Kraken shut out by Rangers as win streak comes to end

Rangers 2, Kraken 0, at Climate Pledge Arena

Notable: The Kraken played the game they needed to for the first 22 and a half minutes to keep the talented, 11-4-1 Rangers at arm’s length. They didn’t take a single penalty and kept the dangerous chances to a minimum.

Then the game trickled away from them, and a four-game win streak ended in front of previously injured Philipp Grubauer (21 saves), who made his first start in almost two weeks. Goals have come relatively recently lately, but Seattle was shut out for the fourth time in 19 games.

The Kraken (9-9-1) have played three Sunday games so far, and all three were part of a weekend back-to-back. Each time, the Kraken lost the latter game 2-0.

Early in the second period, Kraken center Chandler Stephenson tried to set up in the New York zone but lost the puck. Seconds later at the other end, New York got settled after a similar-looking entry and eventually Alexis Lafreniere tapped in a feed to make it 1-0.

Grubauer got a piece of the Rangers’ second goal to Zac Jones, then turned in a challenging deflection save on New York’s Mika Zibanejad.

Kraken winger Brandon Tanev nearly made it a five-game point streak in the final minutes of the second period, but he crashed into the Rangers’ net without the puck. Tanev dashed off a breakaway with Rangers defenseman K’Andre Miller hot on his heels, and Miller picked his pocket.

As play shifted to the other end of the ice, Tanev remained underneath New York goalie Jonathan Quick. Quick was looking to the officials, presumably for a goaltender interference penalty, but none came.

Tanev’s point streak did end, but the fourth-line winger has an impressive four goals and two assists during the current six-game homestand.

Quotable:“He’s still got it.” — Stephenson on 38-year-old Rangers goaltender Quick

Player of the game: Quick (24 saves)

Goal of the game: The second goal was certainly deflating, but the tone of a close game changed after the Rangers went up 1-0 and the Kraken began playing from behind. Artemi Panarin found Lafreniere pressed up against the goalpost and opened the scoring.

On tap: The Kraken will close out the six-game homestand on Wednesday, assured of a winning record during the stretch. Among the summer’s big spenders in free agency, the Nashville Predators are off to a 5-10-3 start, tied for last in the Central Division as of Sunday.

The Kraken beat the Predators 7-3 on the eighth day of the season.