The Seattle Kraken absolutely deserved the results of their 3-1-0 homestand. “Hey! It’s a big f***ing win right there,” coach Lane Lambert said in the dressing room after Thursday’s 5-4 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. “Even though they tied it, we played well.”
(Our next story will will explain why the Kraken absolutely did NOT deserve their 3-1-0 homestand.)
But in celebration of the 1st World Series title for the 1969 Seattle Pilots (who became the Milwaukee Brewers in 1970), this story is all positivity, all the time!
Young Kraken Center Continues To Impress
Berkly Catton (lower left in image) scored the opening goal just 1:59 into Thursday’s game. Seattle, prone to slow starts throughout its history, has scored within the first five minutes in 10 out of 13 games.
Speaking of the 20-year-old Catton (4 goals, 6 assists), he’s got goals in back-to-back games and points in five straight.
All homestand he made veteran defenders look foolish, and observers are starting to ask if he might be the first great Seattle Kraken.
Lambert is a believer. “We kept him here last year so that he could be better and more physically ready this year in training camp. We think he is. We threw another wrinkle into him, thrown him into the middle on a full-time basis.
“He’s still adapting to that situation, even though he’s played center all his life. It’s another animal at the National Hockey League level, so he continues to grow and build in that way.”
Mahura Earns Jofa ‘Player Of Game’ Helmet
The Kraken beat the Leafs largely because of “3-D,” as in goals from three defensemen. Brandon Montour blasted the game-winner with 34 seconds left. Ryker Evans also scored; Seattle now has 10 goals from its blueliners.
Earlier, defenseman Josh Mahura (in the Jofa helmet image above) scored just his second goal since the end of the 2022-23 season. Even though “Muzz” isn’t known for his work in the o-zone, Montour on the bench had a feeling.
“I saw him jump in the play,” Montour said in a KHN interview. “I was saying, ‘He’s scoring! He’s scoring!’ I probably said it 25 times.” The pair were first together on the Florida Panthers. “It’s great to see a friend and a great teammate score his first.”
In doing so, Mahura became the 17th different Kraken skater to light the lamp this season. Seattle boasts 10 players with three or more goals, and 14 with two or more (best in the NHL).
The 4th line, led by Freddy Gaudreau’s team-leading six goals, has contributed beyond expectations. Between Gaudreau (assists in four straight) and linemates Ryan Winterton and Ben Meyers, the line has chipped in nine goals and 21 points.
Overall, Seattle is 6th in goals per game, a whopping 3.7. Thursday, they scored five without the aid of offensive leader Jared McCann, out 10 weeks with a lower body injury.
“We’re a resilient group, and we’ve been finding a way,” said Mahura. “That’s the most important thing.”
The “important thing” has led the Kraken to their best-ever record after 13 games, 8-4-1. But is it a sustainable thing? We tackle that in our next story.
Earlier Kraken:
— Kraken Inspired 12’s In Big Seahawks Win
Earlier Canucks:
— The Canucks Are On Their Own Sad, Little Planet
Your “Kraken Reaction” recap! …
