In a thrilling NHL showdown, Joey Daccord brilliantly denied 24 shots, steering Seattle Kraken to an impressive 3-0 win over the Nashville Predators on Wednesday. The victory, which marks the Kraken’s first shutout of the season, was celebrated with goals from Daniel Sprong, Brandon Montour, and Yanni Gourde. The win extends the Kraken’s impressive run, with five victories in their last six games.
Daccord’s performance, which included six saves in the first period, eight in the second, and 10 in the third, culminated in his fourth career shutout. This is his first since his remarkable performance against Anaheim on March 26.
Struggles for the Nashville Predators
Meanwhile, the Predators had a challenging outing. Despite Juuse Saros’s commendable effort of 33 saves, Nashville lost for the fourth time in their last five games. The night turned sour for the Predators as they seemed to have scored with 9:21 left in the third period, only for Tommy Novak’s goal to be disallowed for a kick.
Key Contributions and Turning Points
Sprong’s late goal in the second period, his second of the season, broke the deadlock. This critical goal, Sprong’s first since his November 8 acquisition from Vancouver, was followed swiftly by Montour’s fifth goal of the season, just 23 seconds into the third period. Gourde rounded off the scoring with an empty-netter with just 2:43 remaining.
A rare penalty was incurred by the Predators at the start of the game due to an error in their starting lineup. Filip Forsberg, who was on the ice, was mistakenly replaced by Steven Stamkos in the lineup, resulting in a two-minute bench minor penalty for Nashville.
Chandler Stephenson Shines for the Kraken
Seattle’s Chandler Stephenson was instrumental in the victory, assisting on all three goals and marking his third multi-assist game of the season. The defining moment came late in the second period when, despite the Kraken’s clear advantage in shots, the score was still at a standstill. It was Montour’s pass to Stephenson, positioned perfectly at the top of the crease, which set up Sprong’s crucial goal.
Looking Forward
The Kraken concluded their season-high six-game homestand with a formidable 5-1-0 record. As for what lies ahead, the Predators will host the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday, while the Kraken will travel south to duel with the Los Angeles Kings.
