We mentioned recently that hockey is a game of mistakes and the team that takes advantage of more of them usually wins. The Kraken made two crucial ones in their own end and lost 2-0 in Ottawa to the Senators.
The in-game analytics had the Kraken dominating the possession time and scoring chances, but they simply couldn’t finish around the net.
1st Period
Aside from one puck off the crossbar in behind Kraken goalie Joey Daccord, the Senators didn’t generate a whole lot of chances during a majority of the first period, while Seattle earned a couple of early Grade-A shots against Ottawa netminder Anton Forsberg.
The Kraken picked up the intensity of their forecheck as the period moved along and at one point with about six minutes remaining had the Senators pinned in their zone for a minute-and-a-half. The Senators survived and coming out of the subsequent TV break, Kraken winger Marian Studenic took a holding penalty 170-feet from his own net.
The Kraken survived the Ottawa power play but a mistake by Matty Beniers a minute later ended up in the back of the Seattle net. Beniers tried to curl with the puck out in front of his own goal when he fell down and lost it. Senators forward Mathieu Josheph was there to pick up the gift, deke Daccord, and score unassisted at 17:21.
1-0 Ottawa
2nd Period
The Senators picked up some momentum off two more power play opportunities. The scoring chances started to pile up as well.
After Justin Schultz went off for interference early in the period, it was his fellow defenseman Jamie Oleksiak saving a goal by blocking a shot in front of a yawning net.
With Eeli Tolvanen serving a tripping call midway through the period, it was Jared McCann backchecking in front of his own net and preventing an easy goal for Ottawa forward Vladi Tarasenko.
The Senators dressed seven defenseman for this game, which worked out well when Thomas Chabot limped off with a leg injury thirteen minutes into the period. It was just his second game back after returning from a late October injury.
Moments later Tim Stützle, the man we mentioned in our preview for being a Kraken-killer, fed Drake Batherson for an easy goal off a Daccord turnover behind his net. It was Stützle’s 200th career NHL point in just 221 games, 3rd fastest in Ottawa franchise history.
Daccord kept Seattle in the game by stopping Stützle on a breakaway with less than two minutes remaining.
Chabot would return to the Senators bench before the period was over.
Two blatant Kraken mistakes during this game deep in their own end; two Ottawa goals.
2-0 Ottawa
3rd Period
The Kraken continued to dominate possession and pile up shots, but they couldn’t solve Forsberg. That included two power play opportunities that saw good puck movement and good chances.
As Seattle pulled their goalie late while down two goals, they had already out-shot Ottawa in the period 15-3. A late Kraken flurry ended up with blocked shots and more saves from Forsberg, who recorded the Senators first shut-out of the season.
Shots on goal for the game finished with the Kraken out-shooting the Senators 39-28. Power plays: Seattle 0-for-3, Ottawa 0-for-3
Kraken 3 Stars:
1) Yanni Gourde – A constant pest who created turnovers, had three hits and four shots on goal.
2) Jared McCann – Had his chances among his six shots on goal.
3) Joey Daccord – Scored on twice but didn’t have a chance on them and kept the Kraken in the game.
