Not the Desired LA Script

LOS ANGELES – The Kraken’s two-game road trip took a wrong turn with a 2-1 loss to divisional foe Los Angeles Saturday afternoon. The host Kings rode a two-goal second-period lead and some clutch saves from goaltender David Rittich during the third period. Seattle had its chances, including a gaping net rebound shot that Kraken defenseman Brandon Montour rang off the post. Montour would eventually find the net late in the final frame to give the Kraken life, rocketing a point shot through traffic to end Rittich's shutout bid.

The tightly played game started with a high volume of checking and nine shots on goal total between both squads in the first period. But Daccord and the SEA defensive corps were busy all 20 minutes fending off scoring chances. Two goals in a 1:54 marked two minutes the Kraken would like back. After those goals, Daccord made a couple of handfuls of quality saves to keep his team in the game.

Daccord’s best save of the night was late in the second period during a Kraken power play. Los Angeles forwards Warren Foegele and Quinton Byfield swooped in on the Seattle goalie for a two-on-zero-skaters chance, passing the back and forth at the crease but not successfully deking as Daccord made a backhand save on Foegele.

“We can’t not talk about the two-on-oh chance that we gave up there,” said coach Dan Bylsma. “It hits the knob of the stick, what a great save. And as the game went on in the third [period], Joey made three or four red-bell saves to keep us in the match.”

Montour’s Message

For his part, along with the clanged post and late goal to give some late hope in this divisional matchup, the high-energy defenseman Montour was clear about the Kraken not playing the full 60 minutes required to win close games, especially against a rival that will be vying for the same playoff spots come March and April.

“Teams are so close in the division; we're going to need to beat these guys to get in at the end,” said Montour. “I thought our energy level, kind of, for the most part, all game, wasn't there ... we’ve got to bring a better, better effort. In the last minutes of the game, we took it to him. We were pushing the pace. But, I mean, yeah, it's work, but we're creating chances. [Not hitting the post], the game could have gone a completely different way. But at least bring that effort, bring consistent effort. From the start, can't take shifts off.”

Teammate Matty Beniers concurred: “All around, every guy in our room knows he has to be better and can play better myself included. We just didn't play our game, didn't get to our game fast enough.”

Low on Events Early, Then Scrapping

A low-event first period in this divisional matchup turned too eventful for the Kraken during the middle 20 minutes, including two Los Angeles goals that staked the home squad to a 2-0 advantage just six minutes into the period. After that, the Kraken responded via a scrappy approach, with Yanni Gourde, Brandon Tanev, Ben Meyers and Tye Kartye all squaring off after whistles stopped play.

Bylsma skipped over other lines later second period to afford the Meyers and Gourde lines more time on ice. That coaching move and the ensuing energy of those two lines appear to have juiced the entire Kraken squad.

“Our most success in the first two periods came from Turbo and Karts, Ben and Gordo getting in and having a presence in the offensive zone,” said Bylsma, “being physical, winning pucks and keep being around the net. I think that changed in the third period for the [whole] group.”

Gourde, who was in the penalty box during the Kings' second goal, was fired up after taking a penalty for goalie interference any observer might wonder, didn’t the Kings defender push the Kraken veteran into goalie David Rittich? On the LAK power play, young center Quinton Byfield set up at a deep angle to Daccord and knocked a one-timer past the Kraken goalie high short-side. That particular power play unit for LA features five forwards rather than the traditional four forwards and a defenseman.

On his next shift, Gourde was back to net-front work, and the entire line of Meyers, Tanev and Kartye found fisticuffs-and-shoving partners in Kings jerseys. Kartye and another young Kings player, defenseman Brandt Clarke, were whistled off for roughing late period.

But the low-event aspect remained in place in the Seattle offense, managing just a dozen shots on goal through two periods, ten during even-strength and two during the final two periods of the middle frame. Natural Stat Trick’s data marked 21 scoring chances for LA. One reason to be thinking “comeback” as the third period drew near: The Kraken notched four high-danger scoring opportunities in the second stanza.

“It was too much of a low-event game for us,” said coach Dan Bylsma, who identified the same shortage of pucks on net during Seattle’s power plays. “We had opportunities to shoot the puck in the first and second that we passed up. That didn't give us a chance to be in and around the goalie.”

The third period was better, though both Beniers and Montour referenced the Kings “sitting back” a bit due to the two-goal advantage.”

“We were just a little bit more aggressive all around, from our forwards, from our D ... there was probably a little bit more room out there for us to make some plays. But I think we have to be a little bit more aggressive right out of the first period, make more plays and tape-to-tape passes, some harder plays ... they took advantage of it and turned it right back on us.”