Beniers, Tolvanen Lead Kraken 4-0 Roasting Of Ducks, 8-Loss Skid Halted

Whatever pregame meal Matty Beniers and Eeli Tolvanen ate before facing the Anaheim Ducks Tuesday, the same meal needs to be served before every game.

Beniers and Tolvanen (one goal, two assists each) led a dominant 4-0 victory at Climate Pledge Arena, putting to bed an eight game winless streak (0-6-2).

The crowd was treated to Peek Into The Future Night. Rookie forward callups Logan Morrison and Ryan Winterton both contributed energy and quality offensive chances from their spots on the 4th line.

With defensemen Vince Dunn and Ryker Evans out injured, another Firebird, Gustav Olofsson, performed credibly in 14:57 of action.

Winning goalie Joey Daccord wasn't tested often - 12 saves - but when called upon, made several scoring-chance stops.

1st Period

From page 758 of the Book Of Hockey Traditions (its a big book): "Rookies about to play their first NHL game must enter for warmups first, and alone." Welcome to the Show, Logan Morrison.

Here's a reason it's always fun at a sporting event - you may see something you've never seen before.

Two minutes in, it happens to Kraken goalie Joey Daccord. In making a save on Gustav Lindstrom's slapshot, the goal stick is knocked from his grasp - and doesn't come to rest until the left wing boards halfway to the blue line!

That's not all. Play continues in the Kraken zone, but fortunately for Daccord, he isn't forced to make a save. Even when the puck clears the zone, his stick is too far away for Daccord to retrieve. More than a minute elapses before the puck mercifully skitters out of play, and Daccord can reclaim his weapon.

Bang-bang passing gives the Kraken a 1-0 lead at 7:50. From behind the Anaheim net, Matty Beniers swivels a pass to a cutting Eeli Tolvanen, who in one motion zips the puck past John Gibson for his 16th goal of the season.

Gustav Lindstrom takes Brandon Tanev down heavily at the Kraken blueline.

Sometimes, you score on the passes you don't make. On a Kraken power play, Jordan Eberle is trying to find Jaden Schwartz at the lip of the crease. It never gets there, because the puck banks off Gibson and into the net. 2-0 Seattle at 16:51.

Eberle's 299th lifetime goal gives the Kraken a 2-0 lead after 20, a period in which they outshot the Ducks, 12-4 and outhit them 12-6.

2nd Period

The Kraken callups combine for a high-danger chance. Morrison finds Ryan Winterton, whose blast from the top of the right wing circle is shouldered away by Gibson.

The Ducks have the NHL's worst road penalty kill. So unforced errors, like too many men on the ice, are a dangerous proposition.

For the second consecutive power play, Seattle benefits from a fortunate bounce. A deflection off Pavel Mintyukov goes straight to Oliver Bjorkstrand's blade, and he doesn't miss. 3-0 Kraken on Bjorkstrand's 19th at 5:08.

Tolvanen and Beniers, who draw the assists, both have two-point nights.

Anaheim's top offensive threat, 30-goal scorer Frank Vatrano, lets go a right circle laser on a Ducks power play. Daccord makes his best stop - one of just six saves he's had to make with the game more than half done.

Daccord's seventh save is special, too, flopping on his belly to make a pad save on Isac Lundestrom's backhand from close range. The Kraken still have an 18-7 SOG advantage.

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A Kraken misplay leads to a Ducks odd-man rush, which they promptly foul (fowl?) up. Now it's Seattle's turn with a 3-on-1 chance. Beniers to Tolvanen to Beniers to the back of the net and the Kraken lead 4-0 at 15:55.

Shots are 14-5 Seattle in the period, 27-9 (!) after 40.

3rd Period

Bjorkstrand almost scores his 2nd goal, but the post has other ideas.

Yanni Gourde gets stopped by Gibson on a pair of grade-A's. One save has Gourde looking wistfully at the CPA roof.

The remaining drama is whether Daccord will finish his shutout. After being pulled six minutes into his last home start Mar. 18 against Buffalo, a whitewash would be mighty (Ducks) sweet.

He gets his shutout, and the Kraken get a much needed win. They rematch with the Ducks Thursday at CPA.