Five Goals On Kraken Power Plays; Seattle Gets Three To Down Ducks 4-2

A hockey rematch between two non-playoff teams didn't seem to have a chance of upstaging baseball's opening day.

Think again.

In as unusual, physical, penalty-filled and exciting a game as fans at Climate Pledge Arena have seen this season, the Seattle Kraken used three power play goals to overcome two shorthanded scores by the Anaheim Ducks and outlast the visitors, 4-2.

1st Period

It's Pride Night at CPA, guaranteeing this will be a colorful evening.

The teams may be the same, but we know we're not watching a rerun because both of Tuesday's starting goalies are spectators for this one.

So is Kraken forward Andre Burakovsky, who takes a tripping penalty 10 seconds (!) into the game. Seattle goalie Philipp Grubauer makes a fine stop on Troy Terry to keep the game scoreless.

Grubauer must be sharp early, and is, with high-quality stops on Frank Vatrano and Jakob Silfverberg. And the crossbar helps those who help themselves, aiding Grubauer on a Urho Vaakanainen drive.

Anaheim has eight shots in half a period, more than they had in half a game on Tuesday.

One thing we know about the back end of two-game series: they tend to be chippy. So it is tonight, as Trevor Zegras takes down Tye Kartye, then cross-checks him hoping for Kartye will retaliate to negate the power play.

Tye wisely skates away smiling, but the Kraken don't score on the PP despite extended zone time.

As a second Ducks power play ends, Grubauer makes a sparkling pad save on Brett Leason.

Shots in a scoreless 1st period were 10-8 Anaheim, two fewer than their total for the entire game Tuesday.

2nd Period

For the Anaheim Ducks, life doesn't begin at 30, at least not in good ways. The Ducks are 30th in goals for per game, 30th in goals allowed per game, and 30th on the penalty kill. Such are the growing pains of a rebuild.

Kartye sizzles a shot from between the hashes, but Ducks goalie Lukas Dostal makes a clutch glove save.

Seattle gets its second crack at that Ducks PK, worst in the league on the road. Jaden Schwartz declines to shoot, passing to an empty wing. Rookie Logan Morrison, being given regular PP shifts, has his close-in try blocked.

Still looking for the game's first goal when Seattle goes back on the PP. Schwartz ends up in the net after a scrum; that doesn't count. The puck squirts in too, off his stick. That does count. The Kraken take a 1-0 lead at 9:03.

Eberle's helper is his 400th career assist. (Eberle's also one goal away from 300, and his next point will be #700.)

Frank Vatrano tests Grubauer with two bombs. He saves both, shrugging the second rising blast off his shoulder.

Alex Killorn tries a lift check, which only serves to check Schwartz's face. He rises, scrunching his jaw and blinking the cobwebs away.

Seattle can't add a second PP goal, but boy did they have chances. At one point, the puck lies tantalizingly at the top of the crease, but Anaheim defenders tie up all the Kraken sticks. Later, Eberle tries to catch the Ducks off guard with a stuff attempt, but Dostal is ready.

Seattle ends the period with a puck possession clinic, only halted by the horn. Shots were 9-4 Kraken in the 2nd, 17-14 after 40 minutes.

3rd Period

The period opens with more congestion than downtown Seattle at quitting time - 20 seconds (I checked) of the puck stuck along the boards as three players from each side push and grapple.

For the fifth time, the Ducks take a minor penalty. But disaster strikes: Isac Lundestrom, sprung on a semi-breakaway, fires over Grubauer's shoulder to tie the game 1-1 at 2:08.

And it happens again! Silfverberg, who assisted on the first shorty, gets one of his own by depositing his own rebound. In shocking fashion, Anaheim leads 2-1 with shorthanded goals 44 seconds apart.

The Ducks have now scored 11 goals while on the PK.

A scrum breaks out for the third time in the first five minutes. This time, Kartye and Ryan Strome go off for matching minors.

Seconds later, Trevor Zegras holds Brandon Tanev at center ice, then cross-checks Tanev for an undisciplined second minor. The Kraken are given four minutes of PP time to tie the game.

They do, Andre Burakovsky firing down Broadway at 6:24. The game is tied 2-2, with all four goals in the game coming during Kraken extra-man situations.

Zegras was not further penalized for destroying the penalty box TV camera. Fortunately, it's robotic.

Tanev and William Lagesson fight at 9:12.

Hey, here's something different: the Kraken score 14 seconds AFTER the end of an Anaheim minor. Kartye takes a Yanni Gourde feed and beats Dostal to restore a Kraken lead, 3-2 at 13:03.

Another minute of play, another collision. This time, Silferberg (innocently) sliding into Grubauer, then checking to see if he has the same number of teeth.

Tolvanen hits the goalpost. Then two things which definitely sound familiar. First, Anaheim takes a penalty (Killorn for cross-checking). Second, a goal is scored on the Kraken power play.

This time it's Matty Beniers with the tip-in of Jared McCann's shot at 15:35.