Kraken Can’t Hold Off Minnesota

The Kraken started off this Western Conference wild-card showdown with a swift score just 36 seconds into the game, generating Climate Pledge Arena high-decibels appreciation and probably more than a few fans thinking, OK, let’s pass these guys in the playoff chase. Minnesota started the night with 60 points, just one point ahead of Seattle, which has a game in hand.

But Minnesota answered with a tying goal by the five-minute mark and then took the lead later in the opening 20 minutes when former Kraken forward Marcus Johansson notched an unassisted goal, beating Seattle starter Joey Daccord. By mid-game, the visiting Wild had racked up five unanswered goals, prompting Dave Hakstol to pull Daccord for the first time this year. The final was 5-2 Minnesota. The Wild are heating up, defeating Vancouver Monday and Edmonton Friday night.

The Kraken are now 24-22-11 for 59 points, one point behind Calgary (winners in Edmonton), three behind the Wild and St. Louis (62 apiece), and five back of Nashville, which won in San Jose Saturday to seize the second wild-card spot with 64 points. Los Angeles still holds the top Western wild-card spot with 68 points.

The formidable opponents on this six-game homestand will keep flowing this week. Eastern Conference leader Boston will be in town Monday for a 7 p.m. start, then Pittsburgh (Thursday) and Edmonton (1 p.m. matinee Saturday).

This game turned to Minnesota’s with a trio of Kraken penalties in the final 15 minutes of the first period. The Wild scored the go-ahead-for-good second goal during a 5-on-3 power play with veterans Jaden Schwartz and Jamie Oleksiak in the penalty box. Then Minnesota’s budding young star and first-liner Matt Boldy leveraged a late first-period elbowing call on Kraken stalwart defenseman Adam Larson by scoring on the ensuing penalty during the first minute of the middle period.

“I talked about it standing right here a couple of nights ago [after a stirring 5-2 win over Vancouver],” said Kraken coach Dave Hakstol. “There's moments in the game that are game-changing moments. Two nights ago, we met every one of those moments. Tonight, we didn't meet very many of them, right from the number of penalties we took, especially the stick penalties. Those penalties put us down 5-on-3 and we gave the other team opportunities – a team that has been [an impressive] 30 plus percent on the powerplay over the last dozen games... That's me included, head of the line, I think we should be pretty upset with ourselves on this one tonight.”

“It's a big big loss,” said a disappointed Vince Dunn. “Right now, we know these points are important. We’re gonna have to forget about this one really quickly.”

Not Daccord’s Night

Hakstol told the post-game scrum he was inclined to give Daccord the rest of the night off after the Boldy goal to make it 3-1. But in any case, he was not about to pin this loss on the rookie goaltender. No one can argue against the fact that Seattle is not in a playoff chase without Daccord’s performance this season.

“To be honest with you, I had that instinct one goal earlier,” said Hakstol when asked for his reasons for pulling Daccord in favor of Philipp Grubauer. “But you know, Joey has been really good for us. He's fought. He's battled ... Tonight wasn't his night, and this is not on him. But just like everybody else, he's gonna have to address his own performance, Shake it off, and be ready to go for the next one.”

Dunn It Again: McCann Gets Assist on Quick Strike

After Thursday’s 5-2 win over first-place Vancouver, Jared McCann said he has been urging defenseman Vince Dunn to shoot more. His reasoning is two-fold: One, Dunn has a heavy shot from his usual location at the left point near the blue line. Two, Dunn trending as a more frequent shooter, can open up McCann’s time and space as defenders have to respect Dunn’s shooting.

McCann referenced his Dunn encouragement while talking about a first-period goal that Dunn tallied, the D-man’s first goal in 12 games. Rather than shoot, usually, the forward’s first instinct, and opposing goalies know it, McCann took a pass from Dunn and quickly returned it.

On the first shift here Saturday night, McCann was again receiving a pass in the offensive zone (this time from linemate Matty Beniers) and just as quickly bypassing a shot attempt, instead dishing the puck to Dunn to post the game’s first goal just 36 seconds into play. It’s Dunn’s 10^th of the year, making it six Kraken who have reached double-digits in goals.

Looking for Bright Spots...

There were not many on this night, but Jared McCann did extend his point streak to seven straight games and points in 13 of his last 14 games. At home, McCann has scored five goals and added six assists in his last half-dozen appearances at Climate Pledge Arena. Jordan Eberle’s third-period unassisted goal marks his fourth goal in the last four games.