Takeaways from a 6-1 preseason loss to Calgary

The preseason is often like a dress rehearsal for a big production. 

Rust is obvious. Mistakes will be made. Powers that be are often wired to yell “cut.” 

There’s no reset button in this sense, but the Seattle Kraken had plenty of reason to search for reasons to stop and start over, if they could. A defensively lagging first period helped the Calgary Flames score three times in the first 20 minutes and cruise, 6-1 over the Kraken on Sunday night at Climate Pledge Arena. 

“Play was a lot like my voice, as a result,” said new head coach Dan Bylsma, explaining the loss with a hoarse set of pipes. 

Calgary, who deployed a heavy load of hopefuls on a team many are projecting will be deep into a rebuilding project, got a three point night out of Matt Coronato. Adam Klepka scored twice. In net, familiar face to the Puget Sound area – former Everett Silvertip Dustin Wolf – looked unshakeable for much of the evening in a 33 save effort. 

The Kraken, who suited up six full time rostered skaters who were supplemented by a handful of Coachella Valley Firebirds and Canadian Hockey League prospects, got 15 saves from Philipp Grubauer in the first 40 minutes, before giving way to a scheduled relief appearance from Ales Stezka, who allowed a pair of goals on eight shots. 

Three takeaways from the preseason opening defeat: 

1.        Calgary brought a physical battle. 

Two realities faced these two teams on Sunday: one is very settled into their lineup, while undergoing a transformation with a coaching change. The other has a cacophony of jobs up for grabs, opening the door for dreams that spell players one step away, previously from the American Hockey League. 

The latter was Calgary, and they played like it. By forcing their way to the inside, they infiltrated the Kraken interior defense for all three goals in the first 20 minutes. They led in hits, 52-26. Artem Grushnikov went after Tucker Robertson, both dropping gloves after Robertson earned an early second period tripping penalty. The Kraken power play, despite noticeable improvements in puck movement in training camp, suffered an 0-for-6 outage against a Flames penalty kill with aggressive stick work in the middle of the ice. 

It’s not that the Kraken are allergic to this kind of thing with physical play, but Byslma said he wants more abrasiveness – to the point, where the Kraken take the lead on this. 

"We don't want to be reactionary,” said Byslma. “We want to be the aggressor."

2.        Nathan Villeneuve has a long road ahead, but made his mark. 

Center Nathan Villeneuve has a long road ahead. He was just drafted this past summer. He just 18 years of age. He’s got a big ladder to climb up a depth chart that’s chock full of veterans on the NHL side, and older players across the AHL side (a league he technically can’t play in for another two years). 

That still didn’t deter him from delivering an on-brand performance similar to his time in Sudbury of the Ontario Hockey League. Villeneuve scored the only Kraken goal to beat Wolf – a scorching one-timer set up by Oliver Bjorkstrand, picking the corner on the Flames goaltender with 3:59 elapsed. He’s well known for a physical and feisty brand of play, along with a penchant to chirp his opponents. Bravado suited him well, willingly entering the middle area of the ice for loose pucks or scoring chances. While it’s clear he’s due for more seasoning at the major junior level, he made a valuable impression.

“Villeneuve clearly made a statement in the game,” said Bylsma. “Not every shift, but he had an impact on the game as well.” 

3.        Kraken mistakes came early, and often. And doomed this game. It’s a fool’s errand to automatically assume the results in the preseason are due for the regular season. But the disconcerting part about a game that slipped away very early were the breakdowns at the front of the Kraken net, leaving Clark Bishop, Coronato, and Klapka wide open, and Grubauer with no little to no chance on any goal, with . 

It was a derailed moment, over and over, that overshadowed hints of a team who controlled puck possession, and shot volume (the Kraken outshot Calgary, 13-10 in the first period). 

“We had a bunch of chances to score goals, had good offensive zone time, Bjorky had a couple chances,” said Bylsma. “Wrighter’s line had a couple chances. Unfortunately, at the other end of the rink, we make one mistake, we make one misread, and it’s in the back of our net.” 

Old habits will have to die hard, and fast. The clock is ticking. 

“We talked about this – 21 days to instill a habit,” said Bylsma. “We’re not there yet.”