Kings Strangle Remaining Playoff Life Out Of Kraken In LA, 5-2

Time of Seattle Kraken playoff death: 9:04 pm Pacific Time on April 3, 2024.

While the technical cause was a 5-2 defeat to the L.A. Kings Wednesday at Crypto.com Arena, a pair of Kraken eight-game winless streaks this season were what medical examiners call the underlying condition.

At the risk of beating this metaphor to, well, death, the 4th-best in the NHL Kings defense choked the life out of Seattle.

Trevor Moore's hat trick provided the offensive difference for Los Angeles, which broke a three game losing streak and bolstered its own playoff hopes.

Andre Burakovsky and Brian Dumoulin scored 3rd period goals for the Kraken.

1st Period

L.A.'s stout defense is built on a 1-3-1 zone trap, which is both effective and despised by opponents. Vancouver defenseman Nikita Zadorov: "They don't really make plays; they just rim the puck and sit back all game. I mean, it's their goal to don't play hockey and don't let the other team play hockey, pretty much."

Just the second whistle of the period comes at 8:27, for a Yanni Gourde hook. The 17th ranked Kraken penalty kill goes up against the #12 Kings power play.

12 proves better than 17, as Adrian Kempe gives the Kings a 1-0 lead at 9:24.

Mikey Anderson bangs the crossbar for L.A. Teammate Kevin Fiala, who just picked up his 42nd assist and leveled Andre Burakovsky with an open-ice shoulder check, is sent to the box for holding.

Seattle's #15 power play isn't able to pierce the Kings' second-best PK.

With 2:54 left, L.A. netminder Can Talbot makes the save on Tye Kartye's wrist shot. Notable, because it's the first shot on goal by either team since Kempe's goal - a stretch of 7 minutes, 42 seconds. Thanks, 1-3-1 trap!

The Kings end the period up 7-3 in shots.

2nd Period

As Us Magazine would say, "Pro Athletes - They're Just Like Us!"

Here's what Beniers, Borgen and Yamamoto look like without you having to turn your head 45 degrees.

The Kraken look much better on their second power play. Three SOG, good zone time and puck movement, but no tying goal.

L.A.'s Matt Roy makes a beauty "shot-pass" from the blueline, tipped home by Trevor Moore. 2-0 Kings at 7:39 on Moore's 27th.

Tomas Tatar returned to the Kraken lineup tonight, meaning rookie callups Ryan Winterton and Logan Morrison are sitting this one out. So is Tatar, momentarily, when Moore's stop-and-start move twists Tomas down to the ice.

Moore's highlight-reel period continues. He's the trailer on a Kings rush, scoring on the rebound of his own shot past Kraken goalie Philipp Grubauer at 11:49. Moore's second of the second period grows the Los Angeles lead to 3-0.

In the process of skating through the low slot, the Kings' Viktor Arvidsson knocked Grubauer's stick out of his hands. This served both to distract the goalie, and deprive him of a tool for a potential poke-check.

That isn't officially why Arvidsson earned an assist, but it sure made a difference. It also isn't why he was later cross-checked by defenseman Will Borgen - probably - but it did result in Arvidsson heading down the tunnel for repairs.

On the power play, Fiala weaves right in through the Kraken skaters, but can't solve Grubauer. He makes two other saves on the PK.

Shots in the 2nd period were 15-7 L.A., 22-10 for the game.

3rd Period

Vince Dunn's had a tough last five weeks. He only recently returned from a month's absence, occasioned by a boarding call from Calgary's Martin Pospisil.

Earlier in this game, Dunn took a Kings shot off his arm that sent the defenseman to the dressing room.

He returned by the 3rd period, only to take another type of shot, a blindside hit up high from Alex Laferriere. D-partner Adam Larsson takes exception, with both taking matching roughing minors.

Dunn is done, drawing a misconduct and game misconduct.

More Kraken pain: Jared McCann takes a high stick to the mush from Blake Lizotte. On the front end of Lizotte's double minor, Andre Burakovsky breaks the shutout by shoving a backhand past Talbot.

Seattle, now down 3-1 at 5:40 and with a fresh two minutes of power play time, calls timeout. But they're unable to add a second PP goal to further close the gap.

The Kraken, forced to cheat offensively, get caught up ice when Fiala scores on a breakaway to put the game out of reach. It's 4-1 at 10:45.

Lizotte atoned for his double minor with a diving block to start Fiala's breakout.

Brian Dumoulin takes a Yanni Gourde pass, walks in from the left point, and slams his 5th goal past Talbot at 11:20. The last thing expected from two teams among the league's top eight in defense - a 3rd period shootout.

Moore outfights Jordan Eberle for the puck at neutral ice, skates in on a breakway, and completes his hat trick. Grubauer keeps his pads together for a couple of seconds, believing the puck is squeezed between them. It isn't.

Despite outshooting Los Angeles 13-5 in the final frame, it's officially wait until next year for the Seattle Kraken. They play next on Friday at the Anaheim Ducks.