‘It’s not good’: Seattle Kraken return home after winless road swing
The Seattle Kraken returned home on Wednesday with two road losses in tow.
The first, a 5-4 loss to Arizona, gave the Coyotes their first win of the NHL season. The second was a 4-2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights. In what has become a pattern, the Kraken had leads in both games, including a 3-1 advantage over Arizona in the first period. But like so many games before, Seattle let those advantages — and a victory — slip away.
The Kraken had a chance to win nearly every game they’ve played this season. Often, they’ve had a significant shot advantage and dominated time of possession. But when it comes time to finish, to expand a lead or seal a win, Seattle has crumbled. Those issues were on full display during the most recent road swing.
“We’ve played a lot of good games,” Kraken forward Alex Wennberg said after Wednesday’s practice at the Kraken Community Iceplex in Northgate. “We have everything. Right now, we’re just finding a way to lose. This league is so tight, whatever team you play against is a really tough game.
“I don’t know if it’s a bounce or if it’s a little bit of a luck or what it is, but right now we’re just not doing whatever it takes to win. That’s just what it comes down to.”
The third period has been a struggle. The Kraken entered the third with a 3-2 lead against Arizona before allowing three goals. After the Coyotes took the lead 13 minutes into the final period, Seattle captain Mark Giordano stepped up to the tie game. Thirteen seconds later, Seattle allowed the game-winner.
The loss to Vegas followed a similar pattern. Yanni Gourde scored in the second period to put the Kraken up 2-1. Just 15 seconds later, the Golden Knights tied the game. Vegas then scored two goals in the third period to clinch the victory.
“They scored right when we scored,” said Kraken defenseman Adam Larsson. “It was just bad timing and something we have to get fixed if we want to be successful. We’re doing a lot of good things. We just have to string some things together.”
While the games exposed similar issues, head coach Dave Hakstol said they felt “completely different” for him. He was most disappointed in the loss to the Coyotes, particularly the lack of consistency it exposed.
“When you have negative outcomes and bumps in the road, those can either erode or they can make you stronger and tighter,” Hakstol said. “We’re going through some crap right now. It’s not fun. Losing hockey games on a two-game road trip is not fun. … We’re going to do all the things that make us better and make us stronger. There’s a pathway for us. What we like like is the guys that are gonna relish that opportunity and relish that challenge.”
With nine points, the Kraken (4-8-1) are in last place in the Pacific Division. They’ve lost four out of their last five. games. It’s still early, but as forward Jordan Eberle pointed out after the loss to the Golden Knights on Tuesday, Seattle is losing ground.
“You obviously can’t win the Stanley Cup in the first couple months in a season,” Eberle told reporters in Vegas, “but you can definitely fall out of it.”
With six straight home games upcoming, the Kraken will have a chance to gain some ground this month. They won’t play another road game until Nov. 26 at Tampa Bay. They’ll hope to start turning the season around against Anaheim on Thursday.
“It’s a process,” Wennberg said. “You can’t really close your eyes to it. We don’t want to be in this spot right now. Obviously, this is going to be a winning team. We have the team for it and we can play better. Right now, we don’t get the results and we just got to be honest. Right now, it’s not good. I feel like everyone’s feeling the same way.”
Noteworthy
▪ Forward Yanni Gourde suffered a lower-body injury during the road trip and is currently day-to-day. He didn’t skate during Wednesday’s practice.
▪ Forward Jared McCann, who had been in COVID-19 protocol, did return to practice for the first time on Wednesday. McCann said he had COVID symptoms, including a loss of smell and taste. Hakstol said he will be a game-time decision for Thursday’s game against the Ducks.
This story was originally published November 10, 2021 at 2:20 PM.
