Kraken Go Bust On Offense Again, Drop 3-1 Decision In Vegas

Seattle Kraken coach Dave Hakstol managed to stun the ESPN crew televising Thursday's match with the Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena.

Hakstol suggested that after last season's unexpected playoff success, his team suffered a "Second round hangover."

During this year's postseason, Seattle will be available to serve as the designated driver. Despite a 3rd period game-tying power play goal from Jaden Schwartz, Keegan Kolesar won it for Vegas with 80 seconds left in a 3-1 final.

Even playing in their Winter Classic uniforms against Vegas couldn't help Seattle snap what is now a six game losing streak (0-5-1). The Kraken have scored exactly one 5-on-5 goal in their last four games, and five goals total.

1st Period

Believe it or not, the Kraken coming in actually have a better record than the Golden Knights over each teams' last 10 games.

That's despite an 0-4-1 Seattle homestand, with the "1" being a 5-4 overtime loss to Vegas on Mar. 12. Vegas hasn't been great shakes at home lately either, with two wins in their last eight on The Strip.

Jordan Eberle feeds Matty Beniers at the inner edge of the left wing circle, whose grade-A is rejected by Vegas goalie Logan Thompson.

Jack Eichel has better fortune against Kraken goalie Philipp Grubauer, who loses his net just a bit on a Golden Knights rush. Trying to re-establish himself between the pipes, he leaves a smidgen of room between his pad and the post.

That's all Eichel needs for a 1-0 Vegas lead on his 22nd at 8:14.

Jaden Schwartz, back in the Seattle lineup after an injury absence, takes a penalty 22 seconds after the goal. The Kraken's 19th-ranked penalty kill does its job.

At one point, the shots favored Vegas 6-4. Then they recorded seven of the last nine SOGS to lead in that department, 13-6. Vegas also out-hit Seattle, 19-9.

2nd Period

Eichel drives hard to the hoop, but Grubauer makes the save.

Eeli Tolvanen busts down left wing on a 2-on-1, but his feed to Eberle is intercepted by a diving Alec Martinez.

Kraken defenseman Will Borgen, playing his 200th NHL game, gets no respect from Eichel. The two are battling in front of the Seattle net when Eichel pitchforks Borgen's stick high into the air.

Seattle creates little offense on its first power play, which ends 19 seconds prematurely when Yanni Gourde is whistled for interference.

Jared McCann shoot shorthanded off of Thompson's mask, retrieves the puck and swivels a second shot into the netminder. When Vegas gains control, the referee blows the whistle to check if Thompson knows what day it is.

Thompson is sufficiently clear-headed to make a fine blocker save on Eberle's rising shot.

Making up for lost time: Vegas is nearing eight minutes without a shot on goal before  Jonathan Marchessault gets everything on a rip that Grubauer collects into his chest.

Vegas is gifted a third power play when Ryker Evans lifts the puck out of play. Again, the best scoring chance is shorthanded. Brandon Tanev makes a painful block on Noah Hanifan's blast, with the ricochet sending McCann on a semi-breakaway.

Thompson makes the save. Then Hanifan, perhaps frustrated by the scoring chance, puts a bearhug on McCann. When he finally releases, the Kraken winger looks at him with disgust, and shares a few words, too.

Grubauer makes two fine saves to stifle the Vegas power play, then a third to keep the Kraken within one. 2nd period shots are 11-10 Vegas, 23-16 through two periods.

3rd Period

Kraken Canada on X always brings the A.I. magic.

The real-life Kraken have been toothless, scoreless now in the first two periods in five of their last nine games.

A second Kraken power play results mainly in a pair of Vegas shorthanded 2-on-1's. Defenseman Justin Schultz breaks up a pass on the first; Grubauer makes a fine save on Eichel on the second.

The Seattle defense is holding up its end, killing a fourth Vegas power play. However, halfway through the period, shots are 8-1 Golden Knights.

Clip-n-save: Kraken All-Star Oliver Bjorkstrand has been on the ice for a team-low 7:59 of the first 52 minutes.

Hanafin goes off for high sticking with eight minutes left, and the Kraken finally take advantage. Evans wrists one from the blueline that Schwartz tips home. His first goal in a month, 12th on the season, knots the score 1-1 at 13:29.

Tolvanen snaps one off the right post with 5:08 left.

Howden makes a power move to the net. The puck squirts off his stick, right to Keegan Kolesar. Grubauer comes across and gets a piece, but not enough. Vegas takes a 2-1 lead at 18:40.

The Kraken challenge for offside, because why not? However, they lose that, too, meaning they'll spend the final 80 second on the penalty kill.

Grubauer, who deserved better, stopped 34 of 36 Vegas shots.

After Matty Beniers fails to tie from in close, Vegas gets a power play empty-netter from Chandler Stephenson. Kraken lose 3-1, their second heartbreaking late loss to Vegas in the last nine days.