Final Buzzer: Goalgetters

The Kraken have encountered a few scheduling quirks in the past month to say the least. It started on March 11th with 3 games in 10 days against Dallas, then back-to-back games in Nashville with an off day in between, and tonight the home team picked up two points in the first of 3 games in 7 days against Arizona.
For a franchise seeking its first-ever playoff berth in just it's second year of existence, these playoff-like logistical dress rehearsals are a good tune-up for what meets the Kraken in a potential seven-game series in two weeks' time.

Special teams shined in the first period with a power-play goal by Jordan Eberle and a shorthanded goal by Jared McCann in his 500th career game.
The Coyotes would respond early second period with a one-time goal by Lawson Crouse after a great cross-ice feed by Calder Trophy candidate Matias Maccelli for their only tally of the night.
The Kraken started to pile up goals with Carson Socuy and Jared McCann finding the back of the net to have the Kraken comfortably up 4-1 after two periods.
Dominance would continue through the 3rd period with Will Borgen, Oliver Bjorkstrand, Morgan Geekie, and Ryan Donato picking up goals as the Kraken skated to an 8-1 victory. Arizona would not go quietly though, ramping up their physical play late in the game.
With just under 30 seconds remaining in the contest, Ryan Donato and Daniel Sprong found themselves on a 2-on-1. Donato would whip a wrist shot by Prosvetov for the 8th and final goal of the night. After the goal, defenseman Connor Mackey sent Sprong into the end boards. Instead of celebrating the goal, Ryan Donato came to the aid of his teammate, igniting one of a few scrums in the final minutes of the game.

Asked about Donato's response, Sprong praised his teammate, "We're a really tight group in here. I think you guys have known that all year long and guys step up for each other - doesn't matter who it is. First guy in is stepping up for him. Donny scored a great goal there and stepped up for me so I'll get him a dinner."
The Kraken head to Vancouver for the second half of back-to-back games. Meanwhile, the Coyotes will rest in Seattle until Thursday when these two teams meet again.

Have A Night Jared McCann

Already well on his way to a career season with career-bests in goals, assists, and points, Jared McCann skated in his milestone 500th NHL game on Monday night.
Reflecting on what it took to get to 500, McCann was complimentary of his parents' sacrifice as a youth hockey player during media availability after Monday's morning skate. "My parents, obviously, getting up at 6 a.m. to go to work and then getting home at 3:30 and taking me to practice it takes a lot out of you. I don't know what that's like but I can just imagine."
Kraken fans at Climate Pledge Arena were thankful for the McCann's too on Monday night as Jared netted his team-leading 36th and 37th goals of the 2022-23 season.
McCann's second goal of the night was a complete play by number 19. With Coyotes center Travis Boyd fumbling the puck at the Kraken blueline, McCann pounced, stealing the puck and carrying it up ice in a 2-on-1 with Jordan Eberle. Using Eberle as a decoy, McCann toe-dragged defender Juuso Valimaki. While Valimaki didn't bite and got a stick on McCann's deke, goaltender Ivan Prosvetov fell for the move sliding to his left allowing McCann to recapture it and fire the puck into the opposite corner.

Soucy, Borgen End Goal Droughts

Defensemen like Carson Soucy and Will Borgen aren't expected to find the scoresheet all that often. After all, they're here to provide a steady defensive presence, reliability on the penalty kill, and some snarl when needed.
Both would find the scoresheet on Monday, ending significant goal droughts and displaying the all-important scoring depth that has the Kraken in the thick of the playoff hunt with under two weeks to go in the season.
Soucy would break his 42-game drought, accepting a cross-ice pass from Daniel Sprong and going five-hole on Prosvetov.

When asked about the play that ended his scoring drought, Soucy was complimentary of Sprong and the entire forward group. "It was a great pass. We work on that a lot, kind of coming down the weak side. Forwards, I think they did a great job tonight moving once they get the puck and finding us up top."
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Just over a minute into the 3rd period, Will Borgen would end his 62-game drought, positioning himself in the high slot to receive a pass from Alexander Wennberg who was battling two Coyotes in the corner. Borgen had all the time and space he needed to skate in and target a wrist shot over the right shoulder of Prosvetov.

Calder Trophy Race: Beniers vs. Maccelli

First-ever Kraken first-round pick Matty Beniers has been penciled in as the probable Calder Trophy winner for the better part of the 2022-23 season but as of late, Coyotes rookie Matias Maccelli has made himself a part of the conversation for the NHL's Rookie of the Year Award.
Since March 1st, the Finnish-born Maccelli has led all rookies in scoring with 6 goals and 9 assists for 15 points in 18 games. Meanwhile, Beniers has picked up 2 goals and 9 assists for 11 points over that span.
Beniers got on the board first in this contest, breaking up the Arizona powerplay's zone entry along the far wall and quickly taking it up ice. With Jared McCann trailing, Beniers tapped a drop pass back to McCann just inside the Coyotes' blueline and McCann beat Prosvetov with a quick wrist shot for his 3rd short-handed goal of the season.

Maccelli responded with a heads-up play of his own to help halve the Kraken lead 4:44 into the second period. Working along the far boards, the Coyotes rookie sent a cross-ice pass through sticks and bodies to a wide-open Lawson Crouse for a one-timer into a mostly empty net for his 35th assist of the season.

Burakovsky Skating With Team

There was a buzz at Kraken Community Iceplex this morning and it had little to do with Monday's meeting with the Arizona Coyotes. Andre Burakovsky, donning a red no-contact jersey, took part in morning skate for the first time since suffering a lower-body injury on February 7th against the New York Islanders.
Before his injury, Burakovsk led the team in total points (39) and power-play points (14) playing the majority of his minutes on a line with Jaden Schwartz and Alex Wennberg.
In his absence, the Kraken have gone 13-10-4 and have relied on a committee of players, most notably Jared McCann, Jordan Eberle, and Oliver Bjorkstrand, to step up and fill Burakovsky's offensive void.
When asked about what it meant to see Burakovsky back on the ice this morning Jared McCann was all smiles. "It's awesome, yeah. It's good to see him and we've missed his energy and we hope to have him back soon," said McCann.
There is no timetable for 'Burky's' return just yet but Hakstol called it, "another step in the right direction for him … I'm sure it's nice for him to be back out there and just happy to see him continue to progress."