Andre Burakovsky scores in return to lineup, but Kraken fall to Devils

Kate Shefte, The Seattle Times on Dec 6, 2024

Published in Hockey

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The healthy scratch bounce-back trend continued for the Kraken, but two unlucky caroms cost them in a 3-2 road loss Friday night against the New Jersey Devils.

Seattle winger Andre Burakovsky, scratched the first two games of the current four-game road trip, scored 10:16 into the game. He hesitated, split New Jersey defensemen Brett Pesce and Luke Hughes and flipped the puck into the top corner. It was just his second goal in 26 appearances this season.

Then teammate Shane Wright bagged his fifth goal in seven games since his own healthy-scratch stretch in mid-November. He was left all alone, breathing down Devils goaltender Jacob Markstrom, when Eeli Tolvanen found him from the corner of the offensive zone. That made it 2-1 Seattle.

Wright’s past four goals have come on the Kraken’s now 25th-ranked power play. He’s the team leader in that category thanks to a highly productive few weeks with the man advantage.

Both members of the Kraken’s top defensive pairing had a bad-luck bounce go in off them. First Adam Larsson had the tying goal glance off his upper body. Then Vince Dunn, the Kraken’s three-point man Thursday on Long Island, tried to corral a puck near the crease and accidentally sent it into his own net 53 seconds into the third period.

New Jersey’s only lead of the game stuck. The Kraken tried in vain the last 19 minutes to get it back. Brandon Montour came close, but Seattle dropped to 2-1 on the road trip. The Kraken will close it out Sunday afternoon at the New York Rangers.

Center Yanni Gourde, who was held out nearly all of the third period Thursday as an injury precaution, did not play in New Jersey. Burakovsky went in for him. Meanwhile defenseman Ryker Evans was visibly uncomfortable after blocking a recent shot with his hand and missed two games as a result. He returned to the lineup in place of Josh Mahura.

Seattle goaltender Philipp Grubauer started the latter half of the back-to-back in Newark and made 33 saves. He notably turned aside Jack Hughes, who tried to go five-hole on a breakaway in the second period.