Seattle Kraken clinch playoff berth with inspired victory over troublesome Coyotes
By Charles Hamaker
Seattle, WA – Thanks to a satisfying 4-2 victory over the aggressive Arizona Coyotes, the Seattle Kraken have clinched their first postseason berth in franchise history. Seattle will head to the playoffs in just their second season in NHL existence, getting to this point as a complete team that rolls deep with contributors all over its roster. The Kraken have shown that they don’t need a superstar to be successful, and it was the line of two formerly “bottom-six” skaters and Calder Trophy front runner Matty Beniers who tallied three of the four goals that Seattle scored in the win. With the win and their playoff ticket punched, the Kraken will learn their first-round opponent as the final week of the regular season is up next.
Top line leads the charge
Seattle’s top line of Jared McCann, Matty Beniers, and Jordan Eberle came to play in this historic game for the franchise. One of, if not the most, productive groups for the Kraken, these three feature veterans in Eberle and McCann who have been able to revitalize their careers in Seattle. And then centering them, the young star Matty Beniers, Seattle’s first ever draft pick and the Calder Trophy front runner that could be the face of the Kraken franchise for years to come. The three combined for nearly all of the Seattle goals tonight, and perhaps it’s a bit fitting considering the production that they have all had for this team this season.
Jared McCann began the scoring as the first period was winding down, as Beniers sprinted up ice to corral a loose puck behind the net, passing it to Eberle from behind the goal, who then found McCann open on the back door to give the Kraken a one-goal lead heading into intermission. Eberle got on the board next, on a play started by an excellent forecheck by Matty Beniers. Beniers took on two Coyotes skaters, Jared McCann was able to snag the loose puck and sling it to Eberle, who had acres and acres of space for Eberle to easily fire away and score. Finally, it was Beniers’ turn, flying down the ice on a breakaway to beat Coyotes goaltender Karel Vejmelka and ice this victory.
Seattle’s top line of McCann-Beniers-Eberle’s night through pictures (Photos by Liv Lyons)
Dealing with the Desert Dogs
The Coyotes have been scrappy in the games that Seattle has faced off against them this season (both this week, in a span of just a handful of days), that continued tonight and will likely take place again when the teams play their final matchup of the season next Monday. While the Kraken were flying around with high energy, putting scattered dangerous chances on Arizona goaltender Karel Vejmelka, as the game went on the Coyotes resorted to “loser hockey,” repeatedly getting into scraps after the play with Seattle and hitting players away from the puck. The Kraken did end up responding, but they did so in the form of their play and were handling the Coyotes when the gloves were off. Seattle would not succumb to the poor decision making and stoop to the level that Arizona was trying to take things to, no, they were achieving history tonight and they would not be denied.
Things get intense between the Kraken and Coyotes as Arizona tries to get a shot in on Grubauer after the whistle (Photos by Liv Lyons)
Grubauer gets his gratification
Kraken goaltender Philipp Grubauer has been through a lot in his now two years with the franchise, from being thrown behind some poor defenseman in year one, having to be the scapegoat for the teams struggles as a team in year one and defensively still in year two. Boxscore watchers and casual fans see the goaltender get beat, no matter the buildup of the play itself, and just assume that it is the last line of defense’s fault without any of their own thinking put into it. Now, while Grubauer has often been criticized when it has not been his fault, he’s had his moments as well where he should’ve had the save or been in better positioning for sure. The point is, Philipp Grubauer has been a rock in goal for this Kraken team and especially so since his first start in 2023. Tonight, with a playoff berth on the line for his team, Grubauer locked down the pipes for Seattle and gave them a great chance to punch their postseason ticket.
In the first period, the Coyotes seemed oddly gun shy in terms of their shot selection. Grubauer was able to get in a rhythm early, seeing the puck well as Arizona sent somewhat easy shots on the net and allowed the Seattle netminder to dial in and prepare for the potential onslaught for the remaining forty minutes. Grubauer was on his game for the rest of the night, both goals scored by Arizona not his fault (Oleksiak screening his own goaltender and then the Kraken with the game well in hand under a minute playing relaxed defense). The best example of his play tonight perhaps was when he lost his stick, far out of his reach on the ice and needing to be ready and being able to make the save and cover the puck without it. Since his return to the lineup from an injury he suffered early season against his former team the Colorado Avalanche, Grubauer has re-established himself as the top goaltender on this team (He has had a few hiccups here and there) and will look to guide his team throughout a playoff run as he’s already won the Stanley Cup twice before.
Three Kraken players sit in the penalty box, as teammate Carson Soucy smiles, after one of the night’s many fights (Photo by Liv Lyons)
Brothers born through the struggle have achieved the first goal on their list towards greatness
This Kraken team clearly has a strong and tight bond, and while it was shown throughout the season, Seattle really emphasized that tonight with how the team (literally) fought for each other. This team's comradery is born in many things, whether that be that many of them were part of the inaugural roster as a hodge podge of veterans from around the league looking to really find their best form. Maybe it’s because they’re in a city that’s got such a fiery passion for their hockey team that they want to do what they can to reach the promised land for themselves and Seattle. Maybe it’s that they have no true “superstar” that gets the spotlight, and that they all play as equals towards one common goal. Whether it’s just one of those things, an unlisted option, or them all in some combination, this team plays hard, and they play hard for each other.
When the Coyotes went for a cheap play on a Seattle skater, the Kraken stuck up for their teammates and dropped the gloves with an Arizona player to even things up. When the Coyotes gave Kraken goaltender Philipp Grubauer taps after the whistle, Seattle took exception and weren’t going to let Arizona get away with anything cheap. These guys love each other and have built their bonds through the short losing streaks (never surpassing four games) and the impressive winning streaks (sweeping road trips and making history), and now they get to take that passion for each other into the postseason. Be proud of your team Seattle, very proud.
Seattle’s top defenseman pairing of Vince Dunn and Adam Larsson, through pictures (Photos by Liv Lyons)
This season and its impact could be felt for years
Not only does this victory clinch the team’s first playoff berth in just its second playing year of existence as an NHL franchise, but it shows the type of turnaround that the Kraken have had. With many of the same faces still on this team from its inaugural group in 2021-22, Seattle acquired key additions in names like Andre Burakovsky, Oliver Bjorkstrand, Justin Schultz to help them get known veteran contributors. Those contributors were brought in so that they could help Seattle improve upon their near bottom of the league scoring and defense. Those acquisitions haven’t been the sole reason behind the Kraken turnaround, but their impact has helped in putting the right pieces of the puzzle together that has them ready to potentially surprise teams once the postseason begins.
Much of last season was spent by fans as just happy to have an NHL team around, and looking forward to next year as general manager Ron Francis had said that the team was going to be aggressive in free agency and use some of the draft capital that they had acquired when a fire sale had been held at the deadline. The team struggled through ugly loss after ugly loss, seemingly finding new ways to self-implode when it seemed impossible to top the last defeat. Again, Seattle embraced their team no matter what and was just happy that they were even here in the first place. Francis, head coach Dave Hakstol, and the rest of the front office went to work immediately once the offseason began to find ways to make this thing work and get the group to be competitive in year two. It’s safe to say that they have done that, and with the right growth from the current team and potentially new insertions to the roster, Seattle could be a contending team from night one in 2023-24.
Kraken forward Jordan Eberle scores on Coyotes goaltender Karel Vejmelka, having been left wide open (Photo by Liv Lyons)
Quick notes
With tonight's win over the Arizona Coyotes, the Seattle Kraken have officially clinched a berth to the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
With tonight's win, the Kraken have set the record for the most wins by an expansion team in its second season since the Original Six era (1967-68) with 44.
The Kraken went two-for-two on the penalty kill tonight, extending their streak to five consecutive games without allowing a power play goal.
Jordan Eberle's goal gives him goals in three consecutive games for the first time since he scored in four straight from Nov. 4 to 11, 2021.
Eberle's goal and assists tonight bring him to 61 points this season. This is his fourth career 60-point season and first since 2014-15 when he played for the New York Islanders. He becomes the third Kraken skater to reach the milestone (following Jared McCann, Vince Dunn).
Eberle also matched his career high for assists tonight with 42, which he set in 2011-12.
Jared McCann's goal and assists give him six points (three goals, three assists) in his last three games and extend his point streak to three games. This is his fifth three-point game of the season and second in seven games-played (March 25 at Nashville).
McCann leads the team in three-plus point games this season, with five.
He now has seven points (four goals, three assists) in his last five games against the Coyotes, along with two consecutive multi-point performances.
Eberle and McCann both recorded points on three of Seattle's four goals tonight, totaling 22 times this season in which they have factored into the same goal.
Matty Beniers extended his point streak (three games) with his 23rd goal of the season. He now has five points in his last five games.
With his second-period goal, Vince Dunn now has three points in his last two games against Arizona.
Seattle Kraken forward Oliver Bjorkstrand has played a big part in the teams success as the season has gone on (Photo by Liv Lyons)
What’s next?
The next game for the Kraken comes on Saturday, April 8th, when the team hosts the Chicago Blackhawks in one of the final games in the regular season and the second to last that they will host. Chicago, just like the last two teams Seattle has played in Arizona and Vancouver, has struggled all season and has effectively nothing to play for. Considering that the Kraken have already secured their playoff berth, Seattle’s strategy may be a bit different when the puck drops on Saturday at 7PM PST takes place. As the last four games of the season are played, you may expect to see some of the more notable starters get scratched so that Seattle can get its healthy scratches in the games and eat up minutes.
