Three Stars of Week Six: Seattle Kraken Triumph in Overtime
The Seattle Kraken snagged 4 points during their two-game homestand this week. Their two overtime wins were largely due to the efforts of three key players.
The Seattle Kraken have been on a two-week homestand, hosting the Los Angeles Kings and New York Rangers at Climate Pledge Arena this week. These two games came down to the wire, but ultimately, the Kraken won both contests in overtime, winning both games 3-2.
These two wins make the Seattle Kraken a .639% team, holding steady in the third place spot in the Pacific Division. That is a lot to celebrate, especially after last year. However, there were a lot of other milestones the Kraken celebrated this week.
On November 19th, the Seattle Kraken celebrated their 100th game as a franchise. It was a long journey to get here, but they capped the night off with a win against the Los Angeles Kings. Jared McCann celebrated his 100th NHL goal, and Oliver Bjorkstand played in his 400th NHL game.
These milestones are just another reminder of how great Kraken hockey is. As the team carries this momentum into the next several months, it will hopefully be the catalyst that propels them forward into the playoffs. While it was a team effort, three players stood out and took the lead this week.
Third Star of the Week- Jordan Eberle
Jordan Eberle put in a lot of effort this week to help the Seattle Kraken secure their two overtime wins, securing himself our third start of the week. Eberle’s performance propelled him to the top of the Kraken’s leaderboard in points scored, with 15 this season (5g, 10a).
The 32-year-old forward had two helpers against the New York Rangers, including the primary assist on the over-time game-winning goal. With just about 1:30 left in extra time, Eberle shoveled the puck to the front of the net, giving Justin Schultz an open door to send it home.
It was just two nights and another two points later that Eberle scored the game-winning goal against Los Angeles. The game was sent to overtime. Justin Schultz won a board battle late in the period. Eberle and Brandon Tanev raced up the ice, creating a 2-on-1.
Kings goalie Calvin Petersen dipped down. As soon as he did, Eberle had his chance and sent the puck right over his glove side and under the bar. L.A. left defeated, and Eberle, once again, was the overtime hero.
Second Star of the Week- Justin Schultz
Since joining the Seattle Kraken in free agency this summer, Justin Schultz has been a solid addition to the blue line. He’s had a big impact on how the team plays and has had a hand in many of Seattle’s on-ice improvements. The Kraken is in a much better place than they were this time last year.
Schultz had a four-point week (2g, 2a). He had a hand in Daniel Sprong‘s game-tying power-play goal and Eberle’s game-winner against Los Angeles, notching the primary assist on both.
The defenseman was a beast against New York. In the Kraken’s 3-2 overtime win, he scored two goals. Tied 1-1 at the halfway point of the third period, Schultz let a wrister fly. Bouncing off of several players on its way in, his shot bounced one last time off of NYR goalie Igor Shesterkin and into the net.
His overtime goal gave Seattle their second straight home win. With the clock winding down, Eberle skated right past Artemi Panarin. Eberle lost the puck right in front of the net. Schultz snuck in and shot the puck off Shesterkin’s glove and into the back of the net.
First Star of the Week- Martin Jones
Martin Jones had another stellar week between the pipes for the Seattle Kraken. In two games, he allowed only four goals on 59 shots, which translates to a .932 SV%.
In addition to his performance against the Winnipeg Jets on Sunday, the way he played against New York and Los Angeles earned him the NHL’s third star of the week and our number one star of the week.
His performance over the last few weeks caught our eye and the eye of those in the NHL world. In the absence of Philipp Grubauer, Jones has been the saving grace for the Seattle Kraken. With PG31 returning from Injured Reserve, this begs the question of whether Grubauer may have lost his job as the Kraken’s starting goaltender.
Do you agree with our choices for Three Stars of the Week? Let us know who you would nominate in the comments below.