Final Buzzer: Parents Night

The new-dad thing worked out perfectly for the Kraken this weekend. Veterans Jordan Eberle and Martin Jones both witnessed the birth of their sons on Friday's off day. Convenient and, most importantly, everyone is happy and healthy.
Eberle and Jones both returned in time for Saturday's morning skate, then, sleep-deprived or not, clearly showed up on time Saturday for this second victory of the three-game homestand. The Kraken record is back to the .500 mark at 4-4-2.

"We measure our season in [five-game] segments," said Hakstol. "We won this segment [three wins, two losses.]."
Eberle was all smiles after he scored the opening goal (his first of the year) and talked to the media post-game: "This is special and something you always remember ... I think, more importantly, we got the win, especially after dropping a couple. We're trying to get over .500."
Jones earned his fourth victory of the young season and was thrilled to be a first-time dad to Rory.
"Very special day yesterday obviously," said Jones, who stopped 32 shots and maybe none bigger than a big stop on Sidney Crosby on a Pittsburgh power play at the top of the final period. The last 24 hours have been a roller coaster. I just tried to wrap my head around playing hockey today. Sometimes when you're not thinking too much, things work out. That might have been the case today."

Eberle said having a baby, Deacon, was a "relief" because his wife was overdue by 10 days. He said he's been ribbing linemate Jaden Schwartz about being the godfather but dad-joked after the game that maybe he would consider his other linemate, Matty Beniers (he called him "Bernie"), for the primary assist. But, smiling, Eberle did quickly acknowledge Shwartz's gritty play behind the net to feed the 19-year-old Beniers. It was encouraging to see Eberle's light-heartedness after he stood in with the media to explain the tough loss Thursday to Vancouver.
Morgan Geekie scored his second goal of the year and Jaden Schwartz a last-minute empty netter to finish what can only be called Parents Night at Climate Pledge Arena.

Near-Misses Abound

Pittsburgh started the third period on the power play and the Kraken penalty killers delivered zero to keep the game 2-1, thanks to Jones robbing an all-alone Sidney Crosby. Jones lunged left and blocked the puck with his torso to high-decibel noise.
Throughout the final frame, the Kraken's top two lines were creating havoc and logging near-misses. It's a definitive difference from last season's first 10 games. Both the Burakovsky-Wennberg-Bjorkstrand and Schwartz-Beniers-Eberle lines have stayed together this homestand and the last road trip.

Twice Denied, Thrice is Charming

A tremendous deke by new dad Jordan Eberle mid-second period brought Pittsburgh goalie Casey DeSmith way of his net and, subsequently, the Climate Pledge Arena fans to their feet when Eberle left the puck for Ryan Donato to tap in. One problem: Donato was a stride offside when Eberle entered the zone with a hard rush from the Penguins' blue line. Pittsburgh challenged and the NHL's Toronto-based "Situation Room" confirmed offside.
Just a couple of shifts later, Pittsburgh forward Jake Guentzel broke free to beat Martin Jones to break the scoreless tie. Jones was stellar to this point, making a number of big saves, including three Grade-A chances in the first 10 minutes of the contest, and faced seven Grade-A chances in the first 40 minutes.
Within a minute of play, it appeared the Kraken deadlocked this game at one goal apiece when Andre Burakovsky knocked in a puck goal-front, but the Pittsburgh video coaches, clearly having a good night, urged Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan to challenge a missed high-stick call. Toronto confirmed, yes, Alex Wennberg high-sticked the puck before it eventually settled on Burakovsky's stick. The home crowd most decidedly and loudly did not approve.
But the Kraken swiftly responded with their first goal of the night and the first of the year for new papa Eberle, who told the media after Saturday's morning skate he was aiming to score for his new son, Deacon. The play started with Jaden Schwartz winning a puck battle behind the net, moving the puck to linemate Matty Beniers' net-front.
The rookie gathered and passed in a two-touch quick move that yanked DeSmith out of the crease again. Eberle was waiting to tap it into the net at the so-called back door. The veteran and alternate captain, not one to over-celebrate his goals, was grinning ear-to-ear and no doubt anticipating a nice piece of family lore for years ahead. Beniers looked equally happy for his linemate and, Schwartz, he wins a tough puck to make it all happen.

Putting the Puck on Net and...

Kraken winger Daniel Sprong and his fourth-line mates, Morgan Geekie and Ryan Donato, hummed here tonight when given ice time. Late second period, the Kraken disrupted Pittsburgh's entry into the offensive zone with Vince Dunn reversing to puck toward the Pittsburgh zone through neutral ice.
Dunn passed to Sprong, who skated hard into the O-zone, rifled a shot and DeSmith couldn't control the rebound. Geekie zoomed in to take the puck and his time, forcing the PIT goalie to move first, then rippled the open net to score his second goal this week.