BY EMMANUEL OGBONNA
Jordan Eberle scored twice and added an assist as the Seattle Kraken defeated the Vancouver Canucks 5-1 on Saturday night, snapping a brief skid and deepening Vancouver’s recent struggles.
Seattle entered the matchup seeking momentum after dropping two consecutive games in which it was outscored 9-2 following the Olympic break. The Kraken responded with a disciplined, opportunistic performance, controlling pace early and capitalizing on defensive lapses by the Canucks.
Vince Dunn opened the scoring at 7:36 of the first period, marking his 600th career NHL game in style. Stationed at the top of the left circle, Dunn fired a clean wrist shot through traffic that beat goaltender Kevin Lankinen and gave Seattle a 1-0 lead.
Chandler Stephenson extended the advantage later in the period, finishing a rebound opportunity with 9:40 remaining in the opening frame. Adam Larsson collected his 200th career assist on the play, feeding the puck toward the net where Stephenson was positioned to capitalize. The early two-goal cushion allowed Seattle to dictate matchups and maintain pressure in the offensive zone.
Vancouver, which has now lost five straight, showed signs of life midway through the second period. Rookie Liam Ohgren cut the deficit to 2-1 at 8:28 with a hard slap shot that beat Joey Daccord cleanly. The goal briefly shifted momentum and injected urgency into the Canucks’ bench.
But Eberle quickly restored control for Seattle. With 6:13 remaining in the second period, he outskated his defender on a breakaway and finished with a composed backhand, recording his team-leading 21st goal of the season. The tally pushed the score to 3-1 and blunted Vancouver’s attempt at a comeback.
Daccord remained steady in net, turning aside 27 shots. His positioning and rebound control frustrated the Canucks during several extended shifts in the offensive zone, particularly in the third period when Vancouver pressed to narrow the gap.
Seattle added insurance on a power play with 8:04 remaining in regulation. Initially credited to Eberle — prompting speculation of his second career hat trick — video review later determined that Matty Beniers’ skate redirected the puck before it crossed the goal line. The scoring change awarded Beniers his power-play goal and extended the Kraken’s lead to 4-1.
Eberle would not be denied a second marker, however. He sealed the victory with an empty-net goal in the final three minutes, finishing the night with two goals and an assist in a commanding offensive display.
For Vancouver, Lankinen made 20 saves but continued a difficult stretch, having surrendered 15 goals across his last three starts. Defensive breakdowns and an inability to sustain offensive pressure compounded the team’s skid.
The win provided a much-needed boost for Seattle as it seeks consistency down the stretch. Balanced scoring, efficient special teams and reliable goaltending combined to produce one of the Kraken’s more complete efforts in recent weeks.
Vancouver will look to halt its slide when it hosts Dallas on Monday night, while Seattle remains at home to face Carolina in its next outing.
Original article
Comments