Breakaway Save, Breakaway Goal Break Seattle's Four Game Losing Streak
Above Photo: Tomas Tatar scores the back-breaking 3rd period goal in a 6-2 victory Wednesday over the Chicago Blackhawks.
Seattle Kraken goalie Joey Daccord felt so joyous, he skated out from his crease to kick up a leg and fist pump an arm. Those gyrations felt so good, he did 'em a second time.
His jubilation still unexhausted, Daccord banged his stick against the corner glass.
Moments earlier, the goalie had been half of a thrilling seven-second sequence which fans at Climate Pledge Arena and a national audience watching on TNT won't soon forget.
Thursday's Kraken victory over the Chicago Blackhawks was dicier than the 6-2 score indicates. The Hawks had closed the gap to 4-2 with an early 3rd period goal.
Now, ex-Kraken Ryan Donato took a pass at center ice, skating in alone with visions of a one-goal game on his stick.
Donato was soon to discover what many have learned in the weeks since Daccord has taken over the Kraken net.
The 27-year-old Massachusetts native has a preternatural ability to out-wait breakway skaters. Before he knew it, Donato was in too deep to get off a dangerous shot.
The crowd, which had held its collective breath, erupted. Their man Joey had saved the day again. Kraken winger Tomas Tatar said after the game that's pretty much what he was doing, too. "Kind of hanging around, to be honest, hoping Joey would make the save," he said, smiling.
The roar had barely subsided when a new one started - Jordan Eberle had found Tatar behind the Chicago defense. "Joey did a great job," said Kraken coach Dave Hakstol. "Then we caught them napping a little bit going the other way, and the right guy had the puck."
Kraken GM Ron Francis had rescued Tatar from the Colorado Avalanche healthy-scratch pile with a Dec. 15 trade. If "rescue" sounds too dramatic, listen to the veteran winger.
"It's been wonderful, since day one," said Tatar, who has five goals in 16 games with his new team. "I could feel the support from the teammates and the fans. I want to put us in the playoff hunt."
Back to the breakaway. Tatar had already played a strong game, on one shift entering the zone with a spin-a-rama, then firing off the post from close range.
In a prior game with the Kraken, Tatar converted a breakaway using a fancy deke. This time, a snap shot beat Hawks goalie Arvid Soderblom.
I asked Tatar at what point he chooses his breakaway move to beat a goaltender. "I try to open my head up (to all the possible ways to score) and make a read as fast as I can.
I saw an opening low blocker. I tried to have a quick release and was fortunate to put it in."
Instead of Chicago closing within 4-3 with 15 minutes to play, the Kraken had taken an insurmountable 5-2 lead. Tatar would score a second time late in the period as Seattle ended a four game losing streak.
Coach Hakstol smiled when I asked what was going through his mind during the dueling breakaways, as the game hung in the balance.
"I could (tell you), but I'd probably get in trouble."
