Jacob Melanson made his season debut on Sunday, skating in his second career game. His addition to the lineup did not help the Seattle Kraken enough to defeat the Buffalo Sabres.
Jacob Melanson was recalled by the Seattle Kraken on Saturday when Jared McCann was placed on the injured reserve, and on Sunday, he made his season debut.
The expectation was that Melanson would serve as the extra forward for Sunday's game, but when the Kraken announced that Mason Marchment would be a late scratch due to an illness, the Kraken had no choice but to turn to Melanson.
The 22-year-old made his NHL debut late last season, recording four hits in 9:53 of ice time. This time around, Melanson skated on the fourth line alongside Ben Meyers and Tye Kartye, throwing seven hits in just 7:47 of ice time.
“I thought tonight I brought my energy, brought my physicality, and I’ll keep bringing that when the team needs it,” said Melanson.
Standing 6-foot, 205 pounds, Melanson isn't the biggest player on the ice, but he plays with speed and aggressiveness, which makes him a physical threat. He's notched seven goals and 14 points this season in the AHL with the Coachella Valley Firebirds, well on pace to break his previous career highs of eight goals and 18 points.
Despite limited minutes, Melanson was an effective physical presence, but that alone wasn't able to help the Kraken overcome the Sabres. It's been real tough sledding for the Kraken of late, as they have lost eight of their last nine games.
Their 5-on-5 scoring has disappeared, and they aren't keeping the puck out of their net as well as they were previously. On Sunday, they found themselves down 2-0 in the second period before Chandler Stephenson cut the deficit in half with a power play goal. Zach Benson scored an empty net goal late in the third to ensure the victory for the Buffalo Sabres.
The Kraken are plummeting down the NHL standings and find themselves sitting in 29th place in the NHL. They have games in hand, and they could find themselves higher in the standings, but if their recent performances are any indication, it looks like more losses are on the horizon.
“Right now, we have to play the perfect game to give ourselves a chance to win. There’s mistakes here and there that are reaching up and biting us,” said coach Lane Lambert.
The Kraken are back in action on Tuesday when they take on the league-leading Colorado Avalanche.
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