Kraken unable to hold 2-0 lead, fall 3-2 to Avalanche in Game 2
DENVER, COLORADO - APRIL 20: Yanni Gourde #37 of the Seattle Kraken collides with Valeri Nichushkin #13 of the Colorado Avalanche in Game Two of the First Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs at Ball Arena on April 20, 2023 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo b
The Seattle Kraken had the defending Stanley Cup Champions on the ropes with the chance to leave Denver with a 2-0 series lead.
Instead, the Colorado Avalanche scored a pair of goals 48 seconds apart in the second period to tie the game and Devon Toews scored the game-winning goal with 7:01 left to play to hand the Kraken a 3-2 loss in Game 2 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals.
Toews scored on a rebound off a shot from Artturi Lehkonen to complete the comeback effort for the defending champions and level the series as it moves to Seattle for Game 3 on Saturday.
"You've got to find different ways to meet the intensity level as the series progresses," head coach Dave Hakstol said. "We had parts of tonight's game where we were able to do that. I'm happy with our compete level, with our battle level, with a lot of parts of our game. They beat us by one. Tie series. We're headed home. We'll recoup and get back at it."
Colorado ramped up the pressure in the final frame with a 15-6 advantage in shot attempts as Seattle was unable to regain their early control of the game down the stretch. Philipp Grubauer was terrific again in net for Seattle as he stopped 38 shots on the night, but Colorado finally broke through with Toews' goal to thwart the Kraken's efforts.
"I think we just gave their top players some time and space and when you give time and space to the quality of players that team has they're going to make plays, but at the end of the day we'll learn from our mistakes here and we're excited to get back home and get the next one here," left winger Brandon Tanev said.
Getting a series split on the road against the defending champions is no doubt a success for the underdog Kraken. However, it will also feel like a bit of a missed chance for a potential knockout blow as well.
The Kraken came out firing with relentless pressure on the forecheck just as they did in Game 1. The first four shot attempts all belonged to the Kraken, including a Morgan Geekie shot off the post that had beaten Colorado goaltender Alexandar Georgiev.
Justin Schultz then jumped into a rush chance as Yanni Gourde chipped a puck ahead to Eeli Tolvanen flying up the right boards. A backhanded pass by Cale Makar found Schultz free and clear in front of the net as he slapped the pass through the legs of Georgiev just 2:40 into the game.
Including blocked shots, the Kraken had a 10-1 advantage in shot attempts in the opening seven minutes as they controlled the play. Six shots were on net with four blocked by Avalanche defenders.
An interference call on Jamie Oleksiak gave Colorado a power play chance to even the game up. Instead, it was the Kraken that would add to their advantage.
Gourde won a face-off and got the puck deep into the Colorado zone. Despite being in all alone, Gourde controlled the puck and managed to deflect it to a charging Tanev, who snapped a shot over the glove side of Georgiev for short-handed goal and a 2-0 lead.
The Avalanche came roaring back in the second period.
Lehkonen tipped a Makar slap shot under the glove of Grubauer to get Colorado on the board.
Then just 48 seconds later the game was tied.
Colorado caught the Kraken in a line change as Devon Toews hit Evan Rodrigues on a stretch play at the Seattle blue line. Rodrigues passed to Valeri Nichushkin as he beat Grubauer with a move to his backhand to pull the Avalanche level at 2-2.
"You knew they were going to have a push and they did. Their second period, the first ten minutes, they were on the gas and they had some really good opportunities and tied the game up," Hakstol said.
The two quick goals got a muted Ball Arena crowd reinvigorated and reengaged.
"They are so talented. They've been in this situation before. They're a great team and we knew they were going to push," Gourde said. "But for part of that second period we didn't really have a response. We just have to manage the game a little bit better, know what to do, slow the game down a little bit and go back to our roots and what works for us. When we do that we're a pretty successful group. We don't have to chase the game. We don't have to change the way we play. Just go back to what we do and we should be OK."
Tolvanen and Oliver Bjorkstrand both had prime chances on a power play turned aside by Georgiev and a late three-on-one rush chance for Seattle also went unconverted as a Matty Beniers pass wasn't controlled cleanly by Jordan Eberle as Georgiev made the save to keep it tied at the end of the second period.
"It's going to be a long series. We know they're a really good team. We did a really good job the first game. We come back to Seattle 1-1 and the series is tied. I feel like we should be happy about it," Tolvanen said.
Nathan MacKinnon got his best chance with just under 10 minutes left to play as he split Seattle's defense for a chip chance on Grubauer. Grubauer came up with the save but needed Schultz to pull it out of the crease to fully erase the threat.
Georgiev made 27 saves on 29 shots for the Avalanche.
The Kraken pulled Grubauer with 2:15 left to play in regulation but were unable to find the tying goal to send the game to overtime.