Kraken Do Everything But Finish, Fall To Oilers For Fourth Time, 2-1

If Saturday afternoon's Seattle Kraken game against the Edmonton Oilers was a song, it would be Quincy Jones' "Just Once."

"I did my best. But I guess my best wasn't good enough."

The Kraken went 2-for-2 against the Oilers' 3rd ranked power play. Goalie Philipp Grubauer continued a strong return from injury, stopping 22 shots. They skated on even terms with the superstars from Alberta.

But, like so many games this frustrating season, Seattle didn't have enough offensive finish. All they could muster was a 3rd period Eeli Tolvanen power play goal in a nail-biting 2-1 loss.

The Kraken finish their four game season series with the Oilers 0-3-1. Their homestand concludes 3-2-1 for seven out of a possible 12 points.

1st Period

Yanni Gourde, without a goal for 17 games, has an early open look which Edmonton goalie Stuart Skinner shuts down. He rejects Jordan Eberle's stuff attempt, too, with a diving save.

Justin Schultz's wrist shot, tipped by Jared McCann, bangs off the far left post. Darnell Nurse takes a slashing penalty on McCann at 8:38, leaving the Kraken forward in considerable pain.

The Kraken take two PP shots, but don't score.

Mattias Ekholm, perhaps still salty about being boarded by Gourde in the teams' January meeting, takes a blatant (and uncalled) hook into Vince Dunn's midsection. They jaw and push on the way to their respective benches.

The Kraken are having a much better start than the 18 1st period shots allowed to Pittsburgh Thursday. They're pushing the offense, and clearing rebounds in their own zone away from goalie Philipp Grubauer.

Jaden Schwartz deflects an Edmonton centering pass out of play, with an open Connor McDavid otherwise ready to bang it home from just outside the crease.

Kraken defenseman Jamie Oleksiak is called for what we'll charitably describe as a borderline cross-check at 17:46. Grubauer makes his best stop, a falling forward glove snare on Leon Draisaitl's bad-angle rocket.

Seattle outshoots Edmonton 9-8; the first goal will have to wait. Four straight shutout periods for Grubauer.

2nd Period

The better chances continue to belong to the home team. McCann fires a dart turned aside by Skinner's glove. For the first 30 minutes, the Kraken are - dare we say it - skating with speed equaling their high-octane visitors.

Grubauer's still feeling it, looking confident on a McDavid drive. He follows that with a solid pad save on Evander Kane's curl-and-drag.

In the 31st minute, Edmonton breaks the ice. This time, McDavid's cross-ice pass gets through, and Draisaitl beats Grubauer's attempt to go post-to-post.

On Draisaitl's 30th goal, McDavid picks up his 73rd assist! #97 in white has at least one helper in 10 straight games.

You have to figure it's a must-kill when Oliver Bjorkstrand take a slash at 14:53. One Grubauer save and Gourde ragging away the final seconds gets the job done.

At the other end, Skinner has the answer for Tomas Tatar's slot shot. He's saved all 16 Seattle SOGs through two periods. Grubauer has 16 saves also, but the Oilers have taken 17 shots, and lead 1-0 after 40.

3rd Period

Since returning from a Dec. 9 injury, Grubauer has stopped 147 of 155 shots. But today, he'll need offensive help if he wants to win his fifth consecutive start.

Throughout Seattle's six game homestand, the 3rd period has consistently been their best.

McCann's grade-A laser from between the hash marks is swallowed by Skinner. Is this the same Stuart Skinner who was pierced for six goals recently by the Bruins, and five goals by the Flames?

Brett Kulak's left point wrister gives Edmonton a 2-0 lead at 8:02. Grubauer probably didn't stop it because he probably didn't see it.

Seattle finally breaks through on the power play at 13:23. An Eeli Tolvanen shot banks off Edmonton's Nurse and past a disbeliving Skinner to narrow the Kraken deficit to 2-1.

Skinner couldn't believe the shot went 5-hole. He spent a good 10 seconds on both knees, and another 10 seconds on one knee before eventually rising.

After Grubauer is pulled for a sixth attacker, McCann is pulled down by Leon Draisaitl. Seattle will have 53 seconds of 6-on-4 to try and tie the game.

Seattle calls a timeout to set strategy. Eberle and Tolvanen get good looks, but Skinner finishes the job on a hard-fought 2-1 Oilers victory.

Shots finished 26-24 Edmonton.