Final Buzzer: Stopped Short

In another tightly-contested game between two teams with playoff aspirations, both the Kraken and defending Stanley Cup champion Colorado each earned a standings point before the Avalanche won it in a shootout.
No Kraken player or coach was happy with the shootout defeat but Dave Hakstol was quick to point his squad is 9-2-1 in January.
"We were in the battle for 65-plus plus minutes," said Hakstol to the post-game media scrum. "Obviously, it's disappointing when you don't win... but our effort, our work level, and battle was good throughout the hockey game."
"The game was a little bit of a back-and-forth game and we're in the fight so how can a game like this prepare you guys for a playoff run down the stretch? Just know we've talked about these games? Yeah, we've been in these games ... in the third period both teams were scratching and clawing."

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With the score knotted at one goal apiece, the third period was tense and intense. Both squads had their chances while goalies Philipp Grubauer and Pavel Francouz traded big saves while fans inhaled and exhaled the best they could. Colorado benefitted from a Kraken scoring sequence stunted by a goalpost with just over two minutes left. Seattle fans no doubt felt a little nervous when an icing call put the puck in the Kraken zone with 40 seconds remaining, but it was just another dip in this rollercoaster of a night.
Overtime featured a huge save by Grubauer on smooth-skating Avalanche defenseman Samuel Girard. Before that, Kraken forward Oliver Bjorkstrand made an outstanding defensive play on MacKinnon to help push this nail-biter to a shootout.
"Grubi was good tonight," said Hakstol. I don't know exactly what the [scoring] chances for and against [23-21 in favor of the Kraken]. I'm guessing they're going to be pretty even in terms of the quality scoring chances [10 Grade-A chances for Seattle and nine for Colorado]."
In the shootout, Nathan MacKinnon scored the only goal on Colorado's second attempt. Ryan Donato, the lone Seattle goal scorer in regulation, missed on Seattle's opening attempt and then Jordan Eberle and Daniel Sprong were also thwarted by goaltender Pavel Francouz.
The Kraken are now 27-14-5 for 59 standings points, one behind Vegas in the Pacific Division with a game in hand. Seattle now gets some rest after 14 games in 25 days. After a light-hearted Super Skills Challenge Sunday at 2 p.m. ($15 tickets still available), the Kraken will have an off-day Monday and a recently-rare full practice Tuesday. Vancouver comes to town Wednesday.

Donato Still Scorching

Ryan Donato's hot hand continued for the home squad when he jumped on the ice to start a shift mid-second period just over a minute after Colorado third-line center Alex Newhook opened the scoring here at Climate Pledge Arena. Donato skated right into a loose puck and with a shooting mentality to be admired, whipped his shot past Avalanche goalie Pavel Francouz to make it 1-1. It was Donato's 11th goal of the year and his fourth point (three goals, one primary assist) in the last two games.

The middle period finished with the same 1-1 score but not without a scare for the high-decibel Kraken fans. With 7:15 left in the frame, former University of Minnesota star Ben Meyers nearly scored the go-ahead goal when his near-net shot leaked through Philipp Grubauer's pads and slid toward the goal line. Kraken alternate captain Adam Larsson was there for a backhanded sweep and save before the puck could deflate the crowd. It was no doubt Larsson's best official blocked shot of the night and maybe the season.
Kraken alternate captain Adam Larsson went for a backhanded sweep and save before the puck could deflate the crowd. It was no doubt Larsson's best official blocked shot of the night and maybe the season. Larsson admitted he didn't know if the puck was bouncing, skidding, or up in the air, just that he was in the right place at the right time.
Overall, Larsson called the game intensity "fun" both to post-game reporters and when talking to ROOT SPORTS' Piper Shaw at the first intermission. For his part, Grubauer offered a smile and said "I am always happy for the help" about what effectively was Larsson saving the standings point.

Kraken's Quick Start

Seattle fired the first six shots of the game inside the opening minute and a half. Then hot Colorado scorer Mikko Rantanen was whistled off for slashing. The SEA power play generated just one shot on goal.
By the 12th minute, shots were even 7-7. In fact, the visiting Avalanche reeled off 10 straight shots before Seattle registered its eighth shot.
Grubauer was stellar in the first period, especially during two Colorado power plays featuring the dangerous duo of Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen. But he was leaving some rebound chances that his teammates such as Brandon Tanev were expertly clearing from danger. The PK unit was a strong point and prospered despite Yanni Gourde, penalty-killer extraordinaire, going to the box for goaltender interference mid-period. Jamie Oleksiak was particularly strong in both shorthanded situations.

Burakovsky Scratch Shakes Up Lines

Andre Burakovsky and Alexander Wennberg were not on the ice for Saturday's morning skate. When asked by the media if it was strictly for "maintenance," coach Dave Hakstol said one of the two would not be playing against Colorado. Both Kraken forwards were dressed in the Lunar New Year warmup jerseys along with all teammates sporting the gorgeous Jade Rabbit-inspired "S" logo on the front. But Burakovsky, Thursday's overtime hero, did not come out for the game against his former teammates with whom he won the Stanley Cup last June.
The Kraken coaching staff adjusted with fourth-liner and 15-goal scorer Daniel Sprong moving up to the first line with center Matty Beniers and right-wing Jordan Eberle. The trio looked in sync in the opening minutes, with Sprong getting two good looks on their first shift.
John Hayden, called up from American Hockey League affiliate Coachella Valley earlier this week, filled the fourth-line opening and playing alongside Morgan Geekie and Brandon Tanev.
Hayden only played 52 seconds in the first period due to eight minutes of penalty situations. But Hakstol credited the NHL veteran with several "momentum-building shifts" in the middle period. As expected when signed by GM Ron Francis, Hayden blocked shots and notched a couple of quality scoring chances. It's the type of depth-player performance the Kraken will need as the playoff race ramps up with each game played this month and after the upcoming All-Star break.