The Climate Pledge Arena home team goal hex appears to be gender-neutral.

24 hours after the PWHL Seattle Torrent were shut out in their franchise home-opener, the Seattle Kraken fell meekly to the Edmonton Oilers, 4-0. Stuart Skinner backstopped a 26-save whitewash.

The last thing the Kraken expected was a defensive struggle. After all, the Oilers brought Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl (combined 63 points in 25 games) to town, and the two-time defending Western Conference champs have been decidedly “meh” all season, getting thumped at home 8-3 by Dallas in their last game.

Both superstars did their part. Draisaitl scored his 15th in the 2nd period. He later assisted on Zach Hyman’s no-look redirection for a power play goal, one of two scored by the Oilers with the extra man. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had the other, and added an assist in his first game back from IR after missing nine. McDavid scored his 11th from the bottom of the left circle early in the 3rd.

While Edmonton was scoring on their first two, Seattle failed on five power play chances in the first 30 minutes, including an extended two-man advantage (0-for-6 overall). The Kraken haven’t scored on their last 14 power play chances, and have just two goals overall in their last three games, all losses.

Seattle Kraken and the Search For Goals.
@Jennthulhu_Photos

1st Period

At puck drop, the Kraken sit 3rd in the Pacific Division, the Oilers 6th (though they’re separated by just three points). The reason is primarily due to goals-against; Seattle is giving up the 2nd fewest goals per game (2.57), while Edmonton is giving up the 2nd most (3.72).

Daccord gets into the game early – and how, with saves on Nurse, Podkolzin, Kulak, Mangiapane, Nugent-Hopkins, and Draisaitl twice before the contest is four minutes old. At least half the stops qualify as more than routine.

Down 8-2 in SOG, the Kraken go on the power play when Brett Kulak goes off for holding. Seattle’s 0-5 on the PP against Dallas on Wednesday hurt in a one-goal loss. Despite three shots, the Kraken can’t break the ice. Worse, Mason Marchment gets bumped into Edmonton goalie Stuart Skinner – and gets called for interference.

A veteran press box observer calls that a candidate for “worst call of the year.” Indeed, Curtis Lazar clearly pushed Marchment into his netminder. And justice isn’t served, as Nugent-Hopkins converts pinpoint passing at 11:29.

One leads to the other: Seattle is 31st in faceoff wins, 30th in killing penalties. Losing draws while shorthanded means more time defending. But wait. Zach Hyman, tied up with Ryker Evans in front, makes contact with Daccord. The goalie races out of his crease, palms up. The officials don’t agree, and the Kraken don’t challenge.

Kraken goalie Joey Daccord, wondering why there’s never a referee around when you need one.
Kevin Ng-Imagn Images

Connor Clattenburg has a golden opportunity to double the lead, but his backhand sails high with an open net yawning. Disbelieving, Clattenburg snaps his head back.

The Kraken get their own golden opportunity, 1:45 of 5-on-3, after back-to-back Oilers minors – Kulak for high-sticking and a bench for too many men. Seattle puts four shots on net and others that missed the cage, but can’t tie the score.

2nd Period

Late in the 1st, McDavid took an unnecessary trip of Ryker Evans in the Oilers offensive zone. 1:39 of the minor bleeds over into the new period. But it’s more frustration for the Seattle power play, who have trouble even getting zone entries. They’re now 0-4 for the game and zero for their last 12 extra-man opportunities.

Daccord wedges his skate against the right post, denying Mattias Janmark’s whack-whack-whack at the doorstep. Defenseman Adam Larsson provided goal-line support as well.

Good trouble: Marchment trades shoves with Draisaitl; the Kraken would have been happy if both players had been whistled off the ice, but only Draisaitl is, for a flying elbow. (All of Leon was flying, not just his elbow.)

Does it need to be said? The Kraken don’t score, dropping to 0-5 on the PP with half the game still to play. Matty Beniers and Berkly Catton had open looks, but with no traffic in front, they presented relatively easy saves for Skinner.

What not to do: let Draisaitl skate between the hashes to unleash his unstoppable shot. It’s only Edmonton’s third all period, but it beats Daccord cleanly for a 2-0 Oilers lead at 12:30. Hyman, a pretty tip for his 1st of the season, added power play icing at 18:51.

With 2:20 left, Skinner’s left pad denied a Catton breakaway. Shots in the period finished 8-6 Oilers, 19-18 Oil through 40.

3rd Period

Connor McDavid did a Connor McDavid thing, threading a shot from a severe angle through Daccord at 6:25. It’s officially garbage time, folks.

Freddy Gaudreau, trying to spark some life into his mates by dropping the sticks with Clattenburg. For his trouble, Gaudreau got rag-dolled to the ice, but also gained a Kraken power play when Clattenburg received an extra roughing minor. You already know what happened next – nothing. Soon after, Tye Kartye put a frustration-induced beatdown on Alec Regula, the only Seattle win of the afternoon.

Up Next

The calendar turns to December and the location changes, but the opponent stays the same. After a four-day game break, the Kraken and Oilers rematch at Rogers Place on Thursday, Dec. 4. Then it’s right back home for three at CPA, starting Saturday, Dec. 6 against Detroit.