Kraken Wake Up From First Period Slumber; Score 5 Unanswered to Defeat Blue Jackets

11/12/2024

(Seattle, WA)

A fast start was important for the Seattle Kraken in the second game of their homestand against the Columbus Blue Jackets, but after coming out flat in the first period, the Kraken scored 5 unanswered to beat Columbus.

Seattle came off a wild 4-3 overtime win against Vegas last Friday. Seattle looked to maintain their winning ways against a Columbus team in search of their first win in six games.

The Kraken began being outshot by Columbus 8-0, and it was a sign of things to come. The Blue Jackets started the period playing like a team with a chip on their shoulder.

The dam broke in the latter stages of the first period when Blue Jacket Kevin Lebanc stole a mishandled Kraken defensive zone exit. Lebanc quickly found Zach Aston Reese who briskly dished to the tape of Sean Kuraly to put Columbus up 1-0 at 13:46 of the first.

22 seconds later those three were at it again. Zach Aston Reese tipped in the second Jackets goal from Kuraly and Lebanc to put Columbus up 2-0 at 14:08 of the period.

Both goals for Columbus came from their fourth line.

Head Coach Dan Byslma had seen enough. The Kraken bench boss called his timeout to regroup his team.

The Blue Jackets outshot Seattle 19-6 in the first period.

Seattle looked for a change of momentum after being thoroughly outplayed in the first.

Coach Blysma raved about the performance from the team saying, “I don’t think antbody on the bench was happy with the way the first period was going…the response from the group was great to see”.

The first shot of the period for Seattle was where they found it. Two Kraken in desperate need of contributing in the offense were fourth liners Andre Burakovsky and Tye Kartye. It was Burakovsky who set up Kartye for the first goal for Seattle at 2:50 of the second period.

The only fourth liner not on the goal was Brandon Tanev. Minutes later, he would have his chance. Tanev found a loose puck in his own zone off a puck battle, and Tanev took off roofed a goal past Jackets goalie Elvis Merzlikins to tie the game at 7:13 of the middle frame. It was only fitting the Kraken responded to Columbus’s two fourth liner goals with two of their own.

Four seconds later Blue Jacket Kevin Lebanc was assessed a minor for roughing.

Six seconds afterward, Jared McCann and Jordan Eberle set up Eeli Tolvanen for a power play goal at 7:23 to put the Kraken in front for the first time. The Kraken goals came ten seconds apart. For Jared McCann it was his 200th point as a Kraken

Later in the period, Will Borgen took off on a breakaway set up by former Blue Jacket Oliver Bjorkstrand. The defenseman sped up right wing and roofed one past Merzlikins to put the Kraken up 4-2 at 13:34 of the second period on his first goal of the season. Seattle responded to the 2-0 deficit with outscoring Columbus 4-0 and outshooting the Jackets 20-9.

The third period saw Seattle shut down the Blue Jackets. Suffocating defense from Seattle highlighted the final frame. Columbus outshot Seattle 14-7 in the third period, but Jared McCann scored in the closing moments to preserve a Kraken 5-2 win.

Joey Daccord recorded a season high 38 saves in the Seattle win. Elvis Merzlikins for Columbus made 28 saves in the loss.

Up Next:

The Kraken continue their homestand against the Chicago Blackhawks who last played on Sunday in what was a 2-1 overtime win. The Blackhawks have a record of 6-9-1 on the year ranked seventh in the Central Division.