SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - APRIL 03: Will Borgen #3 of the Seattle Kraken shoots and scores against Ivan Prosvetov #50 of the Arizona Coyotes during the second period at Climate Pledge Arena on April 03, 2023 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)Photo: Getty Images
The Seattle Kraken took another major step toward their first Stanley Cup Playoff berth in franchise history as Jared McCann scored twice in his 500th career game, Daniel Sprong collected a pair of assists, and the Kraken routed the Arizona Coyotes in an 8-1 victory on Monday night at Climate Pledge Arena.
Jordan Eberle, Carson Soucy, Will Borgen, Oliver Bjorkstrand, Morgan Geekie and Ryan Donato also scored for the Kraken, giving Philipp Grubauer a quiver of run support in a 20-save effort.
The Kraken, who will see the Coyotes two more times over the next six days, have their magic number reduced to six points to clinch a playoff spot, outright.
“We had to figure some things out, first half of the game,” said head coach Dave Hakstol.
“We got a little bit better as the game went along, and that allowed us to create a little more time and space.”
THREE TAKEAWAYS:
1. No doubter in this one. This was a game the Kraken should’ve had no problems winning. In the end, they had no problems. Facing an Arizona team that had the second worst shot differential in the league, the door was open to pounce on the Coyotes early. Getting a 2-0 lead in the first period went a long way, and even though Lawson Crouse gave the Coyotes a glimmer of hope on a second period goal, any potential rally was quickly put to bed when Carson Soucy restored the lead on a cross-seam pass laid perfectly by Daniel Sprong.
“The looks are there and we’re capitalizing on it,” said Sprong.
From there, the floodgates opened, as the Kraken hung eight goals on Ivan Prosvetov, a game after he let in seven against the Sharks. Kraken special teams littered the scoresheet: a pair of power play goals by Jordan Eberle and Morgan Geekie, a shorthanded goal by McCann, and a perfect 3-of-3 on the kill against the Coyotes.
2. Jared McCann wrote his own headline: And sometimes, the storylines just write themselves. “Mr. 500” had an extra gleam in his eye on Monday morning, ahead of his 500th career game.
Family gave him the energy to get here.
“My parents, getting up at six a.m. to go to work, and then get home at 3:30 to take me to practice, it takes a lot out of you,” said McCann. “I don’t know what that’s like. I can just imagine.”
McCann laid into a first period shot off the rush, then gained adequate space on a two-on-one in the second period to virtually put the game out of reach, marking his career-high 37th goal on the season. There are six games left to get to 40 goals. It’s likely he’ll reach that benchmark for the first time in his career.
3. “Well, we have our health” …: The only thing you’re cautious about in a blowout is fear of losing any player, especially a high-end forward or defenseman, to injury. The Coyotes lost complete interest in playing the game when the Kraken began to lap them in the third period, resulting in several scrums that put Ryan Donato, Daniel Sprong, and others into potential jeopardy.
The Coyotes, visibly frustrated with a score that exposed their shortcomings by a country mile, racked up 33 penalty minutes in the final 13:58 of the game including a fighting major and separate ten minute misconduct to Liam O’Brien (who tussled with Jamie Oleksiak), an unsportsmanlike conduct minor to Crouse, 14 minutes in separate penalties to Josh Brown, and another 10 minute infraction to Connor Mackey.
“I think it’s a stupid play,” said Sprong, who referenced Connor Mackey dangerously shoving him into the boards right after Donato buried a wrister past Prosvetov for an 8-1 lead.
Donato came back into the scrum to go after Mackie, acknowledged by Sprong who “owes him dinner,” and other scathing remarks for the Coyotes behavior.
“I understand I hit (Mackey) late in the second, (expletive) happens. But if he wants to come after me, he can hit me clean in a game. Don’t do it there, end of the game. But it’s been a long year for them. They just lost 8-1. If roles were reversed, I think we’d be pissed off too. But I don’t think it’s a time and place to do it.”
Rematch comes Thursday, 7pm (93.3 KJR-FM / Kraken Audio Network) at Climate Pledge Arena. In the meantime, the Kraken have their crosshairs fixated on a Tuesday night road showdown against the Vancouver Canucks, 7pm at Rogers Place.
KRAKEN LINEUP VS ARIZONA, 4/3:
McCann-Beniers-Eberle
Schwartz-Wennberg-Geekie
Tolvanen-Gourde-Bjorkstrand
Tanev-Donato-Sprong
Dunn-Larsson
Oleksiak-Borgen
Soucy-Schultz
Grubauer
Jones