Joey Daccord makes 24 saves for first career shutout, Kraken snap eight-game skid with 4-0 win over Panthers
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - DECEMBER 12: Aleksander Barkov #16 of the Florida Panthers shoots against Joey Daccord #35 of the Seattle Kraken during the first period at Climate Pledge Arena on December 12, 2023 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambe
SEATTLE - Scoring production from the fourth line was one of the biggest things that carried the Seattle Kraken in their run to the second round of the NHL playoffs last season. On Tuesday night, that scoring touch from their offensive depth returned in a big way to help snap the team's eight-game losing streak.
Getting their first shutout of the season didn't hurt either.
Kailer Yamamoto scored a goal and an assist, Pierre-Édouard Bellemare also scored, and Joey Daccord posted the first shutout of his NHL career in a 4-0 victory over the Florida Panthers.
Ryker Evans also added an assist on Bellemare's goal for the first point of his NHL career and Eeli Tolvanen added an empty-net goal in the victory as Seattle snapped the second-longest losing streak in franchise history.
"It gets pretty heavy when you're working hard, you're close, but the moral victories, they don't ring very true after you go through that for several games. So for the guys to be able to let loose, enjoy a good win knowing that they worked for it, that's huge," head coach Dave Hakstol said.
Injuries have led to regular shuffling among lines this season, but Yamamoto and Bellemare have been anchor pieces of Seattle's fourth line this year. Yamamoto gave Seattle their first opening goal in a game since their last victory against the San Jose Sharks on November 22. The Kraken had fallen behind in each of their eight losses during this streak and led in just one – their overtime loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday.
"It's really big," Yamamoto said. "I feel like over the past few games we've been playing from behind so an early lead is definitely big for our team."
Yamamoto's goal came after a scoreless first period where the Kraken were out-shot by a 9-3 margin. But Will Borgen found Yamamoto on a stretch pass at the Florida blue line behind defenseman Niko Mikkola and he beat goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky on his glove side to roof the puck in the top of the net for a 1-0 lead.
"To get the contributions that we got from Belly's line tonight, and in particular, that goal to get us started, that was great," Hakstol said.
The Kraken penalty kill had its best performance in some time as well in shutting down multiple chances for Florida's talented power play unit. Not only did Seattle effectively kill off three penalties through the first two periods, they also had to survive close to 90 seconds of additional advantage time with Bobrovsky on the bench on a delayed high-sticking call against Vince Dunn.
Florida didn't register a single shot on net during their six minutes of penalty time.
"They were awesome," Daccord said. "Yeah, I mean, even if you think their first power play in a second, they had an extended six- on-five in zone, and we didn't really give up much. I think they got like a floater with a tip in front. When we've been hemmed in for that long to give up that as their best chance that's probably doing a pretty good job."
Bellemare won an offensive zone face-off that helped set up the second goal from the fourth line on the night. After Yamamoto left the puck for Evans, the rookie defenseman drove deep in the offensive zone and behind the Florida net before finding Bellemare open back out in front. Bellemare's shot zipped by Bobrovsky as he was screened by Devin Shore to give Seattle a 2-0 lead.
"You saw a little bit of his skating ability on Belly's goal," Hakstol said. "That's not an easy play. He takes puck, he protects it down on the wall, he finds space, and makes a play out front."
Added Bellemare: "He thanked me to put it in, which was a funny thing. It was a pretty much open net, right? But he's a good kid, he's been working hard."
Seattle then created a rush chance off a defensive zone face-off that led to Alex Wennberg snapping a wrist shot by the blocker of Bobrovsky off the goal post for a 3-0 lead.
Tolvanen then added the empty net goal with a chopped shot despite pressure from Oliver Ekman-Larsson with 3:51 left to play.
"At the end of the day, if you don't have the points, it just looks like s---," Bellemare said. "So this one I thought we were complete, but then we had a little extra. We were on top of the rebounds, we were on top of the rebounds in our D-zones. And when the goalie needed to make a save, we made a save."
Daccord's previous best performance came last season when he allowed just one goal in a 2-1 shootout loss to the Nashville Predators. It was Seattle's first shuout since Martin Jones made 27 saves in a 3-0 win over the Boston Bruins on January 12.
"To get a shutout in the NHL, especially against such a high-caliber team with a lot of good players and obviously an incredible goalie over there too... yeah, hasn't really sunk in yet but pretty special for sure," Daccord said.