In a win that seemed in doubt well into the third period, the Kraken tapped yet again into the unsung scoring of another stalwart defender, this time Adam Larsson, who scorched a mid-range shot past valiant young Buffalo goaltender Devon Levi to make it a 5-3 margin with nine-and-half minutes left. Seattle and goaltender Joey Daccord held serve from there, sending fans out to brisk but suddenly brighter Martin Luther King Jr. Day later afternoon.
Buffalo did make everyone a bit unsettled with an extra attacker goal with 1:20 left but Jared McCann’s empty-net goal 27 seconds later (the third Kraken response goal of the game) cemented the 6-4 victory
Larsson’s third goal of the season and his second in the last eight games was the game-winner. Larsson’s encore act came after fellow crease-clearout expert Jamie Oleksiak scored a key go-ahead goal for his second recent goal, this one in the last four games.
“It's probably not something we [he and Oleksiak] should get too used to,” said Larsson, smiling frequently in the post-game locker room. But no, it's always fun, so fun to score.”
Along with the D-men goals – and it shouldn’t be lost that Ryker Evans notched assists in earlier scoring – Kraken coach Dan Bylsma pointed to the squad’s quick response goals as a team highlight, one within 27 seconds after falling behind 1-0 and the second after Buffalo tied the match 3-3 in the second period.
“There was a portion of the second period where things got a little sideways,” said Bylsma, beating his former Buffalo employer twice this season this season in the home-and-away series. “The response goal by the Wrighter line [Shane Wright fed the puck for the primary assist] and Rig supporting that with a goal was huge for us.”
For Larsson, the response goals went even deeper: It shows the belief system. It's a lot, probably a lot higher than it's been a month ago ... now we've started the home stretch pretty good, so just gonna try to keep that going.”
The offense from the defense was welcome to make it three wins in the last four games for Seattle. The Kraken are now 21-24-3 in their mission to first get back to NHL .500. Next up is Eastern Conference leader Washington at Climate Pledge Arena Thursday night.