Final Buzzer: Rookie Goalie Stars for Arizona

The Kraken racked up 15 shots in the opening period Wednesday night, plus two resounding shots off the goal post. Those opportunities lost proved to be the wrong kind of differentiators as the visiting Arizona Coyotes and rookie goalie Karel Vejmelka shut down Seattle for a second time this season.

A late goal by Calle Jarnkrok, fueled by a quick-release leading pass from linemate Yanni Gourde, tightened the game late. But two unsuccessful empty-net setups for the Kraken during the last two minutes on the game clock resulted in a pair of Coyotes goals to make it a 5-2 final.
"In reality, all three goals came off our sticks, one on a [zone] entry and two on breakouts," Kraken coach Dave Hakstol said. "We weren't sharp with the puck ... but we're not making excuses."
"We had good looks. We generated enough looks. It's the other side of the game we have to control, especially getting up the ice with the puck."
The Kraken will have a chance to work on all sides of the game soon enough. They travel to Anaheim for a Friday divisional game.
Arizona's Phil Kessel scored early first period to snap a streak of 16 games without a goal. After getting robbed by Kraken goalie Philipp Grubauer on an opening-period scoring chance, Arizona forward Nick Schmaltz took a stretch pass from forward Alex Galchenyuk to beat Grubauer on a breakaway 15 minutes into the second period.
Vejmelka, who gave up five goals in Vancouver Tuesday night and was pulled after 59 seconds when he last faced the Kraken, proved to be the right choice in net by Arizona coach Andre Tourigny. The Czech-born goaltender finished the night with 34 saves, including a close-in highlight-reel save on Jordan Eberle in the second period and several impressive stops as the Kraken tried to first reduce the game to a one-goal margin (accomplished) then tie it. Only third-period goals by Colin Blackwell (his fifth of the year) and Jarnkrok (eighth) tarnished his night.
Blackwell's superb upper-corner shot beat Vejmelka on the glove side just 16 seconds into the third period, giving the crowd something to cheer and letting the authentic ferry horn blare. But any ideas about tying the game wilted in short order with a third Arizona goal 96 seconds later.
It was the 12th "response goal" this season in which the opponent scored within two minutes of a Kraken goal. FYI for fans: The Kraken have scored nine times this season within two minutes of an opponent scoring. This one hurt.
"It's frustrating, we seem to have a knack of that this year," Blackwell said. "We need to win faceoffs and get out of our zone."
With the game at 3-1, the Kraken were awarded a second power play of the game but couldn't cinch up the two-goal margin. The Kraken are now 1 of 29 on recent power plays.
"We had several good looks on the first power play," Hakstol said. "On the second one we started with the second power-play unit, didn't get a whole lot going ... We need one on the power play to give us a jumpstart."

Goalie Dueling

Vejmelka made several quality stops in the first period to keep a clean scoresheet. One standout save was on a Jarnkrok point-blank shot off a steal and feed by Gourde.
An early turnover resulting in a Kessel goal marred an otherwise solid opening period for the Kraken and goaltender Grubauer in the first game action after the All-Star break. Arizona, though losing 5-1, worked off any rust in Vancouver Tuesday night.
Grubauer stopped Arizona defenseman Jakob Chychrun on a breakaway mid-period to keep matters a one-goal game. The Kraken's No. 1 goalie was covering for teammate Vince Dunn, who fell in the neutral zone while transitioning back to defense, affording the breakaway to develop.
Grubauer added some close-in saves during chaos in front of his net to keep the one-goal margin. NaturalStatTrick.com calculated six of Arizona's shots in the first frame (including the goal) were Grade-A scoring chances. Grubauer faces six more in the second period.
In the end, this game and goalie duel belongs to Vejmelka, who now has seven of Arizona's 12 victories. He faced 36 Kraken shots on goal, including five more Grade-A chances in the third period after Blackwell scored the shutout breaker.
"We need to be better at getting in front of the net," Blackwell said. "We weren't getting enough traffic in front of their goalie."
"Give a lot of credit to their goalie," Jarnkrok said. "He had an outstanding night."

Kessel Connection

While his sister Amanda currently leads the USA women's team in scoring at the Beijing Olympics, brother Kessel scored his first goal in 17 games and sixth of the year off a steal and pass by Coyotes defenseman Janis Moser. The goal, four minutes into the contest, was the first shot on Grubauer.

Iron Men

Fourteen minutes into the first period, Mark Giordano fired one of his signature slapshots from his usual left-point positioning in the offensive zone. The puck clanged off the far post of Vejmelka, hitting iron so fast the puck ricocheted right back to the rookie goalie, who fell backward to cover and thwart any Kraken rebound attempt.
With two minutes left in the opening 20 minutes, Dunn hit the same post again, unloading a shot from the high slot via a pretty passing play by Jared McCann. More ohhhh's from the crowd. Even Dunn paused for a split-second, thinking he had tied up the game.