Three thoughts on the Kraken’s Game 4 loss to the Stars
Here are three thoughts from the Kraken’s Game 4 loss to the Stars on Tuesday night.
So … was that goaltender interference on the Stars’ third goal?
Kate Shefte: Here’s Tuesday’s quote so nice, we used it twice (in each of our stories) from Kraken forward Jared McCann: “I have no idea what the hell goalie interference is anymore. I really don’t.”
That’s been going around these days, and hear, hear. McCann went on to say they thought the Dallas goal that made it 3-0 featured a clear example of it. There are absolutely arguments in both directions. However I knew as soon as I saw the replay that the goal wasn’t going to be overturned.
Opening arguments — it was a goal on the ice and the burden of proof is high. Much of that initial contact between Jamie Benn and Philipp Grubauer looked like embellishment from the Kraken goalie upon first glance, and further glances haven’t moved the needle. Exaggeration, uh, happens — a lot. But during review, I can see the NHL’s Situation Room turning its nose up at that.
I agree with Stars coach Pete DeBoer that Carson Soucy’s contact with Benn has to be taken under consideration. I agree with Kraken coach Dave Hakstol that Grubauer only had a split second to slide over and get reset, which is not reasonably enough time to do so. But “reasonably” doesn’t rule the day.
Grubauer was thrown off by the initial contact with Benn and was outside the blue paint because of it. But how much of it was his own doing? Benn shouldn’t have been toeing the line like that, but with the benefit of hindsight, Grubauer shouldn’t have been trying to sell that call. Around and around we go. No one’s innocent here.
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There were too many factors going against the challenge for it to be overturned, within the current framework the way I see it. I wouldn’t say I agree, but I understand. Can’t say in good faith that it was as cut-and-dry as Twitter believed it to be.
Geoff Baker: Of course it was interference. Grubauer had both skates in the crease and got bumped on contact initiated by Benn. That’s textbook. Open and shut. There is no “fighting for ice space” or “both guys going for the puck” inside the crease. That’s the goalie’s domain. Grubauer has the right of way. You cannot contact or impede the goalie in his crease and if a goal follows, it should not count.
Where there was confusion is because there were two hits. The first by Benn knocked Grubauer outside of his crease. Then, about one second later, Benn got pushed into Grubauer by Carson Soucy and contacted the goalie right before Maxi Domi’s goal. That second hit technically isn’t interference as Grubauer was outside his crease. But why was he outside his crease? Because Benn knocked him there and he didn’t have time to properly reset. Not buying the embellishment angle. Sure, he jumped once Benn hit him the first time. No kidding. He was trying to avoid full contact and maintain positioning.
Life isn’t lived in a video replay, where everything gets slowed down. Saying he embellished in split second real time is a stretch. Why embellish? Because he knew Domi was about to fire a laser-beam accurate shot? Is Grubauer clairvoyant? Good, maybe he can tell me whether there will be a Game 7 so I can book my next flight to Dallas now and save money.
Benn illegally contacted him in the crease. The onus isn’t on Grubauer to prove he wasn’t embellishing. The NHL, by the way, offered just a token explanation that no interference occurred on either hit. Smartly, it didn’t try mentioning embellishment. I’d have bought the popcorn for that fallout.
The series is tied at 2 again. Discuss.
Shefte: With the Kraken up 2-1 at home, it was on peak display last night. This short memory, what-have-you-done-for-me-lately mentality that reigns in the postseason. After Game 2, which thoroughly belonged to the Stars, the Kraken’s tombstone was at the etcher’s. After Game 3, Seattle had dominated the series, to hear some tell it.
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So reactionary, and we’re not immune. Geoff and I were talking Western Conference finals in the last Three Thoughts. The Stars are a very good team, and they responded in kind. The Kraken have struggled to put two of those methodical, energetic, classically them efforts together this postseason, and that happened again. They’re the lower seed here, and they have to fight. Once again, I’m not writing them off, or looking ahead.
Baker: Well, now that you mentioned our conference final plans, the reason I’m not suggesting we book our luxury Edmonton resort spa treatments today is because the Kraken are a different team at home than on the road. They don’t just lose home nailbiters, they get taken to the woodshed. Last night’s 6-3 game wasn’t nearly as close as the score. This didn’t just start in the playoffs. It’s happened all season. The anomaly was the Kraken’s Game 3 performance this round. Otherwise, it’s an uphill home struggle.
This series has followed an odd pattern. Dallas goalie Jake Oettinger was terrible in Game 1, then in Game 2 the Kraken barely tested him until late — and scored on him.
Then, in Game 3, Oettinger was a human sieve. So, the Kraken come out in Game 4 and put just eight shots on him through half a game, by which point they were down 4-0? Ten shots through two periods? Their objective should be to bombard Oettinger from all angles. There’s no excuse for giving him another night off when he really hasn’t looked good in any game.
What changes should the Kraken make in Game 5?
Shefte: Confession. Here’s where I try to bait Geoff into calling for a goalie switch.
Not that. Grubauer’s still the guy. I’d like to see McCann back on the top line with Matty Beniers and Jordan Eberle as well. Tye Kartye has been good and comfortable enough, despite the wild and weighty circumstances, to stay in the lineup, certainly. But that chemistry built all through the regular season is undeniable. McCann wet his feet again on the fourth line, but I yearn for the good ol’ days.
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Baker: Yeah, I’m not Dean Evason. So, no on the goalie swap. Agree on the McCann switch. The way Kartye keeps blowing guys off their skates with legal open ice hits, he’d be a perfect fourth line chaos contributor. But beyond line juggling, the Kraken must keep Grubauer from getting run. They began doing that in Game 4 after it was too late and already 3-0, and the Stars slowed down on the liberties from there.
But when you play the game like conscientious objectors to the rough stuff, goalies get run.
I thought the Kraken’s physicality was fine in the first period. But then they stopped hitting, and the Stars felt they could do whatever they wanted without retribution. That wasn’t the case in Game 4. Wouldn’t hurt the Kraken to make Oettinger’s life similarly difficult by getting in his face. If they don’t, this Kraken playoff run could be over by Saturday. No spas for us.
Source: The Seattle Times
