Special Teams Woes Doom Kraken Against Oilers in 9-4 Blowout Defeat

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Seattle Kraken defenseman Vince Dunn (29) battles with Edmonton Oilers left winger Andrew Mangiapane (88) during the third period at Rogers Place. Mandatory Credit: Walter Tychnowicz-Imagn Images [/caption]

The Seattle Kraken made history against the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday. Just not the kind they would want to write home about.

Their 9-4 loss at Rogers Place marked the most goals the Kraken allowed in a single game in their four-plus year franchise history. As one would expect with that type of score line, Oilers stars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl led the way with four-point nights, with McDavid notching his 13th NHL hat trick.

Despite Edmonton jumping out to a 3-0 lead in the first period — and the lopsided end result — Seattle was not immediately down and out. Goals from Eeli Tolvanen at 16:07 of the first period and Freddy Gaudreau with 27 seconds left in the frame put the Kraken within one goal after 20 minutes.

In fact, for such an offensively challenged team, Seattle pulled its weight at even strength. On top of putting 32 total shots on goal, which is their second-highest output of the season, the Kraken outshot the Oilers 27-22 at 5-on-5, and out-chanced them 29-22, according to Natural Stat Trick.

So how did a 3-2 deficit with 40 minutes left to play and a solid offensive output spiral into a 9-4 loss? The answer, in large part, was special teams.

The Oilers went 4-for-5 on the power play, while Seattle finished 0-for-3. Not only that, but given the chance to tie the game up on the man advantage early in the second period, the Kraken instead allowed a short-handed goal from Matt Savoie, increasing Edmonton’s lead to 4-2 at 2:28.

“The irony of the whole situation is I thought that was one of our best offensive zone games of the year,” Kraken coach Lane Lambert told reporters in Edmonton after the game. “We threw 70-some pucks at the net. We had plenty of opportunities to score. … 

“We can’t give up nine goals. I mean, it’s just– we can’t give up four power-play goals. Even though it’s McDavid, whatever. But not good enough.”

Just as the Kraken settled into some of the offensive habits they’ve been looking for all season, the defense and goaltending – which had been holding the team above water and helping to steal points in the standings all year long – fell by the wayside.

Joey Daccord (nine saves) was yanked following McDavid’s second goal, a power-play strike to give Edmonton a 5-2 lead at 6:14 of the second period. Philipp Grubauer, who has been having somewhat of a resurgent season in a limited role, wasn’t much better, allowing four goals on 18 shots in relief.

Lambert acknowledged that Thursday was a bad night for the goaltenders, but the defense in front of them didn’t provide much help.

“They’re that type of team that they will capitalize on their chances,” Gaudreau told reporters in Edmonton after the game. “And if you give them too many, they will find a way. So I think we did exactly that. We gave them too many.” 

It’s reasonable enough to write off the goaltending performance as an off-night, and perhaps the same can be said for the lapse in defensive details. However, far more concerning is the way the special teams have trended before reaching a new low on Thursday.

Seattle is 0-for-17 on the power play across their past five games. Their opponents are 7-for-14 in that same span, including 6-for-7 in the last two games. No matter how many chances the offense is creating at even-strength, no team can overcome that type of disparity on special teams.

Those numbers should certainly regress to the mean from both ends, but it’s a major issue the team must find an answer for as they slip down the tightly packed standings amid this four-game skid.

“Just feels like we go one way or the other,” Jared McCann said. “We’re either really dialed in defensively and not scoring goals, or we’re giving up six, seven goals and then getting our own as well, right? So it’s frustrating. We got to dial it in here. We got to be better leaders for our team, and I think it starts with me (and fellow captains Matty Beniers and Jordan Eberle).”