Toronto 2, Seattle 1 After 40
Eight seconds after Jamie Oleksiak finishes serving a hooking penalty, Toronto doubles its lead at 2:50. Nicholas Robertson, who was listed as scratched before the game, makes the Kraken wish he was.
Ilya Samsonov got the start in goal for Toronto tonight, just his second game since Dec. 29. Though he sports a 3.88 GAA and .863 save percentage, you wouldn't know it. His glove snare on a Devin Shore wrister from between the circles is his latest of several fine saves.
It isn't hurting Samsonov's confidence that the Kraken have recorded nine SOG in the game's first 37 minutes.
And just like that, it's a one-goal game. Jordan Eberle fishes the rebound of a Tomas Tatar shot out from a maze of legs, fades toward the right post, and scores his 7th at 14:03.
Seconds later, Oliver Bjorkstrand rings a potential game-tier off the crossbar. The re-energized Kraken have another chance when Tomas Tatar has Samsonov down on the ice, but can't squeeze the puck past him.
The battle on the ice is no more ferocious than that in the stands, with dueling - and boisterous - "Let's Go Kraken" and "Go Leafs Go" chants.
This also happened.