LAS VEGAS – The Kraken jumped out to a 1-0 lead Saturday night less than three minutes into the game, with Chandler Stephenson earning an assist even before Vegas could play a tribute video for the ex-Golden Knight at the first TV timeout. The fans forgave him for his hand in the early goal, roaring when the video finished with local fan favorite “Stevie” hoisting the Stanley Cup after Vegas won it on home ice in 2023.
Stephenson won a faceoff in the offensive zone to begin an early power play. The puck went from Vince Dunn to Oliver Bjorkstrand, who faked a snapshot while skating goal-ward at the right faceoff dot, instead curling and spinning to backhand a pass back to Dunn near the blue line. Dunn hammered a shot past VGK goalie Ilya Samsanov, who was clearly disrupted by alternate captain Jaden Schwartz’ standing in front of him just outside the crease.
It was a good start for a Seattle squad that needed one. Soon after the opening goal, Stephenson had a shorthanded breakaway attempt he couldn’t convert during a penalty kill and Eeli Tolavanen hit a post to build hope for a multi-goal lead. But the game, which stayed within reach for 40 minutes, concluded with a 5-2 Vegas victory to even the season series. The Kraken are now 15-18-2 with a final road game at Colorado (5 p.m. puck drop) Sunday before the holiday break.
“We started strong, had a chance to make it two-nothing,” said Kraken coach Dan Bylsma. “But we made critical mistakes on both the first and second goal [one giveaway, other slow shift change] to give them great opportunities. I don’t think necessarily after the first goal, but after the second goal, we, we took some time to get back on focus, back on task. They took it to us for amount of time.”…