Grubauer, Seattle Kraken blank Isles 3-0 for franchise’s 1st shutout
Feb 2, 2022, 7:13 PM
NEW YORK (AP) — Jared McCann had a goal and an assist, and Philipp Grubauer stopped 19 shots for the first shutout in franchise history as the expansion Seattle Kraken beat the New York Islanders 3-0 Wednesday night.
Seattle Kraken 3, New York Islanders 0: Box Score
ALL TOGETHER NOW…
GRRUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/3ryy2lle8L
— Seattle Kraken (@SeattleKraken) February 3, 2022
Mason Appleton had a goal and an assist and Vince Dunn also scored to help Seattle to its third win in seven games.
IT'S DUNNER TIME! LET'S EAT 🍽 pic.twitter.com/rEYVmrVMxy
— Seattle Kraken (@SeattleKraken) February 3, 2022
Grubauer got his 19th career shutout and first since last May 12 against Los Angeles in the season finale while playing for Colorado.
check out this *grutastic* save! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/AKwfhf0Ywf
— Seattle Kraken (@SeattleKraken) February 3, 2022
The Kraken go into the All-Star break last in the Pacific Division at 15-27-4.
Semyon Varlamov had 28 saves and lost his third straight start for New York, falling to 3-9-1 this season. The Islanders have lost four of six and remained 17 points out of the second wild card in the Eastern Conference.
The Kraken got the game’s first goal at 6:04 of the third. Former Islander Jordan Eberle got the puck behind the net and sent a pass out to McCann on the right side and he fired a shot from a sharp angle, sending the puck off Varlamov’s left shoulder and in. It was McCann’s career high-tying 19th of the season.
🔥 THIS MAN IS ON FIRE! 🔥
canner ties a career high with 19 goals! pic.twitter.com/CUVeytSjTD
— Seattle Kraken (@SeattleKraken) February 3, 2022
Dunn made it 2-0 just 2 1/2 minutes later as he got a pass from Mason Appleton above the left circle, skated through traffic and put backhander past a screened Varlamov on the blocker side for his fifth.
Appleton added an empty-netter in the closing seconds for his fifth.
After getting off to a slow start in the first period, the Islanders had only two shots on goal over the first 11 minutes of the second and were outshot 9-6 for the period.
Grubauer had a stellar save, sliding to his left to deny a one-timer by Zach Parise from the right dot with 6:51 left in the middle period. Varlamov stopped Colin Blackwell in close 7:50 into the period, and then Blackwell’s follow. The Islanders’ goalie also had a nice save on Dunn’s shot from between the circles with 3 1/2 minutes left in the second.
Seattle outshot New York 11-5 in the first period. The Kraken got the first six shots on goal of the game. New York didn’t get its first attempt until Andy Greene’s weak shot from the point at 6:37. The Islanders’ second shot came on Brock Nelson’s attempt from between the circles with 5:37 remaining in the period.
STATS
McCann has three goals and four assists in his last six games. His assist on Appleton’s goal was the 100th of his career. … Seattle’s Marcus Johansson also had an assist on McCann’s goal, giving him five assists and six points in his last six games.
SCHEDULING QUIRK
The Islanders finished a stretch in which they played 22 of their last 26 games at home. After beginning the season with 13 straight on the road, they opened the $1.1 billion UBS Arena on Nov. 20 and fell to 9-10-3 at their new home. After the All-Star break, New York will play nine of 11 on the road.
SEEING A FAMILIAR FACE
The Islanders honored Eberle with a video tribute during a stoppage in play in the first period and he received a nice ovation from the crowd. Eberle spent four seasons in New York, totaling 76 goals and 93 assists, before he was selected by Seattle in last summer’s expansion draft.
UP NEXT
Seattle Kraken: Host Arizona on Feb. 9 before playing four of five on the road.
Islanders: At Vancouver on Feb. 9 to open a four-game trip.
