The Seattle Kraken were hoping for the Järkyttää – upset – in their NHL Global Series debut Thursday in Helsinki. After all, they were facing the defending Stanley Cup Champion Carolina Hurricanes, off to an amazing start with just three regulation losses in their first 19 games.
Indeed, it was Carolina Ylivalta – domination – as Seattle was overwhelmed, 4-1. Finnish ‘Canes Sebastian Aho (two goals, featured image above) and Juuso Välimäki scored, to the delight of more than 13,000 fans packing Veikkaus Arena.
Nikolaj Ehlers and Aho (on the power play) scored 1:06 apart in the 1st period for a 2-0 lead, and the champs never looked back. Freddy Gaudreau broke the shutout with 6:45 left. It was the Kraken’s ONLY shot of the period.
Image at left: Gaudreau celebrating his goal with birthday boy Adam Larsson.
This is only the second time this season that Seattle (9-7-1) has lost back-to-back games. Goalie Phillip Grubauer made 26 saves, as the Hurricanes did what they do to most opponents, drown them in shots on goal (30-13) and shot attempts (86-37).
1st Period Goals
1-0 Carolina: Ehlers connects from the blueline, as Jackson Blake gets in the way of Grubauer’s glove.
2-0 Carolina: Kraken coach Lane Lambert loses a questionable goalie interference challenge on Blake. A losing challenge results in a delay of game penalty, putting Seattle’s 31st-ranked PK to work. It doesn’t work, as Aho cuts to the net and redirects Blake’s pass.
The goal comes 10 years to the day after Aho scored his first NHL goal against… Philipp Grubauer.
2nd Period Goals
3-0 Carolina: Directly after a faceoff win, Välimäki takes advantage of a double screen.
3rd Period Goals
4-0 Carolina: Neither team registered a shot on goal for the first 10 minutes of the period. Aho changes that by finishing a 3-on-2.
4-1 Carolina: Okay, the champs aren’t perfect. Not a good idea to leave the other team’s leading goal-getter unmarked between the circles. Gaudreau snipes one past Brandon Bussi for his 8th of the year.
Kraken Notables
Grubauer stoned Eric Robinson on a 2nd period shorthanded breakaway. He got help from his goalposts on two Hurricanes shots.
Shot attempts were 33-11 Carolina in the 1st period.
Four Finns were among the Kraken contingent, including Kaapo Kakko, Ville Ottavainen, Jani Nyman, and Nikke Kokko. Among the culture they introduced teammates to was a visit to a sauna.
By The Numbers
Goals by period: Carolina 2-1-1 (4); Seattle 0-0-1 (1)
Shots by period: Carolina 15-11-4 (30); Seattle 6-6-1 (13)
Power Plays: Carolina 1-3; Seattle 0-2
Next up: This was designated as the Kraken’s “home” game, with Seattle wearing its home uniforms, getting last line change, etc. When the two teams rematch on the same ice surface on Saturday, Carolina will be the “home” team. The puck gets dropped a little after 10 am Seattle time.
Earlier Kraken:
— Kraken Captain Relishes “The Brotherhood”
