Two big mistakes by the Seattle Kraken led directly to Washington Capitals goals and the visitors to Climate Pledge Arena held on to a 2-1 victory.
While the Caps nudged closer to a playoff spot out east, the Kraken moved one game closer to completing a non-playoff season in the west.
1st Period
Things got chippy early when Capitals forward Tom Wilson and Kraken center Yanni Gourde renewed old acquaintances – Wilson went off for roughing at 1:26 after he glove punched the former Tampa Bay Lightning forward.
Seattle failed on the power play against Washington goalie Charlie Lindgren.
Hits were plentiful, as were scoring opportunities. The Kraken had the better of them in the first half of a wide open period.
After 20 minutes the Capitals had the hits advantage 15-11, while the Kraken had the edge in shots-on-goal 9-8.
It was the third consecutive game at Climate Pledge Arena that had a similar feel with Seattle failing to score in the first period.
No score.
2nd Period
Gourde ripped a shot off the post in the opening moments.
Seattle forward Andre Burakovsky went off for holding at 6:07, but Capitals winger TJ Oshie went off for hooking three seconds later to even things up right after the face0ff. Nothing doing on the 4-on-4 situation.
Shots at both ends dwindled as the sloppiness grew. Again, a similar pattern to recent Kraken games. The hockey club lacks finish in general.
Rookie Seattle D-man Ryker Evans went to the box for interference at 9:11. Washington failed to score.
Back at even strength Washington’s 20-year-old rookie Ivan Miroshnichenko had a great scoring chance, but Joey Daccord robbed him with a glove save with 7:27 remaining.
Yet another penalty came the Kraken’s way when defenseman Brian Dumoulin went off for tripping Wilson with 6:34 left in the period.
The visitors capitalized on a fluke play. Daccord came out of his net to play the puck and he fired it right into the on-charging Oshie. The puck hit him, went off Daccord’s stick towards the net and Oshie tapped it in unassisted. Officially the 21st Washington power play goal over their last 23 games.
The momentum boost was palpable with the Capitals dominating play for the ensuing minutes.
The Kraken managed to survive the rest of the period down just a goal.
3rd Period
The Kraken tied the game on an early power play. Oliver Bjorkstrand scored his 18th of the season and his 5th in the last seven games at 3:32.
Seattle gained some gradual momentum and were piling on the pressure through the midway point of the period.
Following some sustained pressure and a couple of great scoring chances from Jared McCann and Bjorkstrand, Burakovsky made a mistake. He left a drop pass to no one, other than Capitals forward Connor McMichael, who picked up the gift and skated in on a clear breakaway from the neutral zone to score on a backhander alone against Daccord.
Two big mistakes: Two unassisted goals in the game for the Capitals.
Shots on goal finished with the Kraken having the edge 24-23. Power plays: Washington 1-for-4, Seattle 1-for-3.
Recent Kraken:
— Golden Knights Come Back To Beat Kraken 5-4 In Overtime
