Canadiens Pound Kraken Into Submission Early In 5-1 Rout At CPA

Between periods Sunday at Climate Pledge Arena, the house band played the Journey hit with the famous line, "Don't stop thinking about tomorrow."

Wise advice for the Seattle Kraken and their fans. The present is getting bleaker by the day.

For the second consecutive home game, the Kraken starting goalie didn't make it to the first intermission.

The Montreal Canadiens, 28th in NHL offense, stuffed four pucks behind Philipp Grubauer on their first six shots, and coasted to a 5-1 victory.

Montreal's Alex Newhook led the way with two goals, while Kaiden Guhle contributed a goal and two assists. Jordan Eberle scored the only Seattle goal which counted.

The Kraken are now burdened by a second eight-game winless streak this season (0-6-2).

1st Period

The Winter Classic uniform, 1-0 outdoors but 0-2 indoors, gets one more wearing this season.

Confusion between Kraken goalie Philipp Grubauer and defenseman Jamie Oleksiak leads to another self-inflicted goal against the Kraken.

A blunted Kaiden Guhle shot from the blueline heads down the slot slower than I-5 traffic at rush hour. Oleksiak and Grubauer both go to grab it... and neither one does. 1-0 Habs at 4:18.

Montreal takes 2:04 to double its lead. Grubauer can't locate Guhle's long-range wrister through traffic, so can't stop Alex Newhook's tip-in. The first two Canadiens shots ON net have gone IN the net.

Kraken defenseman Ryker Evans, ridden heavily into the boards by Montreal's Michael Pezzetta, skates to the bench in obvious distress. He's listed as doubtful to return.

An Adam Larsson drive changes course after deflecting off a Canadiens' stick, but goalie Cayden Primeau makes a cat-quick adjustment and pad save.

In a 27 second span, the Habs double their lead, again , to 4-0. First, captain Nick Suzuki at 17:33.

At 18:00, Newhook scores for the 2nd time. Speaking of hooks, that's what's out for Grubauer, replaced by Joey Daccord.

Six days ago, it was Daccord getting yanked in the first period after allowing three quick Buffalo goals.

2nd Period

Whenever Montreal visits, forward Juraj Slafkovsky will be of special interest.

Slafkovsky was the 1st overall choice at the 2022 NHL Draft - a pick many believed would be used on Shane Wright, who fell to the Kraken at #4.

Jordan Eberle gets the Kraken on the board with a laser at 56 seconds.

Matty Beniers has an apparent second Seattle goal wiped off the board for the most absurd of reasons - Beniers put HIMSELF offside.

Subsequently, Beniers beautifully tips in an Oliver Bjorkstrand shot on the power play, briefly allowing the fandom to dream of a miracle comeback. A successful coach's challenge renders the celebration moot.

The Kraken end up not scoring on the PP, nor their next one - but Montreal does, when Jared McCann's pass into the middle is intercepted.

Michael Matheson finds a faster gear than backchecking Kraken forward Tomas Tatar can keep up with. When Matheson goes wide on his breakaway, Daccord lifts his pad at exactly the wrong moment.

The shorthanded goal make it 5-1 Habs at 13:16.

Newhook, bidding for a hat trick, bangs a shot off the left post.

It's of (extremely) little comfort to the Kraken that they outshot the Canadiens 17-8 in the period, 27-15 through 40.

3rd Period

Shots through the first 13 minutes are 8-1 Seattle, 25-9 since the 1st intermission. For the game, the Kraken have 35 SOG and counting. Counting their goals takes less effort: 1.

Montreal goalie Cayden Primeau earns a 36-save win. The Canadiens, who previously beat Seattle 4-2 in December, sweep the season series.