A four-goal second period sent the Kraken sailing past the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday night at United Center. Center Shane Wright found the net twice, defenseman Adam Larsson factored in on three scoring plays (one goal, two assists) and Seattle won, 6-2.
A power-play shot — intended as a pass, probably, to former Kraken forward Ryan Donato — from Blackhawks phenom Connor Bedard deflected off Kraken defenseman Larsson’s stick and sailed over the blocker of goaltender Joey Daccord to make it 1-0 Chicago. Before long it was 2-0.
The game had, as coach Dan Bylsma put it, “not a great feel to it” from the Kraken perspective. Seattle was able to reverse course.
“The first five, six, seven minutes, we were stuck in mud, a little bit,” Bylsma said. “There were some bounces, certainly, that contributed to that. But Chicago came pretty hard. We had to weather the storm.”
Larsson made it right later in the first period. Thirty-one seconds after Tyler Bertuzzi bumped the home team’s lead to 2-0, Larsson moved toward the slot and rammed home a centering pass from Matty Beniers.
Early in the second period, the Blackhawks made their case that an apparent Daccord stop actually crossed the goal line, but failed to find a replay that supported the cause and reversed the call on the ice. A minute later, Kraken captain Jordan Eberle tied the game on a pass from Chandler Stephenson. Teammate Jared McCann scored again 26 seconds after that on a stunner of snap shot. It landed just inside the far post and was McCann’s 17th goal of the season.
The Kraken were buzzing. Larsson returned the favor for his own setup man, Beniers, sending a cross-ice pass the center’s way for another goal and a 4-2 lead.
“He was so confident tonight,” Beniers said of Larsson. “The first goal, he makes a great read jumping by that guy, gets himself open. He was awesome all night.
“That’s when we’re at our best, when our D are jumping into the play, making plays and getting active.
Center Wright, 21, wrapped up the second-period scoring. He followed up on multiple whacks from Mikey Eyssimont, his winger on the fourth line. Wright was able to get the puck through newly acquired Chicago goaltender Spencer Knight (24 saves) on the third chop.
Wright scored his second, and 17th of the season, off a slap shot seven minutes into the third period. Larsson assisted on that one, too, for the stay-at-home defenseman’s fourth three-point night of his career.
A few times per season, Larsson has a night like this, where he reminds everyone of his offensive chops.
“When he’s dancing like that, it’s fun to watch,” Wright said.
“We’ll let him do it tomorrow night, too,” Bylsma joked.
Chicago native John Hayden, re-entering the lineup in place of Tye Kartye, dropped the gloves and fought Patrick Maroon right off the opening faceoff. Maroon got more swings in and Hayden lost his balance briefly before the two ultimately called it good and let the officials break it up.
Daccord finished with 26 saves. The Kraken’s four-game road trip continues in Minnesota on Wednesday night, followed by stops in Edmonton and Calgary.
