Kraken defeat Canucks for first preseason victory

There is now an answer to when the Kraken will win their first preseason game of the season.

That first victory came Friday night at Climate Pledge Arena, with the Kraken getting off to a fast start and holding on for a 3-1 win over the Vancouver Canucks.

The two teams engaged in a rough and chippy game that was punctuated by a couple of fights on Tuesday night in Vancouver, with the Canucks winning 3-1 in a game that wasn’t decided until a late empty-net goal.

Friday’s matchup was a bit tamer and with a happier ending for the Kraken, who had 23 shots on goal to Vancouver’s 20.

“This team is in a process right now of continuing to get better and continuing to figure out how we’re going to do this,” said Kraken coach Dan Bylsma. “And there were a lot of good signs in that regard tonight.”

The Kraken have not had a losing preseason in their brief history, finishing 4-2 their first two seasons in 2021 and 2022 before going 3-2-1 last season.

But they got off to a slow start in this preseason, losing 6-1 to Calgary and then 3-1 to Vancouver. Those losses won’t count once the regular season starts, but it’s always nice to win, no matter the situation.

“The whole team was a lot better tonight, more connected, breaking pucks out, coming out of the D-zone and playing with speed,” Bylsma said. “The whole team was a ton better.”

Seattle took its first lead of the preseason when Eeli Tolvanen snapped a shot past Canucks goalie Kevin Lankinen at the 4:02 mark of the first period.

Tolvanen was set up by passes from Adam Larsson and Jordan Eberle. All three were regulars in the Kraken lineup last season.

The Kraken scored again at 18:49 of the opening period on a goal by Brandon Montour, who helped Florida win the Stanley Cup last season before signing a seven-year, $50 million deal with Seattle in the offseason as a free agent.

Montour’s goal was assisted by Ryan Winterton and Ben Meyers, who unlike Montour, at this point seem unlikely to make the Kraken’s opening-day roster.

It was a dominant first period from start to finish for the Kraken, who outshot Vancouver 11-4 in the first 20 minutes.

Winterton scored at 3:45 of the second period on a pass from Lleyton Roed, who played five games last season at Coachella Valley after finishing his collegiate career in the spring at Bemidji State University.

“For Lleyton to strip the puck, then go back quick the other way to get (Winterton) a goal at the blue paint was awesome,” Bylsma said.

Said Roed: “Speed is kind of my thing so it’s nice to see that translate to this level.”

Winterton said he didn’t feel like he played well in his first preseason game and was much happier Friday.

“I think that was huge for me, and whatever happens, happens,” he said. “But I’m going to keep trying to earn my spot and stay another day, every day.”

Winterton’s goal gave Seattle a 3-0 lead, but that seemed to fire up the Canucks. They were the better team during the second half of the period and closed to 3-1 at the 16:18 mark on wraparound goal by Tyler Myers.

Vancouver continued to control the action in the third period — with Seattle not getting off a shot for nearly the first 10 minutes — but Kraken goaltender Joey Daccord was up to the task.

Daccord played the whole game and saved 19 shots.

BOX SCORE