Game Turns On 3rd Period Daccord Breakaway Save, Tatar Breakaway Goal
Ever since being featured in the movie classic Slap Shot, the song "Right Back Where We Started From" has been a hockey staple.
Maybe no team in 2023-24 has embraced the song's title like the Seattle Kraken.
By defeating the Chicago Blackhawks 6-2 Wednesday at Climate Pledge Arena, Seattle climbed to 10-10-6 - taking exactly half of available points - in its last 26 games.
But what a roller-coaster ride to get there: eight games without a win, followed by nine games of nothing but wins (13 straight with a point), followed by a four game losing streak.
In the second of a four game homestand, the Kraken got two goals from Tomas Tatar, two assists each from Jordan Eberle and Justin Schultz, 12 Kraken skaters earned a point, and Joey Daccord made 34 saves to win the season series with Chicago, two games to one.
1st Period
The Blackhawks are hurting, in all possible meanings of the word. Rookie phenom Connor Bedard leads an injury list that continues on a second page.
The Hawks are also hurting away from United Center, 0-16-1 in their last 17 road games.
This could be the start of another long night in net for Chicago's Arvid Soderblom. Jared McCann beats him cleanly for his 19th and a 1-0 Seattle lead at 4:39.
Don't blame Soderblom. Without fine saves on Devin Shore, Kailer Yamamoto and Jaden Schwartz, this game would already be a rout.
It might be a rout anyway. Andre Burakovsky's shot deflects off the knee of Schwartz. 2-0 Kraken at 7:12, on Schwartz's 10th.
Activated for the first time since Dec. 9, goalie Philipp Grubauer gets a bench seat view of Joey Daccord's handiwork.
Daccord, starting for the 17th time in the last 19 Kraken games, comes in ranked 5th in the NHL in both goals-against and save percentages.
Speaking of hands, Daccord makes a remarkable glove save while flat on his stomach. During a Hawks power play, Jason Dickinson appears to have an open top of the net. From his belly, Daccord raises up his trapper and snatches the rising shot off the goal line.
Chicago, shut out in its last two road games, won't be blanked tonight.
Joey Anderson puts the visitors on the board at 17:20, tipping home a Seth Jones drive.
Short-memory Daccord stops MacKenzie Entwistle from point-blank range in the final minute to keep Seattle in front after 20. Shots were 15-8 Blackhawks.
2nd Period
Seattle needs only 15 seconds to re-establish a two-goal lead. Alex Wennberg gets credit for his 8th, and first in six games - because he was the last Kraken to touch the puck.
This is a microcosm of the Blackhawks' season. The last three players to touch the puck were actually wearing Chicago sweaters.
Daccord keeps the lead at two by again flashing the leather, denying Philipp Kurashev. Former goalie Darren Pang on the TNT national broadcast: "Holy jumpin' he's got a quick glove!" Hall of Fame goalie Henrik Lundqvist, on the TNT panel: "Daccord looks like he's having a lot of fun out there."
In an homage to Hawks legend Denis Savard, Tatar executes a spin-a-rama. Later in the same shift, Tatar hits the post from close range - as does Jamie Oleksiak.
Maybe it's spin-o-rama night. Kraken prospect Caden Price makes his pay off.
The Hawks, who peppered the Kraken net with five shots on their first power play, get a second chance. With Tye Kartye in the box, Daccord makes three more saves.
After the kill, Oleksiak breaks in, goes forehand-backhand, and forces Jones to take a slashing penalty.
No score on the PP, but back-to-back backchecks save goals at each end. First, Boris Katchouk appears to have clear sailing shorthanded, until Justin Schultz picks his pocket. Up ice, Schwartz is in the clear, but Alex Vlasic saves the day.
The Blackhawks must be on really bad terms with the puck this period. Brandon Tanev stubs a shot, but by staying on edge, the puck is just skinny enough to roll and squeeze inside the right post. 4-1 Kraken at 17:28 on Tanev's 4th.
A Vince Dunn rocket from the point fells Schwartz standing in front. As teammates help him off the ice, Dunn slams his stick against the boards in frustration. Dunn himself returned tonight from injury.
Schwartz would return to play in the final frame.
3rd Period
The NHL's worst power play scores an early power play goal. With Seattle's Burakovsky off for holding, Nick Foligno brings the Hawks within 4-2 at 39 seconds.
Dueling breakaways!
Former Kraken Ryan Donato has no one in his way from the center-ice "S." Daccord, as he's done so many times this season, out-waits the shooter, makes the save, and foils Chicago's bid to crawl within one.
Before screaming fans at CPA have a chance to return to their seats, Eberle sends Tatar on a breakaway for Seattle. The veteran snaps the 5-2 goal past Soderblom at 4:28, his 5th.
In a flash, the complexion of the game has completely changed - twice. The happiest person in the arena is Daccord. After Tatar scores, his goalie fist pumps once, then again, then smacks his stick into the glass in celebration.
At the Chicago bench, Donato also slams his stick, but not for the same reason.
Tatar scores a garbage-time goal, his second of the game, to finalize the score at 6-2 Seattle.
Chicago finished 1-3 on the power play, Seattle 0-3. Shots favored the Blackhawks, 36-29.
The Kraken homestand continues Friday when they welcome the St. Louis Blues to CPA.
