The Seattle Kraken’s new mascot, Buoy, rappelled from the rafters, a flashy start to Saturday’s workmanlike 4-0 victory against the Vancouver Canucks. The Kraken shut out all three preseason opponents at Climate Pledge Arena and remained undefeated through four contests.
Matty Beniers opened the scoring in the second period. The puck spit out to Andre Burakovsky along the boards and he centered to Beniers, who flicked in a goal from the high slot. It was Beniers’ second of the preseason.
From behind the net, Oliver Bjorkstrand set up Alex Wennberg on the Kraken’s second goal 58 seconds into the third period. Yanni Gourde went in alone up the side of the ice and made it 3-0 six minutes later.
Shane Wright, still waiting on his first of the preseason, had his chances. His bid from the doorstep slid wide of the crease and two early power-play looks were turned aside.
As coach Dave Hakstol teased after the morning skate, the Kraken quit splitting goaltending responsibilities down the middle and had Philipp Grubauer play the whole game. Grubauer didn’t have much to do in the first period. With the help of two scoreless power plays seven seconds apart, the Kraken opened up a 9-1 shot lead and wound up at 12-3 at the first intermission.
Grubauer earned some love from the crowd near the game’s midway point when he hit the splits but kept his five hole closed, sliding across the crease to deny Vancouver’s Tyler Myers. Myers stood next to the crease, motionless, for several seconds.
Grubauer also mopped up in the third period when the team bobbled the puck repeatedly in front of him.
At the other end Demko, who was in net for most of Seattle’s 4-3 overtime win Thursday night in Vancouver, kept the game close until Gourde’s first goal. Gourde also added the empty netter.