Avalanche 5, Kraken 2
The Kraken took forty minutes to really get started against the Colorado Avalanche in Denver on Sunday afternoon, losing for the fifth outing in a row, this time 5-2.
The defeat comes on the heels of “getting pumped”, as Kraken head coach Dan Bylsma put it, by the Vegas Golden Knights 6-2 the evening before.
It puts Seattle four games below .500 on the season and well out of the playoff chase.
Ryker Evans played well on the back-end and increased his physicality.
Up front, Ben Meyers was a bright spot with very limited ice time, as was newbie Kaapo Kakko, acquired last week from the New York Rangers. The big winger ripped home his first goal as a member of the Kraken, which put Seattle ahead 2-1 in the 2nd period. That would be the end of their offense, despite the fact that the 3rd period was their best.
Avalanche winger Val Nichushkin scored 11-seconds after Kakko, tying the game and stealing back the momentum.
Finnish winger Joel Kiviranta put Colorado ahead for good later in the 2nd period and added two empty-net goals in the 3rd for a natural hat trick, the first 3-goal game of his NHL career.
The Kraken output continues to sputter.
Center Matty Beniers hasn’t scored a goal since November 14th. He has seven assists during that 18-game period. He’s making $7.1-million dollars this season and for the next six after this one.
Andre Burakovsky has two goals this season. When he’s not hurt, he’s holding on to pucks too long. That’s a $5.5-million winger.
D-man Jamie Oleksiak gives away pucks like Santa.
Just to name a few.
So they get a break. Next game, Saturday afternoon at Rogers Arena against the Vancouver Canucks.
Maybe they’ll come back more motivated, more in sync, refreshed.
