One of the niftier highlights of the Kraken’s 4-0 victory over the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday night was the scoring threat created for Seattle by call-ups Logan Morrison and Ryan Winterton early in the 2nd period. The linemates with the Coachella Valley Firebirds in the American Hockey League had a chance to duplicate their efforts at the NHL level. They were called up on Sunday and practiced with the big club on Monday.
Winterton’s wrister went off the glove of Ducks goalie John Gibson.
With two minutes remaining in the period, Gibson stopped both young men on back-to-back shots with Morrison’s chance coming off the rebound of a Winterton shot.
In a game that had little other meaning, between two teams that had won a grand total of one game over the sum total of their last 17, it was fun to see a couple of youngsters getting the opportunity.
Kraken Win
The Kraken scored twice in the 1st period; Eeli Tolvanen with his 16th of the season and Jordan Eberle with his 17th. The latter was a power play goal.
Seattle would notch another on the man advantage in the 2nd period when Oliver Bjorkstrand lit the lamp from the high slot, his 19th of the year.
Both Eberle’s and Bjorkstrand’s goals came from fortuitous bounces off Ducks’ defenders. One went directly into the net off D-man William Lagesson‘s foot and the other came after the puck pinballed to Bjorkstrand off of two Anaheim players. Tough luck for “Gibby”.
At the 15:55 mark of the 2nd, Matty Beniers made it 4-0 with a one-time slapper from the slot that went off the right post and in. No chance for Gibson with what was the culmination of a 3-on-1 rush for the Kraken off a Ducks turnover at the Seattle blueline.
Leaving their veteran netminder ‘hung out to dry’ is commonplace for Anaheim, the club with the 3rd fewest points in the league. They had no motivation whatsoever to win this hockey game. When two teams get together while both are playing out the string of a non-playoff season, it’s always nice to have the home team win in front of the faithful.
The catch this time; the two teams meet again at Climate Pledge Arena on Thursday night. We’ll see who’s motivated then and for what.
Note:
Morrison finished with 14:21 in ice time, 1 hit and 3 shots-on-goal. Winterton skated 10:59 and had the identical stats. One could argue they both came close to scoring their first NHL goal.
Earlier Kraken:
— Kraken’s Ryker Evans A Step In The Right Direction
