On Tuesday night, Morgan Geekie scored twice to help the Seattle Kraken snap a three-game losing streak with a 5-3 victory over the St. Louis Blues.
Geekie ended his 10-game scoring drought, dating back to Jan. 28, with his first multi-goal game of the season and his first since March 11, 2021, when he was with the Carolina Hurricanes.
“I think we tried to play below the goal line as much as we could,” Geekie said. “We’re a heavy team; we moved the puck well underneath them. I think we stuck to our game plan.”
Jared McCann, Jamie Oleksiak, and Brandon Tanev also scored, while Martin Jones made 22 saves as the Kraken started a four-game road trip. Daniel Sprong and Eeli Tolvanen each had two assists.
For the struggling Blues, Robert Thomas and Pavel Buchnevich each had a goal and an assist, and Brandon Saad scored. Jordan Binnington made 21 saves, but the Blues lost their sixth straight game.
Geekie’s second goal gave the Kraken a 3-2 lead with 6:28 left in the second period. Oleksiak’s goal midway through the third proved to be the game-winner.
“We had a little bit of a slow start in the first seven, eight minutes,” Kraken coach Dave Hakstol said. “After that, we played a good road game. We responded each time they scored, bouncing back and scoring within a few minutes to push the momentum back our way.”
Buchnevich scored with 5:31 left, but the Blues couldn’t equalize before Tanev scored into an empty net with 6.5 seconds remaining.
“Pretty good game, but I don’t think we were fast enough,” Buchnevich said. “We have to play quicker. You must find something positive to build on when you lose six in a row and stop this losing streak.”
The Blues started strong with an 8-1 advantage in shots on goal but trailed after Geekie beat Binnington with a wrist shot from the left circle midway through the first period.
Thomas evened the game for the Blues with a short-handed goal early in the second period, scoring from nearly the same spot where Geekie had scored.
“Just a little patience in the D-zone,” Thomas said. “Sometimes there are plays to be made, and you can get some good looks off the rush.”
McCann put the Kraken up 2-1 a couple of minutes later with his team-high 27th goal of the season, matching his career-high from last year.
Saad tied the game for St. Louis midway through the second period with his first goal since Feb. 11.
Welcome Back
Forward Jaden Schwartz first appeared at Enterprise Center after signing with Kraken as a free agent in 2021. Schwartz, a first-round draft by the Blues in 2010, was part of the 2019 Stanley Cup championship team. He received a standing ovation from the crowd after being honored with a video tribute during a break in the first period.
Face in the Crowd
Roman Bürki, the goalkeeper and captain of the Major League Soccer expansion team St. Louis City SC, was in attendance. St. Louis beat Austin 3-2 in its first game on Saturday.
Game Notes
RW Kasperi Kapanen debuted his Blues after being claimed off waivers on Saturday. Kraken D Vince Dunn, a former Blue, played in his 400th career game. Binnington played in his 209th game, tying Greg Millen for fifth on the Blues’ all-time franchise list.
Up Next
Kraken: At Detroit on Thursday night.
Blues: At San Jose on Thursday night.
