Maple Leafs 3, Kraken 1
The Kraken entered Thursday night’s game with a .500 record on home ice and were considered pretty decent underdogs against the visiting Toronto Maple Leafs.
While Toronto battles for the first place in the Atlantic Division, Seattle is essentially playing out the string with 27 games to play.
The visitors jumped on the board first in a competitive 1st period. Defenseman Philippe Myers scored his first goal of the season and the ninth of his NHL career with a right point shot that deflected in off Kraken center Matty Beniers’s leg.
Forward Bobby McMann added to the lead with just 1:07 remaining in the period on the power play, tipping in a shot while alone in front.
We experienced some fun midway through the 2nd period when Oliver Bjorkstrand dropped the mitts with Toronto D-man Simon Benoit in front of the Seattle bench at the end of a long shift. ‘Ollie’ landed a right.
The Leafs added to their lead at the 12:37 mark of the 2nd when Matthew Knies tipped a puck in.
The shot total was similar at the time, but the Grade-A chances favored Toronto, including two breakaways.
Seattle jumped on the board at 5:43 of the 3rd period. Eeli Tolvanen ripped a shot through a screen off the rush over the glove of goalie Anthony Stolarz.
The Kraken were in a very familiar position. Playing come-from-behind hockey in the final period, trying to catch up with some momentum over the final 20 minutes. The Kraken came in a minus-20 in goal differential in 1st periods, minus-15 in 2nd periods, and plus-20 in 3rd periods.
Despite those numbers, once again, the team couldn’t climb out of the hole they dug. Add the fact that Seattle went 0-for-5 on the power play. Also a theme this season.
Seattle actually had a 6-on-4 advantage with 3:08 remaining in regulation with their goalie pulled, combined with a phantom high sticking penalty to Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews. No such luck.
