Release the Kraken! Seattle Wins Game 5-MacKinnon Goes ‘Hissy! Hissy!’

DENVER, COLORADO - APRIL 26: Goalie Philipp Grubauer #31 of the Seattle Kraken celebrates with his teammates their win against the Colorado Avalanche during Game Five of the First Round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Ball Arena on April 26, 2023 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
DENVER, COLORADO - APRIL 26: Goalie Philipp Grubauer #31 of the Seattle Kraken celebrates with his teammates their win against the Colorado Avalanche during Game Five of the First Round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Ball Arena on April 26, 2023 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

The Seattle Kraken won Game 5 against the Colorado Avalanche 3-2, taking a 3-2 series lead. The team is one win away from advancing to the second round. A game that featured a Cale Makar-less Avs team, the Kraken’s depth suffocated the depleted Colorado roster.

The highlight of the game was the full blown hissy fit thrown by Avs star Nathan MacKinnon that led to a Kraken goal. Borgen did not trip MacKinnon, their skates collided. That’s what happens when you skate as heavy as MacKinnon. The hissy fit took MacKinnon out of the play and led to a rush the other way.

Rather than stay in the play, he whined to the refs, and slammed his stick against the boards. High school coaches tell their players (at least I do) that speaking with the refs is a non negotiable. Great lesson to show my boy. Keep your mouth shut and stay focused on the ice.

The Kraken really outworked the Avs in all areas of the game, and goalie Phillipp Grubauer dominated. The Avalanche look like they are about done. Not much left in the tank, and not enough depth to matchup against the Kraken. I said it from day one, the Kraken win this series in 6 games.

The Kraken have 13 different players with goals in this series. fear the depth indeed.

Oh, and Yanni Gourde was outstanding as well. The team needed him at his best to win this game, and he was. The momentum is 100% on Seattle’s side and I do not see Colorado doing well Friday night. Stick a fork in them, they are done.

Colorado made one last ditch effort/final push and came pretty close. The Kraken missed multiple empty net opportunities but hung in to seal the win.

Moving forward to Game 6 Friday night, the Kraken need to find a way to win more faceoffs. The Kraken were terrible on the draw in the 3rd period, especially when it mattered most. Alex Wennberg was 3/11 on faceoffs when the Kraken took a critical draw with less than 4 minutes remaining in the game. Fast forward a couple of minutes and once again the Kraken lost a defensive zone draw, giving the Avs life late in the 3rd period.

This has to change if the team is going to finish off the Avs on Friday.

Game 6 is tomorrow night. Let’s go!

Fear the deep!