SEATTLE — Carson Soucy and the Seattle Kraken didn’t let a sluggish, uninspired start linger beyond 20 minutes. Thanks to their turnaround, the Kraken have a win streak for the first time in nearly two months.
Soucy had the first two-goal game of his career, Calle Jarnkrok scored in the third period and the Kraken beat the San Jose Sharks 3-2 on Thursday night.
Seattle overcame a sloppy start, including giving up Tomas Hertl’s 21st goal of the season just 38 seconds after puck drop on the first shift of the game. The expansion Kraken won consecutive games for the first time since Nov. 27 and 29 at Florida and Buffalo. Seattle snapped a nine-game losing streak with a shootout victory over Chicago on Monday.
“It’s hard to say when you come out slow after a win last game, but I think we just looked at ourselves and said that’s unacceptable as a team,” Soucy said.
Soucy scored at 4:18 of the second period and again at 8:25. Jarnkrok added what turned out to be the game-winner at 6:27 of the third.
Seattle has won both matchups against the Sharks in its inaugural season.
“I give our guys a lot of credit to be able to step up in the second and third period and find a way to get it done when we weren’t at our best,” Seattle coach Dave Hakstol said.
Timo Meier, who scored a franchise-record five goals in San Jose’s previous game, continued to find the net with a power-play goal midway through the third that made it 3-2.
San Jose spent much of the third period on the power play but could not find an equalizer. Seattle killed off two more penalties after Meier’s goal, but San Jose had one more chance after Mason Appleton was called for hooking with 1:07 left. Despite a fourth power play in the period, the Sharks couldn’t tie it with a 6-on-4 advantage in the final minute after goalie Adin Hill was pulled.
“We got a good start and took the lead, but after the first, we stopped playing,” Hertl said. “They were all over us, they managed the game better and we couldn’t find a way. It’s a tough loss because everybody knows what is coming, the last five games before the break.”
Seattle goaltender Philipp Grubauer made 22 saves and it was one of his stronger performances as he turned away a number of dangerous chances for the Sharks. His best save was a glove stop on a breakaway by Meier early in the second.
Hill made 16 saves for the Sharks.
Soucy’s first goal was his first since Dec. 18. Soucy flicked a wrist shot past Hill on the blocker side and pulled Seattle even after a flurry of San Jose pressure around the Kraken net.
The goal seemed to flip the ice and the Kraken had the better chances as the period progressed. Ryan Donato appeared to give Seattle a 2-1 lead at 6:48, but San Jose challenged the play for offside and the goal was waived off after video review.
Less than two minutes later, Soucy flipped another wrist shot past Hill and Seattle had a 2-1 lead. Jarnkrok’s 100th career goal off a great pass from Morgan Geekie behind the net made it 3-1.
“We started off flat but we noticed it this time and we took advantage of the opportunity to say, ‘Hey … let’s go change the momentum of the game,’” Donato said.
Grubauer also got some help from his goal posts. Erik Karlsson had an open net in the first period but his tipped shot hit the post and Grubauer covered. During a San Jose power play in the second, Brent Burns’ shot from the point was tipped by Logan Couture but hit the post and stayed out.
NOTES
Mark Giordano was given a major penalty for fighting in the second period after dropping the gloves with San Jose’s Adam Raska. It was the first fighting major for Giordano since 2018. … Seattle D Jamie Oleksiak was out with a non-COVID-19 related illness. … Geekie was activated off injured reserve and Alexander True was returned to Seattle’s taxi squad. Geekie missed the previous four games with an upper-body injury. … San Jose F Alexander Barabanov had an assist on Hertl’s goal in his first game back from COVID-19 protocol.
UP NEXT
Sharks host the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday.
