The Penguins, looking to rebound from their previous loss on Thursday against the Anaheim Ducks (5-1), faced a determined Seattle Kraken squad on Saturday, January 25th, at Climate Pledge Arena. They ultimately fell 4-1 and extended their losing streak to two games. Sidney Crosby’s lone goal provided a brief glimmer of hope for the Penguins, but the Kraken conclusively proved too strong. This victory was a much-needed bounce-back for Seattle, who were just shutout by the Washington Capitals just days prior. Vince Dunn, Matty Beiners, Oliver Bjorkstrand, and Eeli Tolvanen each scored for the Kraken to help secure the 4-1 victory. The Penguins will be heading to SAP Center on Monday to take on the San Jose Sharks before the last game of their seven-game road trip, which is on Wednesday against the Utah Hockey Club. Heading to Edmonton on Monday, the Kraken will take on the Oilers before going back home to host the Ducks.
Pittsburgh Penguins Lineup:
Beauvillier – Crosby – Rakell
Bunting – Malkin – Glass
O’Connor – Hayes – Tomasino
Imama – Acciari – Nieto
Pettersson – Letang
Grzelcyk – Karlsson
Graves – Shea
Blomqvist
Nedeljkovic
Seattle Kraken Lineup:
Schwartz – Beniers – Kakko
Burakovsky – Stephenson – Bjorkstrand
McCann – Wright – Tolvanen
Kartye – Stephens – Tanev
Dunn – Larsson
Evans – Montour
Oleksiak – Mahura
Daccord
Grubauer
After a scoreless first, Oliver Bjorkstrand opened the scoring early into the second period at 17:44 for a 1-0 Kraken lead with his 14th goal of the season. Chandler Stephenson got ahold of the puck, skating down into Pittsburgh’s zone with it before sending it off to Andre Burakovsky, who fed Bjorkstrand, who put a one-timer over Joel Blomqvist’s right pad from the left circle after breaking through off a 3-on-2 rush. Sidney Crosby found the back of the net not long after the first Seattle tally, knotting it up 1-1 on his 14th of the season with 15:26 when Rickard Rakell, who had been fighting for the puck behind the net with Crosby prior, found him from below the goal line for a one-timer. With 2:14 left to play in the middle frame, Vince Dunn lit the lamp to regain the lead for the Kraken 2-1 on his ninth goal of the season on a 5-on-3 power play. Dunn got ahold of the puck after it bounced out when Jared McCann got denied and collected the puck again, passing it to Dunn, who fired on a slap shot from the point that deflected off Noel Acciari, and into the top right corner.
Eeli Tolvanen pushed it to 3-1 after Jared McCann found him from the left corner, sending him a cross-slot pass for his 12th goal of the season at 14:54 of the third. From the right circle, Tolvanen fired a one-timer past Joel Blomqvist’s glove. With 6:54 remaining in regulation, Matty Beniers, off a 2-on-1 rush, put a one-timer in an open net at the right circle behind Blomqvist off of Kaapo Kakko’s feed for the 4-1 final. This had been Beniers’ 11th goal of the season.
Kevin Hayes on the game overall: “We’re giving up easy offense and a lot of mistakes are ending up in the back of the net. And we’re not scoring on our chances, too. Everyone’s working hard. Everyone in this room wants to win. It’s frustrating, these last couple of losses that we’ve had.”
Boko Imama on being called up and when he had been trying to decide where to sign/P.O Joseph: “It was great, and obviously a little bit unexpected as we were on the road already with (Wilkes-Barre) Scranton. But, it’s always nice to be called up,” – “We were talking in the summer when I was a free agent. I had a few other teams, too, calling. I always knew the Penguins were really A-class. With the help from P.O, I just knew, and I knew it was a great fit… So, so far so good. I can’t really complain whether I’m in Wilkes or up here. It’s been a great experience.”
Game Notes:
– Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang came together on the same goal for the 307th time, which makes them pass Phil Esposito and Bobby Orr (306x) for the second-highest total in NHL history by a forward-defenseman combo. They only trail Wayne Gretzky and Paul Coffey, who are at 350.
– Evgeni Malkin sustained a lower-body injury in the first period after a collision, and he played one more shift before leaving the game to not make a return to the lineup. …Mike Sullivan had no updates on Malkin.
– Joel Blomqvist made a total of 21 saves for Pittsburgh.
– The Penguins have lost three of their past four games.
– Pens: 20-23-8, Kraken: 22-25-3
– Joey Daccord made a total of 28 saves for Seattle. …He has won five of his past seven starts for the Seattle Kraken after losing four straight.
– Chandler Stephenson and Jared McCann both gathered two assists.
– The Seattle Kraken have won three of their past four games.
ITR 30: Down The Stretch – Inside The Rink
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