Seattle Revives to Halve the Lead
The Kraken were outshot 18 to 9 at the mid-game mark, but then Seattle scored twice in 95 seconds. On Vegas’ third powerplay of the game, 2022 second-rounder Jagger Firkus broke out with 2024 second-rounder Nathan Villeneuve joining for a 2-on-1 rush up the ice. Possibly, Vegas goalie Carl Lindbom was informed of Firkus’ reputation as both a shooter and a playmaker. The Swedish-born goaltender leaned a bit toward Firkus, who slid a nifty pass to Villeneuve to put Seattle on the scoresheet.
Villeneuve didn’t flub the chance, wristing a fast-release shot with 12 minutes left in the second period. The 18-year-old clearly annoyed Vegas players all game with his chippiness and went to the penalty for a five-minute major for dropping the gloves with 22-year-old Russian-born Vegas defenseman Daniil Chayka, who has been an AHL regular the last two seasons.
Just a minute-and-a-half later, Seattle defenseman Caden Price (3rd round, 2023) quickly delivered a shot from the left point into a swirl of net-front traffic. The shot deflected off some part of Tucker Robertson's equipment and cut the Vegas lead in half, suddenly giving the Seattle/Coachella Valley fans in the stands a reason to think comeback. Firkus picked up the assist for his second helper of the period and third in two games here at the Los Angeles Kings training center.
“We had a chance to tie the game,” said Laxdal. “These are learning experiences for these kids going forward. When you're talking kids at age 22 to 25, it’s a different group because they're men, they're big, they're strong. When you're talking kids 18 to 22 they haven’t fully developed physically and mentally.
“You’ve got to give the Vegas team some credit. They came out real physical. They took advantage of their size and their age early in the game. They didn't panic. We just kept playing. We got it to two, and we had some really good looks in the third period ... It was a huge difference in [Sunday’s] game. I thought our kids passed with flying colors.”
To wit: The Kraken dressed six 18-year-olds Sunday. Vegas? Zero.
After the two Seattle goals in the second period, Vegas put more pressure on Ostman, who responded by making 12 saves in the final 10 minutes of the middle stanza. The shots on goal totals after 40 minutes: Vegas 30, Seattle 12.
Nearly halfway into the final period, the aforementioned Firkus executed a perfect steal against a Vegas D-man at the blue line, creating a breakaway that caught attention in the Kraken scouts section of the plexi-glassed long viewing table behind seven rows of stands. Firkus deked properly but shot wide.
Firkus didn’t stew over the missed opportunity. Within three minutes, Firkus scored the Kraken’s third goal with an assist from upcoming AHL teammate Robertson and 2023 second-rounder Carson Rehkopf, who will return to juniors if he doesn’t make the opening day NHL roster. Kitchener, where Rehkopf scored 100 goals and notched 135 assists over three seasons, sent the power forward to OHL Brampton for four draft choices.
“Throughout the last couple of games, I was just trying to get better and better each shift,” said Firkus, who finished the weekend with a goal and three assists. “I was pretty happy as the third period winded down. I felt like I was getting better. It's really all you can ask for. And to turn it this quick and fast in two games.”
Seattle couldn’t get the tying goal in the remaining eight minutes. However, there is no denying the grit and no-quit in the Sunday squad.
Catton Debuts, Improves as Game Progresses
The Kraken’s first-round draft choice and No. 8 overall in the 2024 NHL Draft, Berkly Catton, played his first competitive game for the franchise. It will be far from the last.
Catton, 18, wore one of three “A’s” on his Seattle jersey to indicate which players were alternate captains, perhaps indicating how much the Kraken organization likes the skilled center’s actions on and off the ice. The other two alternate captains were prospects Tucker Robertson (40 games with AHL affiliate Coachella Valley Firebirds last season) and Lleyton Roed (NCAA free agent signee who impressed in 10 CVF appearances after a banner year at Division I Bemidji State).
Catton centered 2024 Western Hockey League player of the year Jagger Firkus and 2024 second-rounder Nathan Villeneuve. He looked more in the game’s flow in the final 40 minutes and nearly created a late second-period 4-on-4 goal with a skilled exhibit of skating and puck-handling, circling in the Vegas net until he could set up an attempt by a teammate.
“It’s the first game in a while,” said the first-rounder. “There are summer skates, and there's real hockey. That was real hockey. I think by the last half of that game, I was creating quite a bit.”
The purpose of rookie tournaments is to set up promising prospects with some momentum and confidence going into training camp with the NHL-rostered players. Catton confirmed the premise.
“Having that [a rookie tournament game played] before going to a camp against the best players in the world is definitely going to help,” said Catton. “I'm really glad I got to play today. It's a building block in the future.”
