PHILADELPHIA – There were plenty of bounce-back moments in this Saturday matinee 4-1 Kraken win: Philipp Grubauer’s first start since Jan. 28, winning on his first game back from posting a 5-2 record for AHL Coachella Valley. Tye Kartye, just back from a conditioning stint for the Firebirds, scored the game-tying goal. And the Kraken evened out the road trip with the third of a trio of games pending Sunday afternoon in D.C.
For his part, Grubauer made a flurry of saves later in the second period that kept it 1-1 during a four-on-four sequence, enabling Matty Beniers to score what turned out to be the game-winner on the next Kraken rush up the ice. Grubauer said the game reps he got in his time with AHL affiliate Coachella Valley (coinciding with the NHL 4 Nations break) helped from a technical perspective, but that he never lost his confidence.
“It stayed the same,” said Grubauer. “Obviously, as a goalie, you want to play ... I've played long enough that if you lose a game or two or three, the way the season has been going, nothing changes in my preparation. I know what I can do out there. Sometimes it's luck, sometimes you depend on your teammates, and sometimes you need to be there for your teammates. It was nice to go down [to Coachella Valley], play games, get into a rhythm, and carry that momentum up here.”
Matty Beniers, who scored the game-winner and added an assist, was quick to credit Grubauer’s key work in the victory. The Kraken alternate captain scored soon after Grubauer made a spectacular save on a shot from young Matvei Michkov, gloving the puck while flat on his back from saving the original shot from another young sharpshooter, Owen Tippett.
“A huge save, huge save, really timely manner,” said Beniers. “That’s what good goalies do. They make the big saves when it matters most. That can change the game right there ... we go right down and score.”
Grubauer was clutch in the first period as well, part of shutting down three Philly power plays. The Kraken bounced back with 17 shots in the middle period, and Grubauer kept his score sheet clean for both the second and third stanzas.
I don't think you can get to the second period without Grubi’s performance post-game,” said Dan Bylsma. “In the first period, those three penalty kills, that's where they got a lot of action and a lot of shots and a lot of opportunities. Gru stood tall. He was big on a couple shots: the tip and a redirection, a second chance on one penalty kill, that glove save [in the second period. It was great to see. He played a really solid game all game long.”
Beniers said the second period is a prime example of the style that he, teammates, and coaching staff want to play, both Sunday in D.C. and over the course of the next five weeks on the schedule: “We played well. We did a good job being hard in a lot of areas on the ice: Breaking out the puck; we were able to if there wasn't a play, we got it out the zone; in the neutral zone, getting it down, making their ‘D’ go back. We did a good job holding on to pucks, getting pucks pack, attacking them, putting them in bad spots, which creates turnovers.”
Pivotal Work By Kraken Centers
With less than six minutes left in the second period of Saturday’s road matinee, the Kraken were controlling play and peppering five shots on goal against an even-strength Philadelphia squad. The local fans started booing toward the end of the minute-and-a-half possession, even if rookie goalie Samuel Ersson was holding off a score and Philly defenders were helping to clear any rebound attempts.
A minute later, newcomer Kraken forward Mikey Eyssimont was penalized for tripping, and the Flyers fans happily anticipated the upcoming power play, which would be the fourth of the game. Instead, veteran PHI forward Sean Couturier was whistled 18 seconds later for tripping Jamie Oleksiak net-front. The vocal Philly crowd took exception, which was no surprise since Couturier was shrugging, waving arms, and participating in the whole protest. The booing continued for another minute-plus as both penalties were ending, especially since the “unpaid referees” (stick tap, John Forslund) were yelling about a non-call during that time frame.
The boos continued after Matty Beniers took a feed in the corner from Vince Dunn and skated the goal line netward to ram the puck in past Ersson to stake a 2-1 Kraken lead. On the next shift, it was probably just a coincidence, but Brandon Montour was called for slashing. But Chandler Stephenson, taking the mantle as top penalty killer with Brandon Tanev traded, foiled any plans of a tie game by stealing a puck in the neutral zone to wrist a shot past Ersson to make it 3-1 at second intermission. It’s Stephenson’s 11th goal of the year. When the horn sounded 22 seconds later, those Philly boos rained down on both referres and the hometown players.
