In Both Pre-Season Wins, Seattle Surrenders One Goal
For the second time in pre-season, the Seattle Kraken beat the Vancouver Canucks. Seattle prevailed 2-1 Wednesday night at the home of Vancouver's AHL farm club in Abbotsford, BC. A week ago, the Kraken won 4-1 at Climate Pledge Arena.
1st Period: Poturalski Pots Opening Score
On Seattle's ice-breaking goal, Vancouver's Filip Hronek was both unwise and unlucky. Hronek backhanded a pass into the slot (unwise). The puck probably would have reached a teammate, except it was slowed by a discarded broken stick (unlucky).
Andrew Poturalski streaked in to intercept the pass, then switched from backhand to forehand to slide the puck past a grasping Canucks goalie Casey DeSmith.
Poturalski scored at 17:17 of the first period, one second after the expiration of a Guillaume Brisebois hooking penalty. (We profiled Poturalski's unbelievable comeback story here.) Shots in an otherwise "low-event" first period were 4-2 Vancouver.
2nd Period: Soucy's Sassy Shot
Joey Daccord's pre-season scoreless streak ended at 94:42. Former Kraken Carson Soucy tied the game 1-1; sneaking down the left wing boards, Soucy's seeing-eye shot eluded a screened Daccord.
Later, Marian Studenic sweetly wove through Vancouver defenders, but was denied by DeSmith. DeSmith also foiled Shane Wright's right circle blast fired from one knee. Daccord was similarly sharp with a toe save on Pius Suter's deflection.
Shots in the second period favored Vancouver 12-4, and 16-6 through 40 minutes.
3rd Period: "Goalvanen" Strikes Again
Chris Driedger took over the Kraken net to start the third period, meaning Daccord likely ended his pre-season allowing one goal in 105 minutes of playing time.
Early in the frame, overlapping minors by Vancouver's Brisebois and Seattle's Ryker Evans didn't change the score.
During a delayed penalty, the Kraken's Kole Lind misfired with a gaping net to shoot at, then put his stick on his shoulders behind his neck and looked skyward. On the ensuing man advantage, Seattle's Max McCormick hit the right post. At the other end, Driedger saved Andrei Kuzmenko's spinarama shot into his chest.
Eeli Tolvanen's third goal of the pre-season at 12:21 restored the Kraken lead. Cale Fleury's shot off DeSmith's blocker - intentionally? - deflected to Tolvanen, who unloaded a one-timer for a 2-1 advantage.
Seattle center John Hayden sacrificed his body in this game both early and late. With 2:10 left and the Kraken protecting a one goal lead, he stepped in front of a Hronek blast.
A rare pre-season fight came just three minutes into the game, with Seattle's 6-foot-3 Hayden seemingly more anxious to throw punches than Vancouver's 6-foot-7 Tyler Myers.
Vancouver's only sustained pressure of the period came after replacing DeSmith with a sixth attacker. During a scramble in the crease, Driedger landed on his back following two fine saves. Kraken defenseman Evans cross-checked Nils Åman to the ice to prevent another rebound shot.
Despite a Canucks penalty, Kuzmenko had a dangerous last-ditch bid. Taking a pass as he sped down the wing, he pushed a shot wide.
Postgame: Reviewing 2-1 Kraken Victory
After the game, Kraken coach Dave Hakstol said he liked his team's third period, "When we finally shot some pucks." In the video below, he also discusses the performance of his two goaltenders, as well as Tolvanen and Shane Wright.
Seattle outshot Vancouver 9-7 in the third period; for the full game, shots were 23-15 Vancouver. Officially, the Kraken were 0-4 on the power play, but two of those lasted less than a minute, and Poturalski's first period score missed by one second. Seattle killed off the one (abbreviated) Canucks power play.
The Kraken, who improved in pre-season to 3-1-1, play their final practice game Friday night in Edmonton. By the weekend, we should know for sure which prospects are keepers, if any veterans aren't, and who the backup in goal to Philipp Grubauer will be.
Editor's Note: Stick taps to Emerald City Hockey and Sound of Hockey for their Tweets (X's?) of the game feed.