Dave Hakstol’s return to Philadelphia, where he once faced chants of “Fire Hakstol!,” was anything but triumphant as the Flyers routed the Seattle Kraken 6-1 on Monday night.
Claude Giroux and Travis Konecny both found the net, while Carter Hart made 24 saves to lead the Flyers to victory, spoiling Hakstol’s first game back in Philadelphia as head coach of the Kraken.
“We were out of sync; we couldn’t put ourselves back on the right track,” Hakstol said. “And that’s the result.”
Joel Farabee, Derick Brassard, Ryan Ellis, and Justin Braun also scored for the Flyers.
Carson Soucy made history by becoming the first Kraken defenseman to score a goal, but it wasn’t enough to prevent Seattle from suffering a lopsided loss.
Hakstol, who was hired by the Flyers in 2015 and fired in December 2018 after going 134-101-42, returned to Philadelphia only to witness his new team struggle against a dominant Flyers squad. Despite his efforts to prepare the Kraken, the Flyers overwhelmed Seattle, scoring three goals in the first period.
The Flyers treated the Kraken like a typical expansion team rather than a contender and dominated the game from start to finish.
“We’ve got a good group here. We have fun at the rink,” Hart said. “But we know when it’s time to go to work.”
Hakstol caught up with some of his former players during the morning skate, but the Flyers showed no mercy once the game started.
“It’s different seeing him on a different team when you had him for so long,” Konecny said. “It’s pretty cool for him to have that job now and step in as a head coach again. Hopefully, it will go well for him, but not tonight.”
Giroux opened the scoring with a one-timer for his second goal of the season, followed by Konecny and Brassard, who quickly extended the Flyers’ lead. By the second period, Ryan Ellis and Justin Braun added to the Flyers’ tally, chasing Kraken goalie Philipp Grubauer from the game.
Hakstol, now the head coach in Seattle after a stint as an assistant in Toronto, was chosen as the Kraken’s first coach, a decision that surprised many outside the organization. While he aims to bring success to Seattle, his return to Philadelphia served as a harsh reminder of the challenges ahead.
HAYES STAYS INVOLVED
Flyers center Kevin Hayes, who is recovering from abdominal surgery, declined to comment following the Massachusetts state medical examiner’s report that his brother, former NHL player Jimmy Hayes, died from an accidental overdose of fentanyl and cocaine in August. Despite being sidelined, Hayes remains active with the team.
“Kevin has been in everything,” coach Alain Vigneault said. “He’s been in the gym, doing his rehab, he’s been working. He’s been in all our meetings. He’s been a real part of this team.”
Jimmy Hayes’ widow, Kristen, expressed her heartbreak on Instagram, choosing to remember her husband for the love and joy he brought to others.
KRAKEN SKULLS
Flyers center Nate Thompson engaged in a late fight with Kraken’s Nathan Bastian, energizing the Philadelphia crowd.
“I wouldn’t expect anything less from our fans,” Konecny said.
UP NEXT
- Kraken: Play at New Jersey on Tuesday.
- Flyers: Host Boston on Wednesday.
