Sticks Betray Both Goalies In Kraken 2-1 Thursday Loss To Capitals

Upon further review, the first two goals of Thursday's Seattle Kraken-Washington Capitals game were more complex than they appeared at the time.

Disaster For Daccord Times Two

The goal which broke a scoreless tie in the 2nd period at Climate Pledge Arena was pretty weird to begin with.

The Kraken are shorthanded when a dump-in comes to Kraken goalie Joey Daccord.

An exceptional stick-handler, Daccord's clearing attempt bounces off the leg of D.C.'s T.J. Oshie and back to the netminder.

No problem, though, because if Daccord doesn't touch the puck (gray arrow), its path will lead it wide of the right post (black "X").

Daccord doesn't know that.

The puck goes off the heel of his stick, inadvertently altering its route (gray arrow) straight for his vacated cage.

This is disaster part two, also self-inflicted, which no one realized in real time.

The last screengrab at left doesn't need explaining.

Daccord, who has rescued Kraken teammates time and again with big saves this season, has no one to rescue him. The Capitals take a 1-0 lead in a game they would win 2-1.

Enemy Fire And Friendly Fire Conspire

The Kraken evened the score on their own power play early in the 3rd period.

With goalie Charlie Lindgren sprawled after a shorthanded save, Washington's Tom Wilson (43, upper right) has his sights set on Seattle's Kailer Yamamoto (56) in front.

Wilson cross-checks Yamamato, but his next stickwork misses the intended target.

Wilson's backswing taps Lindgren's goalie mask. Worse, when Wilson brings his stick forehand, it whacks his own goalie in the mask even harder.

That's the "friendly fire" shown with the gray arrow.

Oliver Bjorkstrand provids the "enemy fire," his 18th goal of the season, tying the game 1-1. It would have been tough enough to save Bjorkstrand's blast, with Lindgren still scrambling into position, holding his goal stick awkwardly.

Getting smacked by his own penalty-killer only increased the degree of difficulty.

Not knowing where the stick distraction came from, Lindgren pleads for relief from the referee.

Unfortunately for the Capitals, goalie interference by a teammate isn't reviewable.