By Andrew Chernoff, canucksbanter.ca
The Vancouver Canucks visited the Seattle Kraken at Climate Pledge Arena, to begin the new year of 2022, looking to get back on the winning track, and that they did, taking their undefeated streak in regulation play to 9 consecutive games, 8-0-1, with a 5-2 road win.
The opening period was a successful one for Vancouver for the most part, opening the scoring in the game, and finishing the scoring in the period with a second consecutive goal, to close out the first period 2-0.
Vasily Podkolzin and Nils Hoglander (his on the power play), both notched their 8th goals of the season, and the Canucks outshot the Kraken 14-6. Vancouver split the faceoff circle with Seattle, going 12 for 24.
Unlike the first period, the Canucks found it difficult to play their game in the middle frame, as Seattle made adjustments in the intermission. As the period approached half way through, the Kraken finally found the netting behind Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko, to make it a one goal game at 2-1, thanks to Calle Jarnkrok’s 4th goal of the season.
Vancouver took their slim one goal margin into the final period, outshooting the Kraken 22-15 after two periods, and Seattle having a slight advantage in faceoff wins, 22-21.
Canucks got an early unsuccessful power play, and were out shooting the Kraken when they regained a two goal lead at 3-1, on a goal by Tyler Motte at 4;46, his 3rd goal of the season, and first in 10 games.
Win less than ten minutes left, Will Borgen scored for Seattle at 10:43 to pull the Kraken within a goal for the second time in the game, at 3-2.
Quickly the Canucks responded with a 4-2 goal, with Conor Garland only needing 46 seconds to pot his 10th goal of the season.
With less than 6 minutes left, Seattle went on the power play, on a Canucks high sticking penalty, and attempted to pull within a goal of Vancouver for the third time in the game but would be unsuccessful as Vancouver held their ground.
With less than three minutes left, Kraken pulled their goalie in an attempt to score their third goal of the game 6 on 5 but it would backfire as Tanner Pearson would ice a goal into an empty net to make it 5-2 Vancouver at 17:43.
Vancouver outshot Seattle 36-22, were 1 for 2 on the power play and 2 for 2 on the penalty kill.
Thatcher Demko stopped 30 of 32 shots including 5 for 5 shorthanded, finishing with a SV%(save percentage) of .938, for his 15 win in 27 games, 7th win in a row.
J.T. Miller had an assist to extend his point streak to nine games (four goals, 13 assists).
