Carson Soucy netted two goals and Daniel Sprong scored in his debut for the Seattle Kraken, leading them to a 4-2 victory over the Arizona Coyotes on Tuesday night.
Soucy scored the first and last goals in a busy second period, while Morgan Geekie added one in the third, helping the Kraken secure their third win in four games and their first against the Coyotes in three meetings.
“I’m just trying to make the most of the opportunity,” said Soucy, a defenseman who has set a career-high with nine goals this season and took power play shifts after captain Mark Giordano was traded on Monday. “Losing Gio, trying to make the most of it on the power play. I’m just trying to contribute and help the team get a win. Obviously, it sucks losing guys, but you have to take it and make the most of your opportunity.”
Soucy’s go-ahead goal late in the second period came moments after the Coyotes killed a penalty but before they could reset their defense.
Nick Schmaltz and Nick Ritchie scored for the Coyotes, who have now lost three consecutive games after a stretch of winning six out of seven.
Sprong, acquired from Washington at Monday’s trade deadline, scored his ninth season goal. He logged 14 minutes for the Capitals in Dallas on Sunday.
“I just felt good to be out there after yesterday’s crazy day,” said Sprong, who joined the Kraken on Monday. “I was a little snake-bit in (Washington). I know I can shoot the puck. I got an opportunity and made the most of it.”
Phillip Grubauer made 23 saves for the Kraken, who conceded five goals in each of their two previous losses to Arizona.
Arizona goalie Karel Vejmelka stopped 35 shots in his first appearance since signing a three-year, $8 million contract extension on Monday.
“The group worked hard,” Seattle coach Dave Hakstol said.
After a scoreless first period, the teams combined for five goals in the second. Schmaltz’s 19th goal on a power play opened the scoring at 8:11, with a backhand feed from Clayton Keller. Soucy quickly tied it 18 seconds later with a shot through a screen that hit the crossbar and bounced in.
Ritchie gave Arizona a 2-1 lead at 9:13 with a shot past Grubauer from the right side after a cross-ice pass from Loui Eriksson. Sprong’s power-play goal tied it again at 13:39 with a wrist shot from the top of the right circle over Vejmelka’s blocker.
“You can see it’s a weapon,” Hakstol said of Sprong’s shot. “We hadn’t got a lot going on the power play in the second, so it was nice for him to take some of the pressure off by coming down the wing and finding the far side of the net.”
Soucy’s second goal came on a low wrist shot from the right circle, giving Seattle a 3-2 lead. Geekie added an insurance goal at 12:38 of the third period.
“I saw a lack of fight,” Coyotes coach Andre Tourigny said. “I saw a lack of soul a little bit. We have a lot of frustration for whatever reason. We just have to regroup and push all together. We see a lot of frustration.”
Game Notes
- The Coyotes signed Jack McBain to a two-year, entry-level contract on Monday after acquiring him in a trade with Minnesota. McBain had 33 points in 24 games with Boston College this season.
- Kraken D Haydn Fleury left the game early in the second period with an undisclosed injury and did not return.
- Vejmelka has played 37 games, second among NHL rookie goaltenders.
- Sprong is the first in-season trade acquisition in Seattle history and the only active NHL player from the Netherlands.
- Coyotes D Jakob Chychrun (lower body) and J.J. Moser (upper body) were scratched. GM Bill Armstrong said the Coyotes will entertain offers for Chychrun in the offseason.
- Coyotes forward Phil Kessel played in his 963rd consecutive game, one short of tying Doug Jarvis for the second-longest streak in league history.
- Since being acquired from Toronto, Ritchie has six goals and eight points in 12 games with the Coyotes.
UP NEXT
- Kraken: At the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday night.
- Coyotes: At the Calgary Flames on Friday night.
