Kraken 4, Penguins 2
The Kraken seem to save themselves for 3rd periods.
Unfortunately, more often than not, they’ve fallen too far behind to make a difference. Tuesday night in Pittsburgh, against the aging, sometimes anemic Penguins, the Kraken found themselves in a perfect spot: Down just a goal to a team struggling at home.
An opportunistic Seattle club took advantage, scoring three unanswered goals to win 4-2.
The Penguins finished a five-game homestand with a record of 1-3-and-1.
Trailing 2-1 entering the 3rd period, Kraken D-man Jamie Oleksiak came off the bench, picked up a pass, rushed towards the net, and fired a wrister past Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry to tie that game at the 8:04 mark.
Just 50 seconds later, steadily improving Seattle forward Shane Wright cut to the net through the right wing circle and found Eeli Tolvanen alone for the goal that put the Kraken ahead for good.
Big forward Kaapo Kakko capped it off with an empty net goal with 63 seconds remaining.
Generally speaking, Seattle needs to get in the habit of “starting on time”. Their goal distribution is startling this season: 1st period total goals, 33; 2nd period, 38; 3rd period 57.
It’s a dangerous formula because come-from-behind hockey is exhausting physically and emotionally and often fails.
Tuesday night it worked perfectly.
Chandler Stephenson opened the scoring in the 1st period with the club’s first shorthanded goal of the season. Philip Tomasino and Bryan Rust later scored to give the Penguins the lead.
Joey Daccord made 31 saves for the win, while also picking up his first career NHL assist on the opening goal.
Seattle is 2-and-2 on their five game road trip thus far with the finale happening Thursday night in Winnipeg against the Jets.
