Daccord has 1st shutout in Winter Classic history, Kraken top Golden Knights

SEATTLE -- Joey Daccord capped a memorable day in the Emerald City with a historic perfect game.

Daccord made 35 saves, Eeli Tolvanen had a goal and an assist, and Will Borgen and Yanni Gourde scored in the Seattle Kraken's 3-0 win against the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2024 Discover NHL Winter Classic at T-Mobile Park on Monday.

It's the first shutout in the 15-game history of the Winter Classic.

"Today is just a special day for everybody," Daccord said. "For our team, for the city, for hockey, today was an incredible day and just so grateful to be a part of it. … It was something I'll never forget and probably one of the coolest days of my life."

It's the fifth shutout in NHL outdoor game history that spans 39 games and first since Dec. 16, 2017, when the Ottawa Senators won 3-0 against the Montreal Canadiens in the NHL100 Classic at Lansdowne Park in Ottawa.

Daccord's perfecto happened in front of 47,313 people packed into the home ballpark of Major League Baseball's Seattle Mariners, all celebrating and showcasing the rise of hockey in their market in a party-like atmosphere on a day made for outdoor hockey.

Partly overcast, no rain, the retractable roof open, 46.1 degrees Fahrenheit at puck drop.

"You really know this city is a hockey town now," Gourde said. "It's amazing."

The Kraken (15-14-9) have ignited the market by winning five games in a row to improve to 7-0-2 in their past nine games, setting a team record for most consecutive games with a point. They are over .500 for the first time this season.

Daccord, who moved into the No. 1 role after Philipp Grubauer sustained a lower-body injury Dec. 10, has won four straight starts and is 6-0-2 with two shutouts in eight starts since Dec. 12, establishing a team record for longest point streak by a goalie (Martin Jones, seven games, Jan. 1-14, 2023).

He left the ice to fans in the sold-out crowd chanting, "Joey, Joey, Joey."

"It's truly the coolest thing in the world to have that," Daccord said. "I think Yanni and I can both say we have the best fans in the world and it was so much fun hearing that."

Logan Thompson made 24 saves for the Golden Knights (22-11-5), who have lost five of their past six games, all in regulation.

"Yesterday with the family and stuff, obviously, that was super nice, but you'll always remember that game as a loser," Vegas forward Jonathan Marchessault said. "So, it's really disappointing for our group."

The Kraken struck early with Tolvanen authoring a 1-0 lead at 4:50 of the first period, scoring with a netfront stick deflection of Vince Dunn's shot from the point.

"Didn't have to chase the game," Seattle coach Dave Hakstol said. "That's a good place to start."

Tolvanen had a hand in Borgen's goal that gave Seattle a 2-0 lead at 2:19 of the second period.

His shot from the point was deflected in front by Tye Kartye. Thompson made the save, but the rebound came to the top of the right circle, where Borgen walked into a slap shot that hit off the goalie's blocker and went in.

"I thought we'd be better, to be honest with you," Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy said. "When we kind of got going, it was 2-0. We just didn't have the urgency required early on. By the time we got to it, we're chasing it, which has happened to us lately."

The Golden Knights felt they were starting to push late in the second, but it didn't carry over.

Gourde gave Seattle a 3-0 lead at 2:10 of the third. He stole the puck from Paul Cotter, lost it, but stayed with the play to knock it into the net after it got loose in the blue paint off Thompson's right pad.

"If you want to come back and win the hockey game in the third period, you can't give up a goal like that early or at all probably, to honest with you," Cassidy said. "In that situation, if we can win the first six or eight minutes and generate some offense, get a goal, you're in the game. But then it gets tough."

Daccord made 10 saves in each of the first two periods before finishing the game with 15 in the third, including a highlight-reel glove save on Jack Eichel with 2:13 remaining that he said might go down as the specific moment that he will remember the most.

"I honestly felt like I was out on my buddy's backyard rink, it was so cool," Daccord said. "It was just a really special [day] for our whole group and our whole city."

NOTES: It was the first outdoor game for the Kraken and second for the Golden Knights, who also played in the 2021 NHL Outdoors at Lake Tahoe on Feb. 21, 2021. … Tolvanen's goal was his 26th in 86 games with the Kraken since making his debut with the team on Jan. 1, 2023. … Borgen's goal was his first of the season and first in a regular-season game since April 3, 2023. He scored one goal in the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season. … The Kraken are the third team with a shutout win in its outdoor game debut, joining the Anaheim Ducks (3-0 against the Los Angeles Kings in the 2014 Stadium Series at Dodger Stadium) and Calgary Flames (4-0 in the 2011 Heritage Classic against the Montreal Canadiens at McMahon Stadium).