The Seattle Kraken headed to Tampa Bay to face off against the Lightning in the second half of a back-to-back on Sunday afternoon. They pulled out a 2-1 win against the Florida Panthers on Saturday but could not repeat their success against the Lightning, who won 4-1.
Stezka Gets His First NHL Start
Ales Stezka made his NHL debut against the Lightning, allowing three goals before an empty-net goal sealed the victory. He stopped 22 shots for a save percentage (SV%) of .864. He stopped all seven shots in the first period, but after he let in a shorthanded goal in the second period, it was all downhill from there
Related: Kraken Made the Right Choice by Calling Up Ales Stezka to Be Backup Goalie
The Kraken rank 28th in the NHL and this was a chance to start one of their Coachella Valley goalies to get them accustomed to the play style they will experience in the NHL. Both Stezka and Niklas Kokko have experience playing for the Firebirds, but not in the NHL. In order to prepare them for the National Hockey League, they will need to encounter it firsthand. The experience he received in this game is invaluable. Although he didn’t get a victory like the team might have wanted, he played in his first NHL game, and that’s something to be celebrated.
Stezka also has the honor of understanding head coach Dan Byslma’s play style better than anyone else. Unlike the majority of the Kraken team, Bylsma had Stezka under his wing during the Firebirds’ 2023-24 season. Under Byslma’s coaching, Stezka played in 27 games for the Firebirds and won 18 of them while posting a .914 SV%. His performance was not nearly as good Sunday as it was in the American Hockey League, but it all comes with practice.
Joey Daccord has been great in net this season, but Seattle can’t overplay him. He has been part of the team’s backbone this season and they can’t afford for him to get injured while they are already struggling with goaltending. They don’t have a chance at the playoffs, but it still would be nice to win some games.
Wright Made Sure it Wasn’t a Shutout
With five minutes left in the game, Shane Wright ensured the Kraken were not shut out. Josh Mahura passed the puck from the boards to Brandon Montour, who took the shot from the blue line. The puck deflected into the net off of Wright’s stick to get the Kraken were on the scoresheet.
Wright scored one goal on Feb. 8 before the 4 Nations Face-Off break against the Calgary Flames. Against the Panthers, he earned two assists. His goal yesterday marks his fourth point in the past three games and his 13th goal of the season. He is consistently showing that he deserves a spot in the NHL, even as a rookie.
Kraken Struggle in the Second Half of a Back-to-Back
The Kraken have had seven back-to-backs this season, and they’ve lost the second game in all of them. In three of the seven, they won the first game and lost the second, including this weekend’s win and loss in Florida. In their first back-to-back of the season, against the Ottawa Senators on Nov. 2 and Boston Bruins on Nov. 3, Seattle did not score a goal.
The Kraken have two more back-to-backs — on Mar. 18 and 19, they face the Chicago Blackhawks and Minnesota Wild and on Apr. 7 and 8, they face the Los Angeles Kings and the Utah Hockey Club. Seattle will look to end the back-to-back losing streak in one or both of these matchups.
Time For a Short Break
The Kraken have a travel day before they take on the St. Louis Blues at Enterprise Center on Tuesday, Feb. 25.
