Four-goal third period sends Kraken past Predators

Kate Shefte, The Seattle Times on Oct 15, 2024

Published in Hockey

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The Seattle Kraken’s (2-2) second win of the season was as stressful as their first, but at least they settled it in regulation. Seattle couldn’t seem to hold on to a lead until the third period, when it put away the winless Nashville Predators, 7-3, at Bridgestone Arena. The Kraken head home after a 2-1 trip.

Ryker Evans, Oliver Bjorkstrand and Brandon Tanev scored in the first period. Jaden Schwartz, Jordan Eberle and Jared McCann tallied in the third before Adam Larsson polished off an empty-netter.

Kraken defenseman Vince Dunn returned after missing one game with an upper-body injury and being labeled a game-time decision by coach Dan Bylsma. He didn’t miss a beat in the first period, getting back in time to snuff out a Nashville breakaway and standing his ground while his foe circled on the lookout for a chance that got worse and worse.

Dunn was spun on the Predators’ first goal, but blocked a point-blank shot in the final seconds when the Kraken had just taken the momentum — and the scoreboard — back.

The Predators bulked up this offseason, snagging several big-name free agents, including former Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault, previously of the Vegas Golden Knights. They were one of the most surprising 0-2 teams going into Tuesday’s tilt.

“Pretty talented up-front group,” Bylsma said before the game.

“They haven’t (gotten) to that success yet, but we’re expecting them to respond to where they’re at in the season as well. And we have the same opportunity.”

It wasn’t buzzy offseason acquisitions who erased the Kraken’s early 2-0 lead. Nashville’s Michael McCarron and Tommy Novak scored 2:13 apart. Tanev’s goal with 33 seconds left in the first gave Seattle the lead back heading into the first intermission.

Down three goals with little to lose, the Predators pulled goaltender Juuse Saros with nearly five minutes remaining and Larsson eventually made them pay for that boldness.

Goal of the game: Following another shuffling of lines, the Kraken finished off a 3-on-2 and went up 4-3. Schwartz shook loose up the middle and Bjorkstrand hit him with a pass. Schwartz put some smooth moves on Saros, got him to drop and put the puck over the Nashville goalie.

Star of the game: Joey Daccord made 31 saves, including back-to-back, point-blank stops on Filip Forsberg after the Predators tied the score at 3. One was a kick save, the other he barely caught with his shoulder. Daccord has been in net for both Kraken wins.

On tap: The Kraken return home for a five-game homestand that starts Thursday against the Philadelphia Flyers.

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