COLUMBUS, Ohio – There was a moment during this third consecutive loss when the Kraken finally looked ready to challenge for a playoff spot still dangling out there for them with tempting proximity.
They’d scored late it the first period and midway through the second to cut what had been a three-goal deficit down to just one with half a hockey game to go. But as has often happened since the Winter Olympics break, this 5-2 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets quicky turned barely a minute after the second Kraken goal when they gave up an odd man rush and saw Kent Johnson score to again put the home team up by two.
And while the Kraken had their chances from there, they never could quite get back in this game. Cole Sillinger scored on an empty net in the closing minutes with Daccord pulled for an extra attacker to help hand the Kraken their ninth loss in 13 contests since the break ended. They were held to just 17 shots by Columbus and have scored only five goals their last three games.
Columbus, meanwhile, extended its points streak to 12 games at 8-0-4, riding the NHL’s hottest stretch from mediocrity into a top-three playoff position in the Metropolitan Division. Danton Heinen, Damon Severson and Mathieu Olivier all scored first period goals on Joey Daccord to put the Blue Jackets up three before Vince Dunn got the Kraken on the board by firing a slap shot past Elvis Merzlikins.
Kaapo Kakko then scored with a short side snapper eight minutes into the middle frame before Johnson’s goal for Columbus quickly negated that.
The Kraken had hoped to get an offensive boost with the lineup return of Eeli Tolvanen on Saturday. But no sooner was he activated than the Kraken scratched Jared McCann after the pregame warmup with a lower body injury.
Considering how quickly their losses have piled up, the Kraken have managed to remain remarkably close in the playoff hunt due to the struggles of their immediate competition. While the Nashville Predators won on Saturday to take over sole possession of the eighth and final Western Conference playoff spot two points up on the Kraken, the Los Angeles Kings remained only one point ahead of them and the San Jose Sharks stayed one behind after both going down to defeat.
What’s really starting to look like a missed Kraken opportunity is the inability to gain ground in the Pacific Division race. The Vegas Golden Knights lost their third in a row Saturday to remain just five points up on the Kraken in third place with an extra game played.
Finishing third in the division would guarantee the Kraken a playoff spot regardless of conference standing and mean they would not have to face one of the three Central Division behemoth teams – Colorado, Dallas or Minnesota – in the opening playoff round.
But the Kraken first need to make the playoffs. And that’s going to take more victories than they’ve generated lately, regardless of what other teams are doing all around them in the standings.
