Florida Rallies to ‘Bounce’ Kraken

In the third game of this arduous road trip, the Kraken jumped out to another two-goal lead before host Florida, the 2023 Eastern Conference champions, equalized in a matter of 11 seconds. From there, the Kraken stayed the course and continued aggressive play in the offensive end.

Seattle doubled up the shots on the goal in the first 14 minutes of the third period but Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky sealed off any go-ahead goal. Counterpart Joey Daccord, getting his third straight start and fourth in five games, made the vital saves when needed during the Kraken push. After the game, coach Dave Hakstol said the way his squad “deserved better” based on the continued pressure and offensive attacking by the visitors. The Kraken will now seek a trip total of five standings points in this four-game, possible-eight-point Eastern swing.

Boards, Puck Foil Daccord

With six minutes remaining in a tie game, many fans were anticipating a third straight overtime on this road trip. Instead, Daccord found out the hard way that Florida’s rink boards have some weird and dastardly bounces in them. When Florida defenseman Josh Mahura dumped the puck into the Kraken end from neutral ice, Daccord, an active goalie who handles the puck more than most at his position, came out to play the puck but the rubber disc stayed high on the glass, and boards. Daccord was caught behind the net when the puck bounced off the Zamboni door and made for an easy goal off the stick of Panthers forward Nick Cousins.

“The stanchions here are pretty bouncy and they stick out a lot,” said Daccord. “Just an unfortunate bounce but I should have just stayed in the net and given myself a chance to make a save ... I feel like I let the team down tonight.”

Confidence in the Goaltending

McCann demurred on Daccord letting down the team, saying the rookie goaltender made lots of big saves when needed throughout the night. Dave Hakstol allowed that Daccord might learn from the experience but was quick to praise the goaltender’s work on this trip and express confidence in both goaltenders on the roster.

“Still, it's a bad bounce for a guy that's played really well on the night,” said the Seattle head coach.

Daccord said his lesson might be “a little bit more situational awareness” about his proclivity and impressive skills for playing the puck to help his defenseman and even look for a stretch pass or two up ice.

“Five minutes left, the puck was pretty high in the glass,” said Daccord. “I could have just left it and you know, and be able to be in front of the net and get my stick on it [to eliminate the scoring chance] or taking on a mini-breakaway there from [Cousins]...that's 100 percent on me and I’ve got to be better.”

Keeping the Faith on This Trip

The bad-bounce goal ended the scoring for the night and marred what has been a productive road trip for Seattle. Daccord made 35 saves on the night, including some point-blank shots after giving up the third goal. The Kraken threatened late with an extra attacker, nearly equalizing in a tangled-body scrum with six seconds remaining and even one more attempt after that.

When Daccord, McCann, and Hakstol were interviewed by the media post-game, all three referenced Saturday night as another solid road game that will serve as a foundation for Monday’s visit to Tampa Bay (3-0-2 in the last five games) and road trips ahead.

“It’s a huge step in the right direction,” said McCann. “I keep saying it, but we’ve just gotta keep playing simple.”

Gourde Line Cashes In

The Yanni Gourde line was overdue and the forward trio turned in their chits to score the first two goals for Seattle. Jared McCann notched his fourth goal of the season thanks to a slick play and pass by Gourde to score the only goal of the opening period. McCann and Gourde have long paired on the penalty-kill and it shows in their play as wing and center.

On the first-period goal, defenseman Will Borgen sent a stretch pass to the neutral zone that Gourde deftly redirected to McCann, who turned on his formidable speed to outrace Florida defenseman Uvis Balinskis to the puck. McCann charged the net, deked and close-in bladed his shot past Panthers 2023 playoffs star goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky.

Linemate Eeli Tolvanen got off the goal schneid in the second period to give the Kraken what was a fleeting two-goal lead. Borgen again started the play and earned a second assist, then Jaden Schwartz, still on the ice from his shift on the Alex Wennberg line, pulled the veteran move of putting a long-range shot on net. Tolvanen tipped it about two feet in the air and Bobrovsky had no chance.

It marks Tolvanen’s first goal of the season but the 2022 waiver-claim winger has been superb as a defensive forward, facing down lots of opponents’ top lines and pacing top-five in hits and blocked shots in the company of mostly defensemen like Adam Larsson, Jamie Olekisiak and the aforementioned Borgen. By the end of Saturday’s contest, Tolvanen was pushing Larsson for the team lead in hits.