On Nov. 20, the Seattle Kraken hosted the Nashville Predators for the last game of their six-game homestand. The Kraken were able to take the win, in a 3-0 shutout victory. The win was a momentous one, as this marked Seattle’s first shutout in the 2024-25 regular season.
Joey Daccord Masterclass in Goaltending
When you look at a shutout victory, the first player that should come to mind is the goalie. Thankfully, Joey Daccord managed to keep the Kraken alive all game with a total of 24 saves.
While the defensive lines also held back some of the shots the Predators took, it is the goalie who is the final line of defense. Although one goal did go into the net, it was quickly disallowed due to a kicking motion by Tommy Novak.
Yes, Daccord allowed this one goal into the net. However, in the end, it did not matter, since the saves he made outweighed this one, as well as the goal being taken off the scoreboard. Whatever way you want to spin it, he had an excellent night in net, and the final score definitely reflected that.
Chandler Stephenson Has Eyes in the Back of His Head
Two of the three goals were assisted by Chandler Stephenson, and rightfully so. He made two excellent passes, which helped both Daniel Sprong and Brandon Montour earn their two goals last night.
Related: 2024-25 Seattle Kraken Showing Early Improvements Over Last Season’s Team
Stephenson and Sprong were both at the front of the net for the first goal. While Montour passed the puck to Stephenson, Juuse Saros saw this pass and was able to anticipate a shot from Stephenson. However, with a quick look to his left, he was able to see that Sprong was open at the other side of the net. This quick pass earned the Kraken the first goal of the night, and his quick thinking did not stop there.
Off the opening faceoff in the third period, Stephenson was able to steal the puck away from the Predators. With a strong breakaway to the net, he had three opposing players surrounding him. Opposing players on nearly all sides, his shot attempt would most likely be futile. In taking another quick look on the ice, he saw Montour alone on the other side of the net. With another expert pass, Stephenson was able to help Montour score his fifth of the season.
He even helped Yanni Gourde earn his empty net goal. Stephenson took the puck away from the Predators, helping Jaden Schwartz gain the puck and pass it to Gourde, who scored on the breakaway.
Stephenson hasn’t been the best playmaker on the Kraken this season. With only one goal and nine assists before this game, the long contract he received during the offseason was a little questionable. After last night’s performance, earning three assists on all three goals, his playmaker status is beginning to shine through.
Kraken Finally Hold Better Puck Possession
Although the Predators had a better faceoff percentage, 55% to the Kraken’s 45%, the overall puck possession of Seattle was outstanding during this game. They outshot Nashville 36-24. While the Predators had several more shot attempts, the Kraken’s defense blocked 28 of those, compared to the Predators only having 13 blocked shots. On top of this, they had nine takeaways, while Nashville only had one.
While the Predators had 52 shot attempts, it was Seattle that was able to find the back of the net off of their 49 shots. When the Kraken did shoot the puck, the shot attempts had better foresight to find their way to the back of the net. Seattle clearly held the better puck possession here, and the final score showed it.
Next Steps
The Kraken look to pick up two more points when they play against the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday, Nov. 23. This will be their first game back on the road after almost two full weeks at home.
