The Kraken took a 3-1 lead in the 2nd period and couldn’t hold it. Seattle piled up scoring chances, but the visiting St. Louis Blues prevailed in OT 4-3. Pavel Buchnevich scored the game winner.
1st Period
The starting netminders: Jordan Binnington for St. Louis vs. Joey Daccord for Seattle.
The early chances went to the Blues. Their pressure resulted in the game’s first power play when Kraken D-man Adam Larsson went off for tripping at 6:26. Jordan Kyrou promptly hit the post.
About a minute later, the St. Louis power play goal came way too easy. After Seattle cleared the length of the ice, Blues defenseman Torey Krug moved the puck up the left wing boards to Brayden Schenn, who skated into the offensive zone and centered the puck to Oskar Sundqvist, who banged it home. A PP goal on the simplest of rushes.
The Kraken settled down and tied the game at 10:17. Another simple one. This time Larsson held the puck at the right point following a Blues turnover, skated to his left and dished the puck off to fellow D-man Brian Dumoulin. The lefty took a couple of steps and fired a wrister past traffic and past Binnington to tie the game.
Seattle added a couple of Grade-A chances. Binnington absolutely robbed Oliver Bjorkstrand twice on the doorstep with five minutes remaining in the period.
2nd Period
The Kraken made the Blues pay for getting two guys deep on a shorthanded chance. Daccord made a save, and with two St. Louis penalty killers caught up ice, Seattle rushed ahead 4-on-2. A set of nifty passes led to Bjorkstrand potting an easy goal from the low slot at 3:55.
Less than three minutes later Bjorkstrand picked two Blues’ pockets, stealing the puck twice on the forecheck, the second time leading to a 2-on-0 down low in front of Binnington. Yanni Gourde passed back and forth with Eeli Tolvanen who finished. Or is it “Finnished”? It was the Finn’s 13th goal of the season.
A textbook tripping penalty by Will Borgen changed the momentum late in the period. He went off for the obvious infraction at 13:17 and the Blues scored their second power play goal of the game at 15:01. Robert Thomas, the most consistent Blues threat this season, tallied his 17th goal.
3-2 Seattle
3rd Period
Trouble early. Kraken ‘big rig’ D-man Jamie Oleksiak turned the puck over in the neutral zone and then lost it against the ensuing Blues forecheck. Before you knew it, St. Louis’s Buchnevich fired it home at 1:26.
Chances piled up at both ends. Both teams lived dangerously.
Binnington stole one from Alex Wennberg in close with seven minutes remaining. Moments later Gourde ripped a shot off Binnington’s mask. The puck bounced dangerously through the crease before the play was blown dead because the goalie’s mask had come apart.
Tension reigned out of the last TV time-out with 5:43 left on the clock. No resolution through regulation.
3-3
Overtime
A lot of tap dancing and not many threats. Not until the Blues put the finishing touch on their come-from-behind victory with Buchnevich scoring at the 3:31 mark of OT. Schenn made the cross-ice pass for the winner.
Shots-on-goal finished 36-18 in favor of the Kraken. Power plays: St, Louis 2-for-2, Seattle 1-for-2.
Kraken 3 Stars:
1) Oliver Bjorkstrand – A goal, and assist and five shots on goal. Endless diligence.
2) Yanni Gourde – The pest with some sustained offensive pressure, two shots and an assist.
3) Brian Dumoulin – A goal, three shots-on-goal in 16:59 of ice time.
Earlier Kraken:
— Kraken Snap Skid; Handle Blackhawks With 6-2 Win
