Kraken fall to Predators 4-2 in final game of homestand
The Kraken’s fortune changed in 1 minute and 16 seconds.
Seattle entered the game winners of three of its last four, and early on it looked like the team would carry that momentum into Thursday’s match-up with the Predators. But after playing one of their best first periods of the season, the Kraken lost the lead in the second period and eventually fell, 4-2, at Climate Pledge Arena.
“Just gotta stay positive,” McCann said. “I know that sounds cliche right now, but we gotta stay positive. We got a lot of guys that are grinding right now each and every night.”
Forward Jared McCann started the scoring at the 8:59 mark of the first period. The three-on-five power-play goal gave Seattle a 1-0 lead that lasted until Luke Kunin tied the score with 21 seconds left in the first.
“We had a great period,” Hakstol said of Nashville’s late goal. “We put ourselves in a position to win the first period and that’s kind of a nothing play. … We worked hard through that period to build the lead and that’s one you want to hold onto going into the intermission.”
Adam Larsson reclaimed the lead for the Kraken with a goal at the 12:21 mark of the second period — the third goal of the season for the defenseman. But then Nashville took control in a pivotal stretch. Back-to-back goals from Filip Forsberg and Mattias Ekholm in just more than a minute sent Nashville into the second intermission with a 3-2 lead.
“We played our tails off,” said Seattle head coach Dave Hakstol. “We played a good hockey game. There’s always things that happen through the game. Overall, defensively, we gave up a little bit on speed early in the game but we cleaned that up and shut down the middle of the rink. …
“We generated good offensive opportunities. We built a little bit of a lead in the firs and were all to build that lead in the second. I really liked the way our team played.”
The Kraken never recovered, and then Matt Duchene sealed the victory with a power-play goal in the third period.
Seattle goaltender Philipp Grubauer seems to have turned a corner in recent games’ and Hakstol complimented his overall play during the postgame press conference. But Grubauer struggled against the Predators, making 23 saves on 27 shots — an .852 save percentage. It was his lowest save percentage — and the first time he allowed more than three goals — since the Kraken’s loss to Dallas on Jan. 12.
“Our goal tending has been a big piece of this homestand and the success,” Hakstol said. “I’m not mincing words: Phil’s played really well the past (few) games. … For our team, I really like the formula that we’ve had throughout our homestand here.”
Seattle finished its six-game homestead 3-3-0 and will now head on the road for four straight games heading into the All-Star break. Asked about his view of the last six games, Hakstol said the Kraken played “pretty consistent hockey.”
“I really liked the formula that we’ve had throughout this homestead here and the purpose that we’ve played with,” Hakstol said. “That’s going to be challenged and tested. We’ve come through good teams on this last stretch here at home.
“Now we go into some tough buildings, starting with Pittsburgh two nights from now on through this road trip. That purpose is going to be tested and it’s going to be a challenge for us. I’m excited for it.”
This story was originally published January 25, 2022 at 10:22 PM.
