The Seattle Kraken knew they didn’t want to play the Edmonton Oilers the way the Vancouver Canucks had in splitting a two-game set. The Oilers outscored the Canucks over the two games, 14-13.
For the most part, Seattle succeeded.
Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl, who had been foiled in chance after chance by saves, stubbed shots and near misses, connected with 2:27 left to break a 1-1 tie in an eventual 3-1 Oilers victory Saturday at Rogers Place.
Bobby McMann, who grew up a two hour car ride from Edmonton, tied the game for Seattle 1-1 on a 2nd period power play. Impressively, McMann also backchecked to prevent a high-danger Oilers scoring chance by Draisaitl in the 3rd period.
Kraken goalie Philipp Grubauer (22 saves, image at left) made a massive stick save on a Mathieu Joseph breakaway with 6:30 left. Joseph had stolen the puck from Ryker Evans and attempted to go 5-hole.
Edmonton had the league’s best power play last season, and three PPGs already in their first two games this season. So Seattle’s winning strategy wasn’t to go shorthanded three times in the 1st period alone. But Grubauer made six saves on the PK, including a dazzling pad stop on Draisaitl, to keep the Oilers from extending their lead. Notably, Seattle didn’t go shorthanded for the rest of the game.
Grubauer made a dynamite blocker save on Draisaitl in the 2nd period, and absorbed a 3rd period rocket by Vasily Podkolzin off his mask. Oilers goalie Devon Levi made his best save on McMann’s 3rd period power play drive.
1st Period Goals
1-0 Edmonton: This is one Grubauer might like back, three minutes in. He’s not quite snug against the post when Owen Michaels scores into the tiny window over the goalie’s shoulder.
2nd Period Goals
1-1 Tie: It must be “Find the tiny window over the goalie’s shoulder” night. McMann, who scored twice in two preseason games, picks up his first of the regular season on a Jordan Eberle PP feed from below the goal line.
3rd Period Goals
2-1 Edmonton: Draisaitl finally gets rewarded for an evening of hard work, aided by a lucky carom off Connor McDavid’s knee along the far side boards that came right to him.
3-1 Edmonton: McDavid the empty-netter.
Kraken Notables
Testosterone on display: when Kraken defenseman Ryan Lindgren (Team USA) played against Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard (Team Canada) at the World Championships last May, Lindgren’s illegal hit to the head left Bouchard with a concussion. According to hockey’s unwritten rules, Lindgren was expected to “answer the bell” the first time he played the Oilers. He and Trent Frederic duked it out in the 1st period.
Mackie Samoskevich made his Kraken debut. In addition to he and Grubauer, Ben Meyers and Cale Fleury drew into the line-up for the first time this year.
Late in the 2nd period, Brandon Montour almost turned Connor McDavid upside down and into the Kraken bench.
The Kraken fall to 1-8-1 all time at Rogers Place, and haven’t won there since January of 2023.
By The Numbers
Goals by period: Edmonton 1-0-2 (3); Seattle 0-1-0 (1)
Shots by period: Edmonton 10-4-11 (25); Seattle 5-11-4 (20)
Power Plays: Edmonton 0-3; Seattle 1-2
Next up: The Kraken host the Calgary Flames in their home opener Sunday at 5 pm Seattle time.
Earlier Kraken:
— Kraken Receive Mixed Grades For Artistic Choices
