It took four seconds for the Kraken and Blackhawks to get the fun started. Seattle’s John Hayden and Chicago’s Pat Maroon dropped the mitts and went to the penalty box for fighting.
It put some early energy into the building, but it wasn’t momentum either way that set the tone.
Sort of newbie Kraken forward Mikey Eyssimont went off for high sticking at 3:15 of the 1st period and young Blackhawks star Connor Bedard made Seattle pay on the power play … accidentally. His shot attempt from the left wing circle deflected off Kraken D-man Adam Larsson’s skate and beat goalie Joey Daccord short side.
Tyler Bertuzzi, who’s been awful this year, tallied with a tip-in at 17:13 of the opening stanza to give the home team a 2-0 lead. The margin didn’t last long.
Larsson ripped a shot home from the slot to cut the Chicago lead in half just 31-seconds later.
Generally speaking, the Kraken weren’t very good in the 1st period.
In the 2nd period, Seattle must have suddenly realized that the Blackhawks aren’t very good. The Kraken carried the play, in ultimately what’s called a game of “shinny” (sometimes sloppy, wide open hockey), and reeled off four straight goals.
Markers from Jordan Eberle at 5:55, Jared McCann at 6:21, Matty Beniers at 12:53, and Shane Wright at 15:13 gave the visitors a 5-2 lead through 40 minutes.
Seattle was off and running and not looking back. They’d ultimately end up with six unanswered goals.
Wright added another one, his 17th of the season, just short of seven minutes into the 3rd period.
With the big lead, Kraken head coach Dan Bylsma was able to play his 3rd and 4th liners plenty over the final 20 minutes. Balanced ice time was a bonus since Seattle plays again Wednesday night in Minnesota against the Wild.
