Goalie Hadn't Started For Seattle Since May 1, 2022
605 days.
That's how long it's been since Kraken goalie Chris Driedger has started an NHL game. In the interim, he's made an arduous recovery from an ACL tear. Most recently, in the wake of Phillip Grubauer's own injury, Driedger has sat second chair to Joey Daccord.
Before turning pro, Drieger backstopped 148 WHL major junior games for the Calgary Hitmen (winning 88). So perhaps playing a hunch - something NHL coaches still turn to in this analytics-driven era - Dave Hakstol tabbed Driedger for the start against the Flames Wednesday at Scotiabank Saddledome.
Good hunch.
Backed by goals from Kailer Yamamoto and Alex Wennberg, Drieger authored a 37-save performance, as the Kraken beat the Flames, 2-1. Seattle's unbeaten streak has reached seven (5-0-2).
1st Period
Pro tip: don't loiter behind the curtains or on the stairs when the Kraken are holding their pregame kick-around.
Kraken defenseman Vince Dunn, the subject of our pregame profile, keeps the points coming. His stretch pass from deep in his own zone expertly finds a streaking Kailer Yamamoto at center ice.
Already unpopular in Calgary - he's a former Edmonton Oiler, after all - Yamamoto converts his breakaway with a snap shot past Flames goalie Jacob Markstrom. 1-0 Kraken at 2:24.
Yamamoto's 7th continues strong Kraken 4th line offense. "What a pass," he said during a ROOT Sports interview. Dunn records his team-leading 24th assist, also tied for 6th most in the NHL.
Seattle then brings back bad memories of its losing streak, when they at times treated the puck like a greased pig. Brian Dumoulin lifts the puck out of play for a delay of game penalty. Seven seconds later, with Kraken defenders unable to collect a loose puck around the crease, Nazem Kadri ties the game 1-1 at 8:09.
Good news: the Kraken have blocked eight Calgary shots in the first eight minutes. Bad news: the Kraken have needed to block eight shots.
Calgary's penalty kill is 6th best in the NHL at 83%. Seattle couldn't retake the lead on two power play chances. Shots in the period were 8-7 for the Kraken.
2nd Period
Calgary has the first chance to break the tie when Will Borgen is called for hooking at 11:02. Though they have a goal on the PP tonight, the Flames rank 30th in the league with the extra man (11%).
When Jared McCann goes off for tripping, Seattle faces 11 seconds of 5-on-3 for Calgary. Driedger makes his best save, post-to-post to deny Elias Lindholm. Seattle kills both penalties to keep the game tied.
Martin Pospisil's high stick into Dunn's face goes uncalled. Tye Kartye, with Seattle's best scoring chance, fires just wide on a breakaway.
Calgary outshoots Seattle 13-6 in the 2nd period, and holds a 20-14 edge after 40 minutes. The home team has also won nearly 2/3 of faceoffs.
Kraken goalie Chris Driedger looked good in his first Seattle start in 19 months.Driedger has looked comfortable and surprisingly free of rust.
Idle thought for future seasons: If Driedger keeps this up, could a Daccord-Driedger duo be in the Kraken's future? And if that's the desire, what to do with Philipp Grubauer - and the remaining three seasons of his contract?
3rd Period
The Kraken road record to date is 6-6-6. So whatever the outcome of tonight's game, Seattle will move past that un-Christmas-like number.
Seattle is playing with fire (did I just write that?). Brandon Tanev takes the Kraken's fourth minor, holding at 1:50. His mates kill the penalty, improving to 3-for-4 on the evening.
In their last 17+ games, Seattle has now killed 42 of their last 48 shorthanded situations.
Play with pace, coach Hakstol preaches. Contributions from everybody, coach Hakstol preaches. See both unfold on Seattle's tie-breaking goal, Alex Wennberg taking a sweet pass from Jared McCann and finding an opening up high on Markstrom.
Wennberg's 5th, assisted by McCann and Borgen, gives Seattle a 2-1 lead at 6:00.
Driedger stops 18 of 18 Calgary 3rd period shots for a sweet return to Calgary, a sweet return to the NHL, and the goalie's first-ever victory over the Flames.
Postgame
Chris Driedger apparently hasn't been up with Seattle long enough to know that all Kraken games need to extend into overtime. His sparkling return between the pipes means if the Kraken can beat the Flyers at home on Friday, they will go into the Winter Classic - improbably - back at NHL .500.
Also impressive, the Kraken have put together a seven game unbeaten streak without injured goalie Grubauer, and without injured forwards Andre Burakovsky, Jared McCann, and Pierre-Edouard Bellemare.
How good could the Kraken be when THEY return?
