The Kraken didn’t make it easy on themselves, facing a 2-1 deficit entering the third period Monday. But they mustered just enough offensive output to skate away with a 3-2 win over the Ducks in Anaheim.
Seattle got goals from a couple of forwards who have been struggling to find the back of the net, and defenseman Brandon Montour came through with a missile for the game-winner at 1:10 of the third, scoring in his third straight game for the first time in his career. Two quick goals to start that final frame were all the Kraken needed.
“We had some opportunities to score some goals,” Kraken coach Dan Bylsma said. “We out-chanced them, outshot them, but it wasn’t going in. You find yourself down in the game, 2-1, going into the third, you’ve got to respond.”
Here are Three Takeaways from a 3-2 Kraken win over the Ducks.
Takeaway #1: Monkey(s) off the back(s)
Andre Burakovsky has taken his fair share of heat from Kraken fans this season, largely because he hasn’t done what he’s known for—scoring goals. He’s a historically streaky scorer but entered Monday’s game in the longest goal-scoring drought of his career. Despite being tried in every role Bylsma could think of and getting plenty of power-play time, he hadn’t yet gotten one over the line this season.
Of course, when he did finally break through against the Ducks, the goal was ugly as sin—bouncing off his leg and into the net. But that’s how hockey works sometimes. The phenomenon of “squeezing the stick” is real. When you’re a player who’s supposed to score and you’re not, the pressure mounts, and everyone notices.
“The smile on Andre’s face said it all, as he was coming off the ice after that goal,” Bylsma said.
That "I finally scored my first goal of the season smile." 😃 #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/RssirSIJVf
— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) November 26, 2024
Burakovsky has been playing better over the past few weeks and has been an effective replacement for Jordan Eberle on the top line. But without scoring goals, criticism was inevitable. Now that he’s broken the ice, perhaps this goal will open the floodgates for him.
Another player under scrutiny recently has been Shane Wright. The 20-year-old center looked sharp during training camp and early in the season but seemed to lose confidence as the games progressed. This is part of the growing pains of becoming a full-time NHLer, but it was clear Wright was struggling.
In response, Bylsma made a bold decision to scratch Wright for three games. Wright handled the situation maturely, maintaining a positive attitude and saying all the right things. On Monday, he returned to the lineup and played like he never wants to see the press box—or Coachella Valley—again.
WRIGHT AS RAIN! 🚨
— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) November 26, 2024
Guess who scores in his first game back from Healthy Scratch Land!
Shane Wright gets the tip, 1-0 #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/v4Tm4Iy3Ul
Wright scored the first goal of the game at 7:12 of the first period, about 30 seconds after an outstanding hustle play to hold the puck in the offensive zone. He then planted himself in front of goalie Lukas Dostal and tipped an Oliver Bjorkstrand shot for his second goal of the season.
Like Burakovsky, Wright showed visible emotion as he returned to the bench.
Let's go, guys. #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/RQlIdJxxC3
— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) November 26, 2024
Wright also earned an assist on Montour’s game-winner, cleanly pulling the offensive-zone face-off back to the defenseman. Eeli Tolvanen created a perfect flying screen to allow Montour to blast it over Dostal’s shoulder.
BRANDON BOMBTOUR! 💣 🚨
— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) November 26, 2024
Clean face-off win by Shane Wright for his second point of the game, perfect jumping screen by Tolvanen, and a blast by Montour.
3-2 #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/iVIY8Ho0bC
Takeaway #2: So many posts
As Sound Of Hockey’s John Barr noted in his latest Monday Musings, goals haven’t come easy for the Kraken. On Saturday against the Kings, Montour rang a shot off the post in the third period, narrowly missing what could’ve been a game-changing goal.
The goalposts were outstanding again on Monday, stopping at least four Kraken shots. The most demoralizing moment came when Jared McCann missed a prime opportunity in the first period. Tye Kartye’s point shot trickled through Dostal after McCann set a perfect screen and was then first to the puck in the blue paint. But the angle was awkward, and McCann could only shovel it into the base of the post.
There were more close calls, too, like this one…
Missed it by that much.
— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) November 26, 2024
Tough stretch for the officials, who bungled the Kartye call, then inexplicably blew the whistle here. #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/rIleSBLWnS
…and this one…
Daniel Sprong goes ding dong (literally), then Joey Daccord stands tall on a 2-on-1 the other way. #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/N6sYUK9nQn
— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) November 26, 2024
This time, the Kraken overcame the staunch defense of the iron, and got those two clutch goals early in the third, 24 seconds apart, to secure the victory.
Takeaway #3: Kartye in the middle of it
Kartye found himself in the Ducks’ crosshairs during this game. At 15:23 of the second period, stud 19-year-old center Leo Carlsson was regrouping deep in the Anaheim zone. A fraction of a second after he passed it, Kartye lowered the boom and sent Carlsson flying.
Carlsson crashed into the goalpost and hit his head on the ice, leaving the game injured. Thankfully, he skated off under his own power, but it was a scary moment. You never want to see a player get hurt, especially a youngster with such a bright future ahead. We’re hoping for his sake that the injury is minor.
As for the controversy surrounding the hit, the officials got this one wrong. After Carlsson stayed down hit the goalpost and stayed down, the nearest referee finally raised his arm and assessed Kartye a five-minute major, which was reduced to two minutes for interference upon review. Even the minor penalty was bogus, though. Kartye is allowed to finish his check, and Carlsson had just released the puck when contact was made.
Tye Kartye with a 100% clean hit on Leo Carlsson, but he goes into the post and hits his head on the ice. Good to see him skate off on his own power after that.
— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) November 26, 2024
Radko Gudas goes after Kartye in a big-time mismatch, and shenanigans ensue.
Teams playing 5-on-5. #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/FSg01rJHVt
The Ducks, however, saw it differently. Captain and noted tough guy, Radko Gudas, went after Kartye, sparking shenanigans. Kartye—who handles himself well in these scenarios—recognized the mismatch with the man known as “the Butcher,” and was smart to avoid any direct blows from Gudas.
Whether the hit from Kartye was clean or not, tensions remained high throughout the game. The Ducks took several runs at Kartye, and Seattle as a whole did well to not get goaded into stupid penalties.
Emotions are sure to carry over to Wednesday’s rematch in Seattle, where the Kraken and Ducks will meet again.
Darren Brown
Darren Brown is the Chief Content Officer at soundofhockey.com and the host of the Sound Of Hockey Podcast. He is a member of the PHWA and is also usually SOH’s Twitter intern (but please pretend you don’t know that). Follow him @DarrenFunBrown and @sound_hockey or email darren@soundofhockey.com.
The viral moment where Zegras destroyed the camera in the penalty box was from the game at the end of last season where Seattle had 10 separate power plays. Kartye was in the center of it during that game as well, so there’s definitely some history…
I saw on the broadcast following the game the Kraken have allowed two or fewer goals in their last seven games, the longest such streak in the league this season. I noticed in the first of those seven, Joey got pepperd by the Bluejackets with a season high 40 shots. Seattle scored five in the win. Since then, however, they’ve allowed only twenty-four or less in every game. Seven of Daccord’s first ten were 30+ shots against outings while just one of Grubauer’s seven starts has been 30+… a 31 shot drubbing by the Avs.
All of this is to say… as much as there is a lot of focus on the lack of scoring, I’m curious about the drop-off in shots against and if there’s a correlation there. I felt earlier in the season the lack of goal scoring when Gru was in net might be related to the lack of shots against and the team in front of him was playing different. Now I wonder it’s across the board.
Just a thought…
Go Kraken!!!
Let’s celebrate the two simians that exited the ice for the Kraken. Burky’s goal was luck, but he will take it. Shane’s goal was much better and his draw on Montour’s winner was something you don’t expect from a 20 year old.
I kind of wonder what he found out about himself in those three games in the pressbox. Whatever it was, more of that please. Now should Disco Dan sit Beniers for a game to get his scoring mojo back?
I’m thinking the team should just rotate through all of the forwards and do a healthy scratch for each, then give them the assignment of counting all the times a player could have taken a shot but didn’t. For extra credit, they can track the passes to no one and/or instances of no net-front presence.
If it’s a home game, they can sit in the stands instead of the press box and directly experience the fans frustration over all of the missed opportunities.
Yeah, Burky’s goal was lucky, but going to the front of the net and keeping one’s stick blade on the ice is how a hockey player creates good luck. So many guys with cold sticks need to follow his example. Beyond just the luck aspect of it, with Eberle out, is that sort of thing going to be Burakovsky’s role on the Beniers line going forward? Both Beniers and McCann are bit light for the part. Burakovsky has the size for it, but that has never really been his game; he is more of a creative type. But the hockey gods know that the Kraken are in desperate need of a guy who can go net-front regularly (Schwartz and Kartye can’t do it all), so if that big-bodied tough guy thing becomes Burky’s new focus going forward I would absolutely love it.
The Kraken struggle in tight checking, physical games. Montour and Daccord are the best players the Kraken have. Notable efforts from Wright, Tanev, Kartye. It feels like Tolvanen and Bjorkstrand have lost their way.
IMO Shane Wright played a helluva game last night after being a healthy scratch for two games. Perhaps, Matty should be a healthy scratch for a couple to help his game. From what I’ve read ever since he was drafted, he should be better than 10 points in 22 games. Especially in season 3. I believe this team can make the playoffs, but they need to generate more offense. If they don’t, they’ll be on the outside looking in come April.
One thing worrying me a little after last night is how passive this team can look. Was this a no checking beer league game? Larsson, Bjorkstrand, Tolvanen, Oleksiak literally just standing there waving their stick while Ducks skate around them with the puck. It’s mystifying. Someone needs to tell these guys they are playing in the NHL.
A few trade rumors that I wonder if Francis is trying to go big on:
1. Jiricek wants out of Columbus. Would Francis trade say Borgen plus something, maybe Goyette or a pick, for big RD 1R pick Jiricek?
2. The Sens need a RD and are talking about shaking up their core by trading Josh Norris. How about Norris, his injury history, and his big AAV straight up for Borgen, who they can extend?
1. Doesn’t really make sense for the Kraken unless they are selling at the deadline, since he’s not good enough to be playing for Columbus right now. I also doubt Borgen does anything to move the needle for Columbus this season, and they can just sign him or an equivalent impact player in free agency. You’d be attaching a high pick and probably a prospect better than Goyette.
2. Makes no sense for the Kraken to acquire an expensive center with an injury history who will make 8 million a year through 2029. They’re expecting Shane to take some big steps over the next couple of years, Stephenson is already a contract that will age poorly, and it remains to be seen if Catton will be a winger or forward in the NHL but this would all but block him from playing center.
Yeah the Kraken did outshoot and outchance the Ducks overall, but the Kraken allowed a disturbingly large number of odd-man rushes in this one. Joey bailed them out.
And geez, the special teams were painful to watch. They just seem to keep getting worse, especially the PP.
I don’t mean to be too negative after a win, but Darren already nailed the key positives.