Brandon Tanev, Jordan Eberle Score To Break 5-Game Road Losing Streak
Despite an ever-growing injury list, the one Seattle Kraken constant has been the excellent play of goalie Joey Daccord.
Brandon Tanev and Jordan Eberle provided just enough offense, and Seattle killed all four Kings power plays, as Seattle gutted out a 2-1 victory over Los Angeles Wednesday at Crypto.com Arena.
Making his sixth consecutive start since Philipp Grubauer went on IR, Daccord stopped 20 shots in the first period and 42 of 43 for the game. Goals allowed in Daccord's six-pack of starts: 2-0-1-2-4-1.
Dating back to the Dec. 7 New Jersey Devils game, Seattle's penalty kill is operating at better than 95% efficiency (22-for-23).
The Seattle defense smothered the Kings in the 3rd period; just seven SOG allowed, and a fluke shorthanded tally being L.A.'s only scoring chance.
1st Period
Since the Kraken are playing in Hollywood's backyard, we can liken the first 20 minutes to the 1996 Kurt Russell flick, Escape From L.A. What Seattle just survived was Escape From The 1st Period Against L.A.
The Kings at one stage were outshooting the visitors 18-2, and by the horn, held a SOG lead of 20-8. Aside from bolstering Kraken goalie Joey Daccord's save percentage, the only good thing to say is that the period ended scoreless.
Daccord helped himself with a well-timed poke check on Phillip Danault. Equally impressive, he's back in position in time to swallow Jordan Spence's follow-up drive.
Daccord is only the second netminder this season to record a 1st period shutout with 20 or more saves. Seattle did get some late help from the goalie's best friend. On a 2-on-1 in the last 30 seconds, Matt Roy fired a shot off the crossbar.
2nd Period
L.A.'s Kevin Fiala and Seattle's Kailer Yamamoto take minor penalties 29 seconds apart early in the period. Neither team is able to score on their abbreviated power play.
Brandon Tanev connects on his own rebound at 5:19. Alex Wennberg won a draw, and Tanev's 3rd makes it 1-0 Seattle.
The chances are starting to even out. On the offensive end, Seattle for the first time has sustained pressure in the Los Angeles zone.
On the defensive end, Brian Dumoulin's desperation dive sweeps the puck away from Trevor Moore, preventing a breakaway.
The Kings have another prodigious period of shots - 16, meaning Daccord has made 36 saves through two periods. The Kraken found their shooting form, too - 17 shots in the period on L.A. goalie Cam Talbot, and one past him for a 1-0 lead after 40.
Both teams went scoreless on a pair of power plays, though Seattle got three through to Talbot on their second PP.
The game is being nationally televised in the U.S. by TNT. Studio analyst Paul Bissonnette wants to show Tanev's "monkey off my back" goal celebration. When Bissonnette doesn't get the replay he's called for, he explodes with an expletive-laden guttural growl.
"Jesus, give me the shot, Goddammit!"
3rd Period
In the first five minutes of the period, Los Angeles has one lonely shot on goal. Maybe their arms are tired.
From inside his own blueline, Matty Beniers throws an almost unbelievable pinpoint pass ahead to a streaking Jordan Eberle. Not only was it right on Eberle's tape, Beniers threaded the pass through the legs of L.A.'s Drew Doughty.
It's not a two line pass, barely, not offside, barely, and Eberle lets his quick wrists do the rest. 2-0 Kraken at 6:27.
Eberle's 4th is also the third point for Beniers in the last two games.
Daccord winds the puck around the boards on a Seattle power play, but defenseman Justin Schultz - just back in the lineup from a puck to the face injury - can't handle it. Blake Lizotte collects the weird bounce off the boards and scores shorthanded. On L.A.'s 40th shot, the Seattle lead is cut to 2-1 at 8:00.
Schultz's terrible, horrible, no good, very bad period gets worse with a boarding penalty.
The Kraken come up big on the PK, improving to 3-for-3 on the evening.
L.A. pulls Talbot for a sixth attacker with 2:52 remaining.
More bad luck for Seattle's defense. With his own stick, Kevin Fiala lifts Will Borgen's stick into Fiala's face. Nonetheless, Borgen goes to the box for high sticking, giving the Kings a 6-on-4 advantage with their net empty.
Alex Wennberg makes a heroic block in a sensitive area on Doughty's missile from the blueline. Even down by two skaters, Seattle doesn't allow a Kings shot on goal.
The Kraken survive it all, and win 2-1.
