The San Jose Sharks visited the Seattle Kraken on Thursday Jan. 30, in their third matchup of the season – the Sharks won the first two, defeating the Kraken 8-5 on Nov. 29, and 4-2 on Nov. 30. Without the pressure of a back-to-back, the Kraken were able to get into the win column with a 6-2 score.
Daccord Proved He is the Kraken’s Best Goaltending Option
Joey Daccord played his 34th game of the season on Thursday, recording his 18th win and stopping 26 shots for a save percentage of .929%.
Related: Kraken Place Goaltender Philipp Grubauer On Waivers
Management knew they needed to make goaltending changes. Philipp Grubauer cleared waivers this week and is expected to join the American Hockey League’s Coachella Valley Firebirds, so it’s now Daccord’s net to maintain. He has been the Kraken’s starter this season and has performed well. Ales Stezka was recently called up from Coachella Valley to back up Daccord, but he has yet to hit NHL ice.
Schwartz Continues to Add Points to His Tally
Jaden Schwartz has stepped up this season. Last night’s breakaway goal showed why he is one of the Kraken’s best scoring options.
After serving a tripping penalty, Schwartz jumped out of the box, received a pass from Jamie Oleksiak and outskated Tyler Toffoli, who tried to pressure him. He went straight for the net and ripped a shot, scoring Seattle’s fourth goal of the night.
Schwartz leads the Kraken with 18 goals and ranks fifth with 17 assists. His 35 points are close to his career high. In 2022-23, he scored 40 points via 21 goals and 19 assists in 71 games. In 53 games this season, he is just five points away from reaching this benchmark.
Schwartz ranks third on the team in points, behind Chandler Stephenson with 38 points and Jared McCann in the top spot with 40 points. In the 2022-23 season, Schwartz was ranked eighth on the Kraken in points, and last season, he also ranked eighth with 30 points via 13 goals and 17 assists. He has stepped up his performance this season, proving he deserves to be in that top three spot.
Kraken Played Better
The Kraken outplayed the Sharks on Thursday night. They won 61.4% of the face-offs and minimized the Sharks’ chances with the puck. They also had 33 shots on net, versus the Sharks’ 28. The Kraken had the better opportunities throughout the game, scoring three goals on three consecutive shots in the second period.
Both teams had two power-play opportunities, but only Seattle capitalized thanks to Brandon Montour’s goal during a 5-on-3. Jared McCann was in a face-off circle by the goal, but there was traffic in front. He saw Montour was clear on the other side and sent him a pass. The second the puck hit his stick, he took the shot to earn the Kraken their fifth goal of the night.
Last night, the Kraken gave a full team effort. Ten different players earned at least one point and four earned multiple points. Montour recorded two goals while Chandler Stephenson recorded a goal and two assists. Finally, both Eeli Tolvanen and Oliver Bjorkstand earned a goal and an assist each. San Jose made desperate, sloppy plays throughout the game, while Seattle took more calculated chances.
Will Kraken Go on a Win Streak?
After a three-game losing streak, this was the effort the Kraken needed to get back on track. They host the Calgary Flames on Sunday, Feb. 2, the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday, Feb. 4, and the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday, Feb. 6, in a three-game homestand next week.
