Saturday’s 8-5 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks at the United Center made the Seattle Kraken the first team in NHL history to sweep at least seven games.
Beating the Blackhawks also allowed the Krakens to extend their current winning streak to eight games, starting with a 4-1 New Year’s Day win against the New York Islanders at Climate Pledge Arena and continuing as the team went on a seven-game 13-game streak. one day trip
The eight-game winning streak is also the longest in the franchise’s two-year history and marks the second time this season that the Krakens have won at least seven consecutive games. The first series ran from November 19 to December 1.
How exactly did the Kraken put themselves in a historical position? Scoring goals, and lots of them.
Part of the story surrounding the Kraken’s hopeful turnaround from lottery team to playoff run has been shaped by goals. The Krakens are averaging 3.66 goals per game this season, which ranks third in the NHL. A year ago, they averaged 2.6 goals per game, which ranked 28th out of 32 teams.
This trip has been more of the same. The Krakens entered Saturday with a 4.83 goals-against average through the first six games of the trip, which included 18 goals in their first three games. Kraken winger Daniel Sprong opened the game with his career-best 14th goal less than three minutes into the first half before Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews tied it nearly two minutes later.
The Kraken then went on to score five unanswered goals in three minutes, 41 seconds, which ranks as the 15th-fastest five-goal streak by a team according to NHL records.
Jared McCann scored two of those goals before completing his hat trick in the third. Matti Beniers, who will represent the Kraken in the All-Star Game, also scored his sixth goal in seven games to lead all rookies with 17 this season. The six goals were also the most the Krakens have scored in one period this season.
And if that was not enough? The win gave the Krakens their 26th win of the regular season in 42 games and they are now one win short of matching their win total from last season.
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