Kraken Rally, Get ‘W’ in Shootout

In a frenzied third period Monday night on Seattle’s current must-win/earn standings points homestand, this game went from a 2-1 Boston lead to tie game to Kraken 3-2 lead to tie game to overtime. For the Kraken, it ensured at least a standings point despite trailing a second intermission with third-period rallies not a strong suit for Seattle this season.

And, oh by the way, it marked Boston’s sixth straight game going into extra time. The visitors were fueled in regulation by David Pastrnak, whose two goals put him at 38 goals on the season and 701 total points in 692 regular-season games. He earned the primary assist on the tying goal, a power play tip-in by Charlie Coyle, in the third period.

Despite quality scoring chances for Seattle in overtime, Boston goalie Linus Ullmark holds off the Kraken to force a shootout, in which Kraken fourth-liner Kailer Yamamoto scores the only But Philipp Grubauer, who made a huge stop in OT lauded by head coach Dave Hakstol’s post-game remarks, leads his squad to the win by stopping all three shots, the last on none other than aforementioned David Pastrnak. Kraken win and take the season series from Boston, move to within five standings points of a wild-card spot in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Along with the big stops in the victorious shootout, Grubauer finished with 29 saves and faced 16 Grade-A scoring chances, per Natural Stat Trick. Vince Dunn flagged how much confidence he sees in the veteran goalie’s recent performances and Dave Hakstol appreciated the “German Gentleman” holding Boston within striking distance, especially in the first half of the opening period and a nine-shot barrage in the final half of the second period.

“A real solid game all the way through,” said Hakstol about Grubauer. “Really, really solid, some big saves at the right times. Three for three in the shootout. I mean, not much more we can ask for from Grubi tonight.”

Third-Period Determination

Seattle skated onto the ice for the third period Monday night, down 2-1 and knowing opponent Boston had notched the last nine shots of the middle period. The Kraken went to work on tying the score and reducing the uncomfortable gap between them and the second wild-card spot in this spring’s Western Conference playoffs.

The Kraken fired nine shots in the first five minutes (to just one for Boston) of the third period, putting all kinds of quality shots on Bruins goaltender Linus Ullmark, who robbed SEA veteran forward Jared Schwartz twice on the same shift.

On the 10th shot in the furious early flurry, Vince Dunn broke through with shot that snaked through netfront traffic and past Ullmark, who maybe never saw it. But Climate Pledge Arena faithful sure did. Pure bedlam ensued.

It was Dunn’s third straight game with a goal after a dry spell of 12 games without a score. He was humble about the inspiring goal, which shootout goal scorer Kailer Yamamoto told a hyped post-game crowd was the best he’s seen this season from any teammate.

“A lot of credit to the guys who get in front of the goalies and do the dirty work for me,” said Dunn afterward. “It's just my job to get past a couple of layers up top and hopefully get it through the net.”

After Dunn’s goal, when former fan favorite and Kraken original Morgan Geekie, now playing third-line center for the visitors, went to the penalty box a couple shifts later, there was different form of bedlam in front of Boston’s net. Somehow the puck stayed out of the net despite various whacking by the Kraken (especially Andre Burakovsky) with Ullmark doing a 360-degree spin on the ice and a Boston defender nearly scoring an own-goal but the puck hit the right post instead. 

More Bedlam

Geekie, who has already set a career-high in goals with 10, roared out of the penalty box to subsequently rush the Kraken net and apparently score a big-time revenge goal against his former team. But not so fast. Dave Hakstol and his video analysts, Tim Ohashi and Brady Morgan, challenged for goal interference and, dramatic pause, won the protest and more bedlam unfolded.

Post-game, Hakstol explained he and his video aces determined Grubauer had a chance to make the first save on his former teammate Geekie but no chance to make the save on Geekie’s second shot as the goalie was bowled over. Fun fact: Grubauer was surprised in the media scrum to find out it was Geekie who collided with him.

Early Returns

The Kraken started Monday’s game seven points out of a Western Conference wild-card spot, facing a perennial playoff team in the Boston Bruins, who happen to be tied for the best record in the Eastern side of the NHL standings. But it seemed like Boston was the more urgent team in the early going with Bruins zinging eight of the first 10 shots here at Climate Pledge Arena.

Boston leading scorer David Pastrnak rewarded his teammates’ energy by opening the scoring just shy of six minutes into this fourth game of the Kraken’s ongoing six-date homestand. Pastrnak was parked just outside the Kraken zone, staying behind the blue line until 35-year-old veteran defenseman Keven Shattenkirk knew enough to send a stretch to his prodigious teammate. It marked Pastrnak’s 37^th goal of the season and 700^thNHL point in 652 regular season games. Pastrnak split the D-pair of Jamie Oleksiak and Will Borgen (who was chasing the play) to beat Philipp Grubauer glove side.

Pastrnak Doubles Up

Pastrnak scored again later second period on a pretty feed from center Pavel Zacha, who along with Pastrnak and opposite wing Jake DeBrusk were pressuring the Kraken on what seemed like every shift in the first two periods. Seattle starting goalie Philipp Grubauer made a  point-blank stop on Zacha in the first 20 minutes and another close-in attempt by a rushing DeBrusk (a rebound attempt appeared to hit the post) to keep the game close and set up third-period potential for his squad mates. In fact, Grubauer

On Pastrnak’s second goal, Zacha did the heavy work, handling the puck behind the goal line and threading a perfectly-timed pass on his high-scoring linemate’s stick blade.

Better Start to Second 20 Minutes

While the Kraken began accumulating shots on goal in the closing minutes of the first period, the middle period started with significant hop from the home group. Andre Burakovsky had Grade-A chance on his first shift, stickhandling around a Bruin defender but not solving Boston goalie Linus Ullmark. You have to feel the Kraken winger is about to break out with a goal and sustained scoring streak.

The referees gifted Seattle with a power play three minutes into the middle frame, but there appeared to be no shots or scoring attempts in the offing over the two minutes. But with 18 second left on the power play, Ullmark decided to clear the puck up ice himself.

Trouble was, Kraken alternate captain Jordan Eberle was forechecking just outside the crease. Ullmark’s clear attempted ricocheted off Eberle’s shin pads, the puck dropping to the ice for Eberle to tap into the gaping net. Eberle, who was asked in the media scrum about whether he and teammates are contemplating the March 8 trade deadline, now has five goals in the last five games and 14 on the year. It’s an unusual coming off a common move.