Martin Jones stopped 22 shots, securing his first shutout in 55 games, while Alex Wennberg scored twice to lead the Seattle Kraken to a 4-0 victory over the Minnesota Wild on Thursday night.
Morgan Geekie and Jamie Oleksiak also scored for Seattle, which has won three straight games and four out of their last five in their second NHL season. Oliver Bjorkstrand provided two assists, and Joey Daccord made 36 saves in his first start of the season.
“Everyone’s fighting for one another,” Wennberg said, emphasizing the team’s collective effort.
The Kraken have consistently scored three or more goals in their last eight games, with Geekie and Wennberg contributing to the high offense.
Despite numerous rebounds, Jones kept the Wild scoreless. Key saves included stopping Joel Eriksson Ek and Mason Shaw from close range late in the second period.
Wennberg scored after a fortuitous bounce off his back, which was confirmed as a goal upon video review, much to the dismay of Wild fans. The Kraken capitalized on Minnesota turnovers, with Wennberg, Geekie, and Oleksiak executing plays that led to their goals.
Marc-Andre Fleury made 19 saves for the Wild, who had previously won four out of five games. “We didn’t match that tonight,” Wild defenseman Matt Dumba remarked about the Wild’s effort.
In dealing with injuries, Minnesota skated with 11 forwards and seven defensemen, missing key players such as Jordan Greenway, Brandon Duhaime, Marcus Foligno, and Ryan Hartman.
Kraken LW Jared McCann, tied for the team lead with five goals, was out with a lower-body injury. Shane Wright, the fourth overall pick in the 2022 draft, returned after sitting out four games.
UP NEXT
- Kraken: Conclude a three-game trip Saturday at Pittsburgh.
- Wild: Begin a three-game trip Tuesday in Los Angeles.
