Written By Marcus Sledge
12/5/2024
NEW YORK — Vince Dunn notched a goal and two assists, and Joey Daccord made 27 saves as the Seattle Kraken defeated the New York Islanders 5-2 on Thursday night.
Tye Kartye, Oliver Bjorkstrand, Shane Wright, and Jaden Schwartz also scored for Seattle, which extended its winning streak to two games.
For the Islanders, Noah Dobson and Maxim Tsyplakov scored third-period goals. Starting goaltender Ilya Sorokin allowed four goals on 13 shots over two periods before being replaced by Marcus Hogberg, who made his season debut and stopped 10 shots in relief. The Islanders have now lost eight of their last 10 games (2-5-3).
Game Recap
Seattle struck early, with Kartye deflecting Dunn’s shot past Sorokin just three minutes into the game. Bjorkstrand then extended his point streak to seven games with a power-play goal late in the first period, giving the Kraken a 2-0 lead.
In the second period, Dunn and Wright each found the back of the net to push Seattle’s advantage to 4-0. Dobson finally got the Islanders on the board with 8:03 remaining in the third, and Tsyplakov narrowed the deficit further with a goal 3:40 later, spoiling Daccord’s shutout bid. Schwartz sealed the win with an empty-net goal in the final minutes.
Milestone for Turbo
• Kraken forward Brandon Tanev skated in his 500th career NHL game, a milestone for the inaugural Seattle player drafted during the team’s 2021 expansion.
12/6/2024
Devils Edge Kraken 3-2
NEWARK, N.J. — Jesper Bratt celebrated his 500th NHL game in style, scoring a goal and adding an assist to lead the New Jersey Devils to a 3-2 victory over the Seattle Kraken at Prudential Center on Friday.
“I’m happy to contribute; that’s what I want to do,” Bratt said. “Whether it’s setting up a play, holding on to the puck, or scoring, it feels great to help the team win, especially in my 500th game.”
Jack Hughes chipped in with two assists, while goaltender Jacob Markstrom made 17 saves for the Devils (18-9-2), who have won three of their last four games and six of their last eight. The Devils remain undefeated in regulation against Seattle (5-0-2; 4-0-0 at home) since the Kraken’s NHL debut in 2021-22.
Philipp Grubauer was stellar in net for the Kraken (13-14-1), stopping 33 shots, but Seattle’s offense faltered. “We didn’t have enough sustained attack on net,” said Kraken coach Dan Bylsma. “Grubauer was solid, but we didn’t give him enough run support.”
Meier’s Game-Winner and Milestone
Timo Meier broke a 2-2 tie just 53 seconds into the third period, capitalizing on a miscue by Kraken defenseman Vince Dunn, whose errant play behind the net ended up on Meier’s stick in the slot. The goal marked Meier’s 200th career NHL tally.
Early Action and Key Performances
Seattle opened the scoring at 10:16 of the first period when Andre Burakovsky, returning to the lineup after being a healthy scratch, snapped a shot past Markstrom from the left circle.
Luke Hughes, younger brother of Jack Hughes, tied the game at 1-1 at 12:27 with his first goal of the season. His wrist shot from the left circle deflected off Grubauer’s mask and shoulder before finding the net.
Shane Wright restored Seattle’s lead at 3:41 of the second period, scoring a power-play goal at the left post off a sharp cross-ice pass from Eeli Tolvanen. But Bratt answered for the Devils five minutes later, tying the game at 2-2 with a screened snap shot from the right circle. The goal extended Bratt’s point streak to four games, during which he has tallied nine points (three goals, six assists).
Notes
• Andre Burakovsky replaced Yanni Gourde, who was sidelined with an undisclosed injury.
12/8/2024
NEW YORK — Oliver Bjorkstrand delivered a standout performance with two goals and two assists, leading the Seattle Kraken to a 7-5 victory over the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Sunday.
Eeli Tolvanen added a goal and two assists, Shane Wright recorded a goal and an assist, and Philipp Grubauer made 32 saves as the Kraken (14-14-1) wrapped up a successful 3-1-0 road trip. The win marked Seattle’s first victory at Madison Square Garden (1-3-0) and their first regulation win against the Rangers (2-6-0) in eight meetings since joining the NHL in the 2021-22 season.
“You’re always trying to find ways to build confidence,” Bjorkstrand said. “Winning three out of four on this trip is a good start, but we’ve got a lot of work ahead. We want to keep this momentum going back home.”
Rangers’ Struggles Continue
Vincent Trocheck and K’Andre Miller each contributed a goal and an assist for the Rangers (14-11-1), who have struggled defensively, allowing 35 goals in their past nine games (2-7-0). Backup goaltender Jonathan Quick made 15 saves in the absence of Igor Shesterkin, who missed the game due to personal reasons.
Reilly Smith opened the scoring for New York at 3:38 of the first period, capitalizing on a loose puck that trickled past Grubauer.
Bjorkstrand equalized with a power-play goal early in the second period, setting the tone for Seattle’s high-scoring night. His line, alongside Wright and Tolvanen, combined for four goals and nine points.
“We’re building some strong chemistry,” Bjorkstrand said. “We’re getting comfortable knowing where each other will be, and that’s been a big factor in our success.”
Seattle Storms Back
Despite falling behind 3-1 after goals by Filip Chytil and Trocheck, the Kraken rallied with three goals in a five-minute span late in the second period.
Brandon Tanev began the comeback with a backdoor goal at 14:06. Tolvanen tied it with a one-timer at 15:34, and Bjorkstrand gave Seattle the lead with a redirection at 19:24.
Grubauer’s highlight-reel glove save on Artemi Panarin midway through the second period was a turning point, keeping the Kraken within striking distance.
“We didn’t start well, but timely goals and Grubi’s saves gave us the spark we needed,” Tanev said. “We stayed physical and capitalized on our chances.”
Thrilling Third Period
Vince Dunn extended Seattle’s lead to 5-3 with a slap shot just a minute into the third period. Wright then made it 6-3 with his third goal in as many games.
The Rangers pushed back, with Miller scoring a bizarre goal off Grubauer’s helmet and Alexis Lafrenière cutting the deficit to 6-5. However, Yanni Gourde’s empty-netter sealed the 7-5 win for the Kraken.
“When we’re at our best, we’re fast, physical, and in sync,” Tanev said. “We need to carry that effort into every game.”
Game Notes
• Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin missed the game as his wife went into labor earlier in the day.
• With Joey Daccord sidelined due to illness, Seattle signed 32-year-old amateur Michael Matyas as a backup.
• Shane Wright extended his goal streak to three games and has five goals in his past eight outings.
Next up
Seattle returns home riding high for a four game home-stand starting Tuesday at Climate Pledge Arena where they will host the defending Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers. Puck drops at 7pm.
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