When the San Jose Sharks were last seen in Seattle, they handed the Kraken their only regulation loss of the season at home.
And it wasn’t close.
Macklin Celebrini, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft who leads the team with 26 points (10 goals, 16 assists) through 18 games, had a goal and two assists as the Sharks cruised to a 6-1 victory on Nov. 5.
The teams are set to meet again Saturday in Seattle.
Kraken goaltender Joey Daccord was pulled early in the third period of that game after allowing five goals on 20 shots. Daccord apparently suffered an upper-body injury in that game and hasn’t appeared since.
Behind veteran netminders Philipp Grubauer and Matt Murray, the Kraken have gone 2-1-1 in Daccord’s absence. Grubauer made 23 saves Thursday as Seattle rallied from three one-goal deficits to defeat visiting Winnipeg 5-3.
“I think, for us, defense is going to be the backbone of this club. That’s how we’re going to win hockey games,” said captain Jordan Eberle, referring to the Kraken having scored just once in three of their previous four games. “But you’ve got to try and create offense out of that. I don’t think it’s been for a lack of chances.”
Eberle scored a pair of third-period goals Thursday and defenseman Vince Dunn added a goal and two assists.
“Everyone contributed a lot tonight, and it wasn’t just one certain player, one certain line, to get us that win,” Dunn said. “Everyone was dialed in all the way to the end. … It’s a character win.”
Seattle’s Kaapo Kakko scored his first of the season before leaving late in the first period with a lower-body injury and not returning. Kakko, the No. 2 overall pick by the New York Rangers in 2019, was playing in just his seventh game after missing the start of the campaign with a broken hand suffered in an exhibition.
“I feel bad for him,” Kraken coach Lane Lambert said. “It was a beautiful goal he scored, and we need him, so it certainly is not a great thing.”
The victory in Seattle sparked the Sharks to a four-game winning streak that was snapped with a 2-0 defeat Thursday in Calgary.
Yaroslav Askarov made 34 saves for San Jose, which also had a seven-game point streak (6-0-1) come to an end.
“We were awful,” Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky said. “(Askarov) was unbelievable. It shouldn’t have been a 2-0 game, that’s for sure. He was the only one who was ready to play.”
It was a surprising defeat for the Sharks as Calgary is last in the league’s overall standings.
“I don’t think we were ready to play, and I think overall, it was just frustrating,” Sharks forward Tyler Toffoli said. “Obviously, they’re a hard-working team and they’re desperate, but I think what has made us successful this season is being desperate. So obviously, a little disappointing.”
San Jose forward Jeff Skinner left in the first period of Thursday’s loss with a lower-body injury. He’ll miss Saturday’s game while still being evaluated, Warsofsky told reporters Friday.
–Field Level Media
