LOS ANGELES — Of all the encouraging signs for the Kraken amid an opening-night overtime loss, the fact they managed a franchise-record three power-play goals was undoubtedly the biggest.
The trio of goals with the man advantage Wednesday night against the Anaheim Ducks matched the team’s combined output over their first 10 games last season. And the Kraken quickly surpassed that Thursday night against the Los Angeles Kings, with Jaden Schwartz scoring the team’s fourth power-play goal of the season just over five minutes into the game.
A year ago, the Kraken potted their first two power-play markers of the season in their second game against Nashville, then went just 1 for 26 over their ensuing eight contests.
In fact, the Kraken had only two games all of last season in which they scored even two power-play goals.
But they went 3 for 5 against the Ducks.
“We just moved it quick,” said Matty Beniers, who saw first-unit action with Oliver Bjorkstrand, Justin Schultz, Ryan Donato and Alex Wennberg. “We’ve been practicing a lot and just building chemistry and getting reps. We’ve been getting a lot of reps and feeling good with each other. And you’re seeing on the ice, some of them go in the back of the net. So, it’s nice to see a few results.”
Beniers, of course, wasn’t with the Kraken until the final 10 games of last season. Neither was Bjorkstrand nor Andre Burakovsky, who scored two of the three power-play goals, while first-unit “quarterback” Schultz is another newcomer who contributed a pair of assists with the man advantage.
The Kraken finished fifth worst in the NHL in total goals, while sitting fourth worst in power-play percentage. So, the thinking goes, the best way to improve the offense overall will be to capitalize more on power plays.
Schultz led the team with just under 21 minutes of total ice time, 5:34 of it coming on the power play. He was imported as a free agent largely because his right-handed shot and puck moving skills give the Kraken a different power-play look from the point than last season, when left-handers Mark Giordano and Vince Dunn ran the two units. Dunn handled second-unit duties Wednesday and drew an assist on the Burakovsky goal.
Kraken coach Dave Hakstol said Thursday during his team’s optional morning skate at Crypto.com Arena that the power play was one of several positives he took away from the game. Hakstol said Schultz was “a calming presence” for the Kraken both at even strength and on the power play.
“He’s a guy that gets you out of your zone, he makes the first pass and gets you up ice on the power play,” Hakstol said. “He’s the quarterback up top, and he does a tremendous job there. He distributes the puck well, he shoots the puck well. And when it needs to be settled down, he’s able to settle it down. When it’s time to get the puck moving and find some puck speed, he’s able to do that as well.”
Kraken rookie Shane Wright was a healthy scratch against the Kings after being used sparingly Wednesday night in his NHL debut. Morgan Geekie was inserted as the fourth-line center in Wright’s place after sitting out the opener.
Wright took 11 shifts against the Ducks for just 6:14 of ice time while centering the team’s fourth line between Ryan Donato and Karson Kuhlman. Only three of the shifts came in the third period.
Wright did not register any of his team’s franchise-record 48 shots on goal — he and defenseman Will Borgen were the only Kraken players without one — and went 1-for-3 on faceoffs.
Linemate Donato said Thursday that Wright “is learning very fast. I think he played really hard last night. He started making more plays. I think he’s getting more comfortable and I’m excited to see what he can do.”
Donato jumped straight to the NHL out of Harvard University in 2018 and was asked whether he’d offered any advice to Wright, who joined the Kraken straight out of major junior hockey without first playing in the minor pro ranks.
“I think it’s just keeping him positive,” Donato said. “In college hockey, or even in junior, you’re always the guy and you’re going to be scoring a ton and all of that stuff. Where I think once you get to this league, there are a lot of ebbs and flows, there’s ups and downs, and I don’t think it’s as easy to stay even keel. So, I think that’s kind of the biggest thing I’ve been preaching to him. Stay even and stay positive.”
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