A beaming Kraken goalie Philipp Grubauer, sweat still dripping from a 33-save performance, described the feeling of finally being staked to an early multi-goal lead by a team that typically hasn’t done that for him.
“I’m not going to lie, that was kind of nice when we score right away and get the power play,” Grubauer said after a 5-1 win Thursday night over the Boston Bruins at Climate Pledge Arena. “I’ve been on the other side of it, too, where we take a penalty in the first minute.”
The visiting Bruins didn’t just take a lone penalty. They took three of them just three-plus minutes into the contest – two on a double-minor for high sticking by David Pastrnak just 16 seconds in – and yielded a power play goal to Oliver Bjorkstrand at the 24-second mark and another marker to Jaden Schwartz just five minutes later and only four seconds after the expiration of the game’s third Boston penalty. And when the Bruins mounted a formidable push the other way once things were back to even strength, Grubauer stood tall and turned back just about everything sent his way.
Brad Marchand finally got Boston on the board with a penalty shot goal midway through the contest. But three Kraken goals in the final period by Vince Dunn, then Bjorkstrand’s second of the night and an empty netter from Jared McCann in the closing two minutes, sealed a fourth Kraken win in their last six games against formidable East Coast opponents.
The team’s 4-1-1 mark that stretch has been aided by a power play that’s shown increased confidence similar to that displayed by the team as a whole.
“The power play – unbelievable job,” Grubauer said after his second victory in as many outings. “It got us going there right away.”
And the early two-goal outburst set the stage for an emotional tribute shortly afterward paid by the Kraken to founding owner David Bonderman, who died Wednesday at age 82. Kraken CEO Tod Leiweke spoke about Bonderman on a microphone from the lower bowl stands during a pause in play while the twin scoreboards showed a video tribute to him followed by a lengthy standing ovation from the crowd of 17,151.
Bonderman’s daughter and Kraken majority owner Samantha Holloway, a Seattle resident, watched from a suite with numerous family members who had flown in for the game. Down on the ice, a moved Grubauer couldn’t help being taken in by the moment.
“I’m going to dedicate that win to Mr. Bonderman because without him, I don’t think we would be here,” Grubauer said. “And Sam (Holloway). The Bonderman family, what they’ve done for this city and for us is incredible.”
And the Kraken, despite lapsing at times from midway through the opening period through the middle frame, rose to the night’s occasion by not wilting entirely. Grubauer helped maintain the early power play momentum with several key saves, including a second period breakaway stop on Pastrnak followed by immediately turning away a rebound try.
Brandon Montour then kept another puck out of the net by diving on it as it rolled through the crease, bounced off the far post and straddled the goal line. A video review ruled the puck had stayed out, but the Bruins were awarded the penalty shot because Montour fell on it in the crease.
Marchand then tucked a backhand between Grubauer’s legs on the ensuing penalty try for Boston’s only goal of the night.
But Dunn restored the two-goal cushion early in the third by slapping a deflected McCann shot out of mid-air. Not long after, Shane Wright picked up his second assist of the night by feeding Bjorkstrand for a wrist shot goal.
Wright has been a key component of this Kraken resurgence overall, as well as their power play improvement. On his team’s second goal, right as a power play to Spokane native Tyler Johnson expired, Wright batted a clearance attempt out of mid-air with his stick before feeding the puck to Schwartz at the side of Boston’s net.
Schwartz took one step out, then backhanded the puck top sheft behind stunned Boston goalie Joonas Korpisalo for the 2-0 lead.
