If the Seattle Kraken are to be a playoff contender – the way they think they are, and the way they proved in October they could be – they need to consistently beat teams with comparable talent, especially at home.

One of those opportunities came Monday at Climate Pledge Arena, when the Chicago Blackhawks came calling in the fourth of a five-game Kraken homestand. Seattle got middle period goals from Jamie Oleksiak and Matty Beniers, on a spectacular Jordan Eberle behind-the-back pass on a power play, to down Chicago, 3-1.

Eberle on a turnover added a late insurance goal – the insurance being that Seattle wouldn’t be forced to play past regulation for the third straight game.

The goals were sufficient to support Joey Daccord’s 29-save effort, spoiled only by ex-Kraken Andre Burakovsky’s 3rd period tally. Daccord, playing his 10th of Seattle first dozen games this season, helped the Kraken stay unbeaten in regulation at CPA (4-0-2).

1st Period

The “shoot more” message must have gotten through to the Kraken. Defenseman Brandon Montour floats a shot on goal from center ice in the game’s second minute. When Hawks goalie Arvid Soderblom blockers away a Montour blueline drive, that’s five Kraken SOGs in the first four minutes. Montour’s third try is his most dangerous, a backhand swipe from the slot on the rebound of a Chandler Stephenson shot, but Soderblom saves both.

Not to be outdone, Kraken goalie Joey Daccord makes a pair of 10-bell saves on Colton Dach, then survives having the puck squeak between his legs; fortunately, he was turned sideways in his crease at the time.

After killing all three Rangers power plays on Saturday, the Kraken’s 28th-ranked PK unit (67.9%) does the same after a Kaapo Kakko minor. Kudos to Ryan Winterton, who intercepted a cross-ice pass and made the clear.

Former Kraken Andre Burakovsky waves to the CPA crowd after his tribute video.

The Kraken tribute video department remains hard at work. Saturday it was for Will Borgen, now a Ranger; tonight, Burakovsky, traded to Chicago in the off-season. Kraken radio’s Mike Benton reports that Jared McCann set up dinner with Burakovsky, Jaden Schwartz, and Matty Beniers last night in Kirkland.

Another former Kraken, Ryan Donato, swings and misses at a pass from behind the cage while wide open between the circles in front of Daccord. Shots in a scoreless period finish 10-10.

2nd Period

Last time this will be harped on: 2:57 into the middle period, the Kraken take their 12th shot – the same number as in all of regulation in their last game – and it goes in!

Noted goal-scorer (not) and Kraken defenseman Jamie Oleksiak lofts a floating shot from the far right point (official distance 65 feet), no doubt looking for a deflection. Instead, the seeing-eye puck travels past several bodies before nestling into the far corner of the net. Soderblom got a piece with his glove, but not enough.

When Donato trips Mason Marchment in the neutral zone, Seattle needs just seven seconds with the man advantage to double their lead at 7:36. Not for the first time this season, captain Jordan Eberle makes a no-look, behind the back pass from below the goal line, right onto Matty Beniers tape. The puck only sits on that tape for a fraction of second before Beniers converts his 2nd goal of the season.

Seattle has scored on two of their three shots so far this period. But 39 seconds after scoring, Beniers hooks Tyler Bertuzzi. (Trivia: Bertuzzi has played for four of the “Original 6” NHL teams: Detroit, Boston, Toronto and Chicago.) Winterton proves a dogged PKer again, deflecting a pass off his boot to center ice. Defenseman Adam Larsson makes a key block also, on Burakovsky, one of a team-leading five blocks on the night for the Big Cat.

Hawks’ wonderkind Connor Bedard, who’s been held in check (one shot, two giveaways to this point), steals from Chandler Stephenson at the Chicago blueline. As he races up ice, Larsson intercepts him in the Kraken zone. On the Blackhawks’ third power play, Bedard fires two more shots on goal, but Daccord has answers for both.

In fact, through 40 minutes, the Kraken goalie has had all the answers. Chicago outshot Seattle in the middle frame 14-5, and 24-15 through two periods. Worth noting: only four of the Hawks shot were rated as “high danger.”

3rd Period

Aided by their second man advantage, Seattle takes the first six shots of the period. Significantly, since they’re trailing by two, Chicago doesn’t have one until an easy Daccord glove save 8:36 into the period. Daccord’s second stop is more testing, on a Donato wraparound.

Above photo: the man of the hour, the man with the power, too sweet to be sour, your winning Kraken goalie, Joey Daccord.

Burakovsky breaks the shutout on a breakaway with 8:27 left. Both Kraken d-men Larsson and Vince Dunn concentrate on Bedard skating down the far boards. That leaves Burakovsky, the trailer, all alone to receive Bedard’s pass. “Burky” beats Daccord along the ice five-hole, a goal in his third straight game. Bedard now has nine points in his last five games, tightening the score to 2-1.

The captain iced it at 16:05, capitalizing on a Blackhawks center-ice turnover. With purpose, Eberle skated into the zone; using Eeli Tolvanen skating to his right as a decoy, Eberle called his own number and wristed his 5th of the season past Soderblom. Beniers, whose center-ice ripoff started the transition play, picked up the assist; both he and Eberle finished with two-point nights.

Up Next

The Seattle homestand concludes Wednesday with a visit from the San Jose Sharks. The Kraken then embark on a brief road swing, with stops in St. Louis Saturday and Dallas on Sunday.