Kraken Close Out 2024 with Win over Utah Hockey Club

12/30/2024

(Seattle, WA)

Jaden Schwartz tallied a goal and two assists while new addition Kappo Kakko chipped in with two helpers, to hand the Seattle Kraken a 5-2 win over the Utah Hockey Club. The win marks the second straight victory for Seattle after a five game losing streak.

The Kraken were riding off the fumes of a season defining 5-4 overtime win against the Vancouver Canucks, rallying from 4-1 down with 5 minutes left. With Joey Daccord unavailable due to a lower body injury, Seattle again started Philipp Grubauer in the crease who came into the night with a record of (4-10), a 3.66 goals against average, and a .909 save percentage. Karel Vejmelka earned the start for the Hockey Club with a record of (8-9-2) a 2.32 GAA and a .918 save percentage. The game was the first in Kraken franchise history against the Utah Hockey Club (formerly the Arizona Coyotes).

Seattle began outshooting Utah 7-1 before Brandon Tanev took a minor penalty for boarding at 8:05 of the first period. It was on that power play, The Hockey Club was able to capitalize with a power play goal scored by Logan Cooley from Clayton Keller and Nick Schmaltz at 8:41. The Kraken went on a man advantage of their own at 11:13 of the period. Seattle did not score, but the Kraken generated plenty of offensive pressure. The Kraken were awarded another power play on a roughing penalty charged against Lawson Crouse at 14:59, and again Seattle saw opportunistic offensive pressure. Jaden Schwartz scored on a backhander that was later overturned after Utah successfully challenged the goal for an offside zone entry. Seattle though, would not be denied.

Late in the opening period, defenseman Ryker Evans cranked a shot off Utah goaltender Karel Vejmelka, that left Yanni Gourde with a gaping net. The Quebec-born forward made no mistake with his wrist shot deposited into the back of the net, to put Seattle on the board. Gourde’s sixth tally of the year was his first goal in 5 games at 18:06 of the first. 51 seconds later, they were back at it again. Andre Burakovsky scored off a tip in from Jaden Schwartz. The goal coming at 18:57 of an eventful first period. For Burakovsky, it was his first goal since December 6 at New Jersey. The opening 20 minutes was physical and chippy. But after twenty minutes, Seattle led in the shot category 16-5 and where it counted 2-1.

The second period was played with very little fireworks after stoppages in play, unlike the first. Utah generated more scoring chances in the second frame, and the dam would finally break late for the Hockey Club. Alex Kerfoot stashed in a rebound off Philipp Grubauer with 58.3 seconds left in the period. Utah outshot Seattle in the period 17-7, to tie the game at 2-2 after 2.

Yanni Gourde after two periods of play when interviewing with the Kraken Audio Network emphasized the Kraken had to play their game and make life miserable for the Hockey Club for the final period. That proved to be a sign of things to come in the third period.

The Kraken acquired Kappo Kakko from the New York Rangers two weeks ago. Seven minutes into the third, in his first home game with Seattle, Kakko found a streaking Jaden Schwartz. The red hot Schwartz buried the breakaway five hole on Karel Vejmelka at 7:22 to put Seattle back in front. For Schwartz, the goal was his third point of the game, coming off his 2 goal performance in the comeback win against Vancouver.

Kappo Kakko however, was not done. His crisp passing was on full display minutes later, with a lead pass that sent Matty Beniers on a breakaway. After the initial chance was stifled by Vejmelka, Beniers behind the goal line dished the puck off the back of the Hockey Club goaltender and into the net. Beniers was goalless in his last 19 games before scoring against Vancouver, the Michigan product now has goals in two straight. Jared McCann capped a 3 goal 3rd period with an empty net goal to put the game away at 18:12.

The 5-2 Kraken win over the Utah Hockey Club puts Seattle six points behind Vancouver for the final playoff spot. Philipp Grubauer made 28 saves in the win, while Utah’s Karel Vejmelka was shelved the loss making 28 saves for the Hockey Club.

Jaden Schwartz commended the compete level and focus the Kraken played with, while also offering a tip of the cap to Kappo Kakko for his vision on the ice and his defensive work.

Up Next: The Kraken play the second tilt of their 4 game homestand against the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday with puck drop scheduled a little after 7pm. The Canucks will be without their star defenseman Quinn Hughes and forward Elias Petterson. With the Canucks in the final playoff spot, Thursday will have the highest of stakes.