Leo Carlsson’s impressive goal can’t save Ducks from Kraken season sweep
Shane Wright had his first two-goal game in the NHL and the Seattle Kraken defeated the Ducks 3-1 on Friday night for their fourth victory in six games.
Wright, the fourth overall pick in the 2022 draft, also had an assist. He has three goals in three games since being recalled from the AHL on Sunday.
“He was a confident player tonight. I thought he was a confident player with the puck and he definitely did a good job on the defensive side as well,” Seattle coach Dave Hakstol said.
Matty Beniers also scored for the Kraken, who swept the four-game season series from the Ducks for the first time. It was the 100th career point for Beniers, who won the Calder Trophy last season as the league’s top rookie.
Alex Killorn scored twice and the Ducks ended a five-game losing streak with a road victory over the Calgary Flames.
Beniers thought he had his 100th point Wednesday night against the Kings, until there was a scoring change.
“It’s been good. I’ve been playing around a lot of really good players the last two and some years, so it’s just been fun,” Beniers said. “I wish we were in a lot better position than we are right now, but I think we’re just trying to finish this year out strong, then move forward next year.”
Philipp Grubauer stopped 16 shots and Oliver Bjorkstrand added two assists for the Kraken.
Leo Carlsson scored a highlight-reel goal for the Ducks. Carlsson, the second pick in last year’s draft, became the 15th rookie this season with at least 10 goals. Lukas Dostal made 24 saves.
“From where I stood on the bench, it was Leo Carlsson and then a huge gap to the rest of the Anaheim Ducks tonight,” coach Greg Cronin said. “We didn’t do much. We didn’t generate much. He was one guy that I felt that tried to make something happen every play.”
Wright redirected Bjorkstrand’s shot with 3:52 remaining in the first period. Wright then got a pass from Jaden Schwartz in front and put a snap shot into the net 2:29 into the second.
“It was a great pass. It couldn’t have been a better spot for me and all I did was finish it there,” Wright said.
The Kraken took a three-goal lead nine minutes later when Beniers scored a power-play goal as the puck deflected off his skate after a pass from Wright.
Carlsson got the Ducks on the board with 3:25 remaining in the second period. The 19-year-old Swede, playing in his 50th NHL game, took the puck off the boards, put it between his legs onto his stick, skated into the right faceoff circle and wired a wrist shot into the top corner of the far side of the net.
Seattle defenseman Adam Larsson had his consecutive games streak snapped at 343, which was the fourth-longest current streak in the league. He is with his wife awaiting the couple’s first child.
Up next for the Ducks: vs. the St. Louis Blues at Honda Center on Sunday.
