Kraken Recap
The Seattle Kraken ran into a determined Pittsburgh Penguins club and lost a matinee in the ‘Steel City’ 3-0 on Monday afternoon. The loss snapped the Kraken’s nine-game win streak and their 13 games without a loss in regulation.
Rookie defenseman Ryker Evans played in place of Kraken leading scorer Vince Dunn. No word on a prognosis yet. Dunn’s usual partner Adam Larsson left after two periods. The team was already missing forwards Matty Beniers and Andre Burakovsky since last game.
1st Period
The Penguins held the slight edge offensively in a cleanly played first period. Both teams had moderate chances with Pittsburgh picking up the lone power play at 13:12 when Kailer Yamamoto went off for interference.
The home team man advantage didn’t muster much. In fact, some of the fans at the PPG Paints Arena booed the Penguins power play effort.
During the course of the special teams play, Kraken penalty killer Jared McCann took a big hit and appeared to be favoring a shoulder as he went off. Despite that, he’d stay in the game.
Pittsburgh held a 12-6 shot advantage after 20 minutes.
No Score.
2nd Period
The Penguins jumped on the board early. Drew O’Connor lit the lamp at the :49-second mark. Pittsburgh took advantage of a slow Kraken line change with a stretch pass from their own end that set up a 2-on-1 into the Seattle zone. Winger Bryan Rust found O’Connor alone in front for a one-timer.
Captain Sidney Crosby would extend the lead in short order. He went top shelf, blocker-side on Joey Daccord from the top of the right wing circle at 3:32. The goal came after sustained pressure and good movement around the offensive zone.
The Kraken failed on their lone power play chance and were outshot through two periods 24-16.
2-0 Pittsburgh.
3rd Period
The Penguins trapped and tried to clog up the neutral zone while holding on to their lead, but forward Jansen Harkins got a bit overzealous and went off for interference at 4:28.
The Kraken came as close as a goal post to getting on the board with their power play, but couldn’t solve goalie Tristan Jarry.
With Seattle activating their D-men and attempting to pinch up ice, odd-man rushes inevitably resulted going the other way. Daccord robbed Crosby on a 2-on-1 midway through the period to preserve the two-goal deficit and keep the game alive.
For whatever reason there seemed a lack of urgency. That said, the Seattle penalty kill was strong after Eeli Tolvanen went off for boarding at 11:06.
Time ran out. Crosby added an empty netter for his 26th goal on the season.
Shots on goal finished 33-21 in favor of the Penguins. Power plays: Seattle 0-for-2, Pittsburgh 0-for-2
Earlier Kraken:
— Kraken Schedule Strength And The Red Hot 5
