The Seattle Kraken’s rampage through Canada reached the capital Saturday and once again they left after kicking over the furniture and emptying the fridge. Eight different Seattle players scored in an 8-4 rout of the Ottawa Senators at the Canadian Tire Centre.
“We got off to a good start,” Kraken coach Dave Hakstol said. “We wanted to push off with a good start.”
It was the fourth straight win for the Kraken and the third straight win to start the Kraken’s seven-game road trip. Last season the Kraken won 11 road games but Friday was the 12th win already this season.
“We’re just a better hockey team (than last year),” Hakstol said. “That encompasses everything, from what our group looks like on paper to how we play every night. We’ve worked hard to be successful on the road. That’s not an easy thing to do but we’ve found different ways to win games.”
Jordan Eberle and Andre Burakovsky each had a goal and two assists. Vince Dunn, Justin Schultz, Matty Beniers, and Daniel Sprong each chipped in a goal and an assist. Lost in all the offense was the 18th win on 19 saves by Martin Jones for the Kraken (22-12-4).
Tim Stutzle set the pace for Ottawa with a hat trick for the Senators (18-18-3), who had a three-game win streak snapped.
The score indicates that the game was devoid of drama, but Ottawa did erase a two-goal deficit to tie the game at 3-3 in the second period.
But as they’ve done over the last four games, the Kraken had a response. Stutzle scored twice in 8:34 to even the game and appeared to give the Senators all the momentum. But, 22 seconds later, Daniel Sprong would score off a rush for his 12th goal to make it 4-3.
“They score, they’re feeling it,” Eberle said. “Obviously they think they have a chance and he comes back with a goal that shuts that down… those are big momentum shifts. As you start getting into important games and playoff-type hockey as you go down the stretch, that’s all it is, it’s momentum swings. You have to be a team that can counter.”
Beniers would score at 14:13 to make it 5-3. The play started with Beniers taking a big hit in his own end but he had managed to get the puck up ice. He got up and followed the play and as the puck went into the corner where Eberle won a battle, Beniers headed for the slot.
Eberle hit him with a pass and Beniers roofed his rookie-leading 14th goal of the season. He has scored a goal in each of his last three games.
The two goals turned the tide and Seattle would add on with goals from Dunn at 1:19 of the third to make it 6-3, and Eberle at 4:55 as he put back a rebound to make it 7-3.
Stutzle interrupted the Kraken scoring at 5:20 to record the hat trick and cut the lead to 7.-4 but the Kraken quelled that uprising with an Andre Burakovsky goal on the doorstep at 9:59.
It was another team win and the Kraken ended the night with 13 players recording a point.
Seattle built an early 3-1 first period lead with goals from Oliver Bjorkstrand, Jared McCann, and Schultz.
Scoring from everyone
The Kraken aren’t relying on one guy or line to get scoring. During their four-game win streak, they’ve outscored the opponents 22-8.
Seattle hasn’t had a player score twice in any of the four wins which speaks to the depth. They’ve gotten contributions from all four lines and attacked teams in waves.
“I think the strength of this group is in the depth that we have,” Eberle said. “Not just on the forwards side but on the defense, goalies and you see teams that have four lines and six D that can contribute and are dangerous. In my opinion, a lot of teams that go deep in the playoffs are because of that.”
Tentacle Tales
- Seattle scored eight goals in a game for the third time this season which leads the NHL. The last team with more was the Pittsburgh Penguins who did it four times in 2011-2012.
- It was the first time that Seattle has scored five or more goals three times in a row.
- Stutzle picked up his second career hat trick.
- The Kraken lead the NHL in response goals – scoring within a minute of the opponents. Seattle has done it nine times this year.