Kraken end homestand with lackluster 3-0 loss to Senators

Tim Booth, The Seattle Times on Dec 18, 2024

Published in Hockey

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Notable: Seattle (15-16-2) served up a sloppy, lifeless performance for the better part of 40 minutes in its final home game before Christmas and ended the homestand with just three points in four games. The Kraken pushed early but were unable to beat Ottawa goalie Linus Ullmark and progressively watched the Senators control the final two periods.

The Kraken needed their goalie to be nearly flawless with Ullmark in the other goal. Unfortunately, Joey Daccord uncharacteristically allowed two soft goals in the middle of the second period. Shane Pinto slipped a shot from the right circle under Daccord’s legs at 8:02 of the second period and a little over four minutes later Noah Gregor whipped a shot over Daccord’s glove for a 2-0 lead. Both shots were unobstructed and stops Daccord should make. Tim Stützle made it 3-0 on a breakaway early in the third.

Daccord finished with 23 saves.

Even when it was 2-0, the deficit was likely insurmountable with Ullmark, the hottest goalie in the league, in the other net. He’d allowed more than one goal once in his previous five starts and had a .966 save percentage in those five games. He finished with 30 saves on Tuesday as most of the Kraken’s shots came from distance. Ullmark was rarely obstructed on a night Seattle needed to pester the hot goalie.

Seattle failed to score in six periods against the Senators this season.

Goal of the game: Stützle got a fortunate bounce as the shot was initially blocked by Daccord but deflected off his stick, over his shoulder and into the net.

Player of the game: Ullmark didn’t face many dangerous chances but came up with the important stops when needed.

On tap: The Kraken open a three-game road trip that leads into the Christmas break on Thursday night in Chicago against the Blackhawks. The Kraken beat Chicago 3-1 on Nov. 14 in their first matchup this season.