picked up a point in the Pacific Division standings with their third shoot-out loss of the season.
The club is 1-and-7 in shoot-outs since the start of last season.
1st Period
Seattle goalie Philipp Grubauer was the 1st star of the 1st period, fighting off multiple Maple Leafs chances and keeping his team in the game. Marner tallied his first goal of the night on the power play at 6:34.
Shots were 13-7 in favor of the Leafs. Toronto was already 1-for-3 on the power play, Seattle 0-for-2, extending an 0-for-11 streak.
2nd Period
Hard luck hit the Kraken just 31-seconds into the period when Marner’s one-timer from the top of the left circle deflected off Seattle defenseman Adam Larsson and ended up finding its way over Grubauer’s shoulder.
Seattle ‘got off the schneid’ on the power play when Jared McCann scored with the man advantage at 3:37. He ripped a shot high blocker from the left wing circle.
Seattle dominated the chances in the period but Toronto picked up the next goal with Marner completing the hat trick. He snuck in behind the Kraken D-men after Jake McCabe sprung him on a breakaway. Marner finished with a wrister glove-side.
3rd Period
Undaunted, the Kraken came out strong in the third period and mounted a comeback.
Eeli Tolvanen skated into the zone and cut towards the net, unleashing a shot from the right wing circle that beat Joseph Woll glove-side at 6:15. The two Toronto defenders appeared content to just watch.
A little more than seven minutes later, McCann beat Woll glove-side again, again from the left wing circle. The goal was made possible by a one-man cycle and pass from the right wing corner by Alex Wennberg.
In OT the Kraken out-shot the Maple Leafs 4-0, but didn’t get the bounce they needed.
In the shoot-out Toronto closed things out quickly, with Auston Matthews and Marner scoring after Kailer Yamamoto and McCann had failed to do so for Seattle.
Shots on goals finished 40-28 in favor of the Kraken. Power plays: Seattle 1-for-5, Toronto 1-for-3.
The Maple Leafs won 61% of the face-offs.
Kraken 3 Stars:
1) Jared McCann – Two goals on four shots. Played 19:03.
2) Philipp Grubauer – Kept the team in the game in the 1st period when Leafs out-shot Kraken 13-7
3) Eeli Tolvanen – A goal on four shots. Had four hits in 18:02 of ice time.
ICYMI:
— High Energy Kraken Radio Man Fitzhugh Rolls Into His 3rd Season
