Three-Point Nights in Triplicate

The Kraken did not quit there. Matty Beniers, who was on top of his game all night, scored Seattle’s fifth goal on assists by, you guessed it, from Eberle and McMann. One note about Beniers: The Kraken’s third goal put Seattle up 3-1 mid-second period with Jamie Oleksiak slamming the puck past Canucks goalie Tilopilo from the high slot. Beniers earned the primary assist, but it was his hustle and attention to detail on a longer-than-ideal shift.

Another Lambert mantra during the last four losses was that the team needed more from the top line. Message and reply delivered. McMann (two goals, one assist), Eberle (three assists) and Beniers (goal, two goals) all turned in three-point nights.

He’s the McMann

While Kraken had to wait a week for forward Bobby McMann’s debut, he didn’t take long to make a positive impression. He notched a hit on his first shift as part of the starting lineup here in B.C. During the first period, he looked comfortable finding spots to create time and space for himself and linemates Matty Beniers and Jordan Eberle. It’s not easy to adjust to new teammates at game speed, but the guess here is that pro scout evaluators would give him solid marks for his first period work at even strength.

Not only did SEA coach Lane Lambert assign the new player to the top line, but he and Chris Taylor also put him on the second power play unit. Late first period, Seattle went on its first power play. Less than a half-minute later, McMann scored his first Kraken goal on his first shot. D-man Brandon Montour started the play in the defensive zone, moving the puck to Eeli Tolvanen for up-ice carriage before he moved the puck to McMann on the left wall in the Canucks zone.

McMann delivered on a promise made last weekend by both Kraken GM Jason Botterill and Lambert that the trade acquisition from Toronto would not be afraid to put pucks on net. McMann did exactly that with a fading-angle shot that flummoxed VAN 6-foot-8, 229-pound rookie goalie Nikita Tolopilo. Shane Wright was net front for a pass or rebound, potentially disturbing both Tolopilo and a Canucks defender. McMann’s goal, his 20th of the season, put the Kraken up, 2-1, in the last minute of the first period. The frame finished with the home squad outshooting Seattle 15 to 10.

“It almost resembles, in a way, like your first game,” said McMann at his visitor’s locker. “You’ve got an entirely new group, new organization, new fans. You want to make a great first impression. Sometimes things go your way a little bit more than other nights. Luckily, that was [tonight] for me.” 
McMann was glowing in his remarks about his new linemates: “Yeah, those two control the play so well. When the puck’s on their stick, they’re just so dynamic and unpredictable for the other team. So I’m just trying to get open for those guys. Ebs is so good at finding pockets around the ice, making those slip passes tonight through guys legs. That’s easy hockey when he’s doing that. He’s a great player to play with, and Matty was just a workhorse tonight.”

McCann Cashes In

It’s been a while since Jared McCann scored a goal. Ten games between when he opened the scoring here in the city where his NHL career started and Jan. 31, when he scored in a big road win over Vegas to cap off a week that earned him the NHL’s First Star of the Week honors. Ironically, though moved to the second line on Saturday to make room for Bobby McMann on the Matty Beniers line, McCann scored with his recent linemates, Beniers and Jordan Eberle, on the ice.  Brandon Montour got the primary assist while Eberle started the goal sequence. As it happened, McMann came to the bench for the shift change, putting McCann in action with fresh legs.