Final Buzzer: 'New' Goals on the Block

• New guys rule: Kraken opens scoring with power-play goal on one-timer shot from Daniel Sprong (acquired at trade deadline) with primary assist on puck-on-tape pass from Victor Rask (acquired at trade deadline).
• After two quick strikes from Senators, rookie-who's-not-playing-like-a-rookie Matty Beniers (can you believe it?) ties it 2-2, deflecting an Adam Larsson shot. More new-guy heroics late second period on No. 1 star Rask's score to make it 3-2 at second intermission.
• In a game that Seattle controlled and deserved to win (the final shots on goal total was 29-14 in favor of the home squad), leading goal scorer Jared McCann notches empty-netter to make it 4-2 final.

On a night when Kraken rookie Matty Beniers scored his second goal in as many games at Climate Pledge Arena, some other Seattle newcomers helped push this meeting with the Senators toward the win column. After Victor Rask set up Daniel Sprong for the game's first score on an impressive shot, Rask showed off his marksmanship late second period to provide what turned out to be Monday's game-winning goal.
"We were a step ahead of them all night," said a relaxed Kraken coach Dave Hakstol meeting the media post-game. "We were quicker and played with physicality in our game."
Hakstol was pleased with his squad pushing back after two Kraken miscues turned into two Ottawa goals in two minutes early in the second period.
"We did a good job pushing back after that," Hakstol said. "The Beniers goal was a good goal to get there."
When asked, even with a small sample size of three NHL games, has Hakstol observed growth in Beniers' game at this level, Hakstol was clear about his approval of the rookie's start: "Matty has been comfortable since his first shift [last Tuesday in Calgary]."
In fact, it's reasonable to assume some Kraken fans here on another noisy, fun night didn't realize Beniers was credited with his middle-period goal that tied the game at 2-2. That's because defenseman Adam Larsson's hard shot was redirected by the former University of Michigan star deftly and somewhat silently with a quick stick-blade move in the "high slot" 20 feet from the net.
Veteran Jordan Eberle knew right away and skated over to congratulate his new linemate. Beniers realized it, too, heading to the bench for the customary glove-bumping with teammates. The roar of the crowd was high decibels in either case, along with big cheers for Beniers when he was announced as the goal scorer.

Powering Up with the New Veteran Guys

Yanni Gourde was questioned before the game if Seattle's recent low ebb on the power play was more about lack of opportunities or struggles to finish scoring chances during man-advantage situations.
Gourde's answer: A bit of both. Seattle ended a nine-game power play drought on Beniers' second-period score Saturday night in the thrilling overtime win. The Kraken followed with a power-play goal early first period Monday when two players GM Ron Francis acquired at the trade deadline, Rask and Sprong, teamed up to make it 1-0 and the only dent on Ottawa goalie Anton Forsberg's 10-save first period.

Rask took a pass from Vince Dunn (one of three assists Monday, making him tops on the team with 27). The former Minnesota Wild forward showed his evident patience with the puck, waiting several beats before sending a crisp cross-ice pass to Sprong, who one-timed it for a goal and the lead.
"Last game we scored with Matty and wanted to get to a good start tonight," said Sprong, referring to a four-minute penalty call on Ottawa early in the game. He scored on his elite one-timer from a familiar spot, top of the left faceoff circle, to both the Kraken forwards and hockey fans around the globe.
"I watched the greatest scorer of all time the last two years from that spot [former Washington Capitals teammate Alex Ovechkin, who btw has 48 goals this season]," offered Sprong without prompting. "I learned a lot from him. He was really good to me, he talked to me... I picked up a lot of things."
Those things: "The way goalies move, where [Ovechkin] wanted to put his shot depending on the goalie and situation, places to open up his stance and get the shot off."
Late second period, Rask beat Forsberg short side, upper left corner on a missile of a shot after taking a feed from linemate Joonas Donskoi. These two are making Francis look even smarter at the trade table. When the main storyline on the March 21 deadline was accumulating draft choices (including a first-rounder and four second-rounders this summer), the two players he picked up in trades have scored seven goals between them in less than a month.
Rask has three goals and three assists in 10 games with the Kraken. Sprong has scored four goals in 10 games. Rask looked like he was feeling it during the second and third period, especially after his goal.
"I was getting a lot of touches," he said. "The more you touch the puck, the more confident you can be."

The Rookie New Guy Update

Ok, let's all acknowledge a three-game sample is not a data scientist's dream, but can we agree Beniers has an early knack for second-period goals.
While the goal is most notable, it was the third straight game of Beniers showing offensive flair (three shots on goal, speed in the neutral ice, winning pucks back in the Senators' end to extend offensive zone possession leading to chances for linemates Eblerle and Ryan Donato). On the defensive ledger, Beniers continues to disrupt opponents with the puck in all three zones and earn trust from the SEA coaches as evidenced by having top-three time on ice along with veteran forwards Eberle and McCann. He finished second (seven seconds left) only to Eberle among Kraken forwards, including getting extra half-shifts in the defensive zone when Seattle was holding to the late one-goal margin.