The Seattle Kraken somehow managed to out-shoot the Vancouver Canucks 28-17 on Thursday night at Climate Pledge Arena on their way to beating the visitors 3-1.
This was the line-up for the Canucks when the evening started:
Phil Di Giuseppe – J.T. Miller – Brock Boeser
Anthony Beauvillier – Pius Suter – Conor Garland
Vasily Podkolzin – Max Sasson – Arshdeep Bains
Dakota Joshua – Sheldon Dries – Linus Karlsson
Ian Cole – Filip Hronek
Guillaume Brisebois – Noah Juulsen
Christian Wolanin – Matt Irwin
Thatcher Demko
Kraken Dominate 1st
The best line on the ice was the Kraken “4th-line” with prospect Jacob Melanson scoring the only goal of the stanza while creating multiple opportunities. He was physically engaged, mixing things up with Canucks D-men Cole and Irwin on separate occasions,
The goal came at 9:25 with Melanson burying a rebound along the ice past Demko. The assists went to linemates Shane Wright and Devin Shore.
The pace was good and the intensity noticeable for a preseason game. Maybe this cross border rivalry is building.
Canucks Bounce Back In A Dull 2nd
So much for that.
Very early in the 2nd period the Canucks had the Kraken hemmed in their zone for longer than a minute. A tough pass from Jamie Oleksiak to his rookie D-partner Ryker Evans along the end boards and a blatant turnover by Wright leaving the zone didn’t help matters. Seattle survived the pressure that was so consistent the Canucks were able to make full line changes.
It was a precursor of things to come during a sloppy first half of the 2nd period for the home team.
At 8:08, Garland made the Kraken pay for their transgressions with another zone exit turnover leading to a 2-on-1. It was perfectly executed with Suter finding Garland in the left wing circle to go top shelf on Philipp Grubauer.
As the period moved along, the Canucks scoring chances dried up again.
After two periods Seattle outshot Vancouver 19-10. There were only ten total shots in the second; 6-4 Kraken.
Step Up The Competitiveness!
Joey Daccord took over for Grooby to start the 3rd period. Demko remained.
One hoped with the score tied 1-1, natural competitiveness would take over and make things a lot more compelling.
With Cole in the box for holding, Seattle would capitalize on an early power play. Off a failed clear, Eeli Tolvanen had all day to set up in the slot and rip a shot past Demko. The Finn was originally heralded in the 2017 NHL Draft for his wicked release. The go ahead goal came at 3:55.
Tolvanen would rip another one home at 15:44 after a Canucks D-zone blown assignment led to a 2-on-1 down low. Oliver Bjorkstrand and Yanni Gourde had the assists.
The Canucks managed seven shots in the 3rd period, six of them with the goalie pulled.
Power Plays: Seattle 1-for-3, Vancouver 0-for-1.
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