Golden Knights can’t stop slide, dealt 4th straight loss by Kraken
That seven-game winning streak is starting to be a distant memory for the Vegas Golden Knights.
Anchored by another slow start and the inability to clean out the front of the net, the Knights lost their fourth straight game 3-2 to the Seattle Kraken at T-Mobile Arena on Saturday night.
The Knights fell behind 2-0 after the first period following goals from Seattle wingers Eeli Tolvanen and Jared McCann. It’s the fifth time in the last seven games the Knights have allowed the game’s first goal.
As they also have done throughout the course of the season, the Knights (25-15-14) found a way to answer back. Ivan Barbashev and Mitch Marner tallied goals in the second period to tie the game at 2 heading into the third.
But a puck that bounced off defenseman Kaedan Korczak landed at the stick of Seattle winger Kaapo Kakko at 3:18 of the third, and that proved to be the game decider.
Goaltender Akira Schmid made 20 saves, and center Jack Eichel had two assists, but the Knights (25-15-14) lost for the sixth time in seven games following their season-high seven-game win streak.
Two of Seattle’s goals came in front of the crease. McCann’s was a one-time blast from the right circle on the power play following a too-many-men call on the Knights.
“We need to be a hell of a lot more competitive in front of our own net,” Knights coach Bruce Cassidy said. “It cost us two goals tonight.”
Seattle (26-19-9) won its fourth straight game and moved to within three points of the Knights for first place in the Pacific Division.
Kraken goaltender Joey Daccord made 27 saves, and former Knights center Chandler Stephenson had two assists.
The Knights will play the second night of a back-to-back Sunday against the Anaheim Ducks at Honda Center. The Knights are 0-2 against Anaheim, with both losses coming in overtime.
Adin Hill will get the start in net.
It’s the fourth time the Knights have lost four games in a row this season.
“The expectation is really high over here,” forward Tomas Hertl said. “Things aren’t going our way, but it’s on us.”
Contact Danny Webster at dwebster@reviewjournal.com. Follow @DannyWebster21 on X.
