Three Takeaways – More magic from Jaden Schwartz as the Kraken knocked off Utah 5-2

On By Littum

Mel Brooks tried to warn the Utah Hockey Club with his portrayal of the Great Yogurt in the 1987 spoof masterpiece, Space ballsabout underestimating the Schwartz’s power. But his warnings were heeded Monday when the Seattle Kraken used Jaden Schwartz’s red-hot offensive touch to make Utah look like a bunch of Dinks (specifically Rinky Dink, Blinky Dink, Stinky Dink, Pinky Dink, Finky Dink and Winky Dink) in a 5 -2 win at Climate Pledge Arena.

From Seattle’s perspective, the Kraken managed to build on their stunning comeback win in Vancouver last Saturday and create more post-holiday positivity with this all-game effort.

“We wanted to take the four-day break and (5-4 overtime comeback win on Saturday) in Vancouver as a reset and get really focused on how to play 60 minutes every night,” coach Dan Bylsma said. “Just from the mindset of the shooter’s mentality and coming out and being aggressive, being up north, the first period was outstanding. And that is something we would like to build on.”

Here are three takeaways from a 5-2 Kraken win over the Utah Hockey Club.

Takeaway #1: The power of Schwartz

Jaden Schwartz has put the Kraken on his back the last two games. After Seattle seemed to comb the desert for any kind of coherent play during the team’s recent five-game skid, Schwartz has stepped up and led the pack by going straight to the goal line every chance he gets and constantly sending pucks into dangerous areas.

“I wasn’t happy with how we played (before the holiday break),” Schwartz said. “I think every guy knew we had a lot more to bring individually and for the team, and we’ve done a good job of that.”

Schwartz had a goal and two assists in this one to follow up his outstanding performance against Vancouver, where he scored two of Seattle’s three late goals to force overtime. He also would have had another goal Monday if not for a coach’s challenge from Utah that turned it down.

Schwartz was undeterred by the disallowed goal. Instead, just two minutes into the challenge, Schwartz kept a game alive by rimming it around to Adam Larsson at the point. Larsson sent it back and Schwartz got just one touch on the puck as it headed towards Ryker Evans. Evans sent it into the net and Yanni Gourde cleaned up the rebound to make it 1-1 officially.

Then, 51 seconds later, with Seattle in the middle of a line change, Schwartz found himself on the ice with Andre Burakovsky and Chandler Stephenson. He picked up a loose puck at the right hash and spun back toward the point to create space. With direct shooting lanes filled with defenders, he sent a wrist shot deliberately past the net and Burakovsky got on the other end of it.

“The first look I was going for was a little closed,” Schwartz said. “Then I saw (Burakovsky) go to the net and I was kind of flat-footed so I just tried to get it towards the net and he did a good job of getting there and getting a stick on it.”

Schwartz’s final act of the contest, which really got the Climate Pledge Arena going, was when he took Kappo Kakko’s dazzling 100-foot stretch pass on the blue line, crossed in and fired it between Karel Vejmelka’s wickets for the eventual game-winning goal .

“It was a good turnover and I just heard the whole bench and all the fans yelling, ‘Give the puck! It’s going to be a blowout!'” Kakko said. “So I tried to get it there and I don’t know, maybe a little lucky , but it will be there and a nice finish (by Schwartz).”

What a game, and what a game from Jaden Schwartz. I promise I’m done Space balls jokes now.

Takeaway #2: The Kaapo Kakko trade is looking better and better

This was the first time I’ve seen Kakko play for the Kraken in person, and man, he really looks good. It probably helps that he’s playing with the sizzling-hot Schwartz, but what Seattle has so obviously lacked for much of this season is players willing to step up.

Kakko uses his massive frame exactly as you’d hope, pounding his way right into dangerous areas. But he also makes impressive plays on the puck and the elite passes; The Schwartz goal and the Matty Beniers goal came off primary assists from Kakko and both were off spectacular feeds.

“He’s been playing great,” Schwartz said. “He’s a big body, he sees the ice well, he makes little plays, kind of give-and-go’s to create space, and he’s been good defensively. So he has been a great addition for us.”

Kakko said his confidence has grown now that he is settling in with his new team. “The start was a bit tough, we lost all three matches. That’s never a good thing,” Kakko said. “But I felt pretty good today. Especially in the first period, I think we got a lot of good chances, and on the power play there could also (could have been) a couple of goals. And so (it was a) good thing that we also got two goals in the end, so pretty good.”

Pretty good. Prettttaaayyy pretty good.

Takeaway #3: Chemistry Formation

I realize as I write this final Takeaway that all three have been about the Schwartz/Beniers/Kakko line, but they were really the story of this game. Encouragingly, as Schwartz has been cooking of late, there is also chemistry in form between Kakko and Beniers, who had struggled so fiercely before getting a couple of nice rejections in the last two games to get some more goals in his name.

“(Beniers and Kakko) talk, they meet, they communicate together with Schwartzy,” Bylsma said. “‘What are we going to do on this play, the next play? How are we going to do it? Do you want to be there? I want to be there.’

“And now it’s three games in a row, they’ve been the most effective line.”

Assuming this trio continues to flourish, and assuming the Eeli Tolvanen/Shane Wright/Oliver Bjorkstrand line can remain effective, the Kraken can finally form multiple dangerous lines at the same time, something they’ve been looking for all season.

But while these two lines look like solutions, the Jared McCann/Stephenson/Burakovsky line remains puzzling. Burakovsky had a goal on a tip-in off of Schwartz’s shot and McCann had an empty netter to seal the victory, but for the majority of this game that line was hampered in its own zone, earning an abysmal six percent of shot quality , when they were on the ice together, according to Natural Stat Trick. With two of the top three lines working and this one really not, you have to believe more fiddling will be coming relatively soon.

Regardless, after Beniers has struggled all season to find his footing, there are signs that Schwartz and Kakko could finally give him the traction he needs; it’s a fun line to watch right now. Get them all started!