With captain Jordan Eberle out after pelvis surgery and the Seattle Kraken on a five-game losing streak before the NHL’s Christmas break, the team needed someone to step up if they wanted to avoid missing the playoffs for the third time in four years.
Jaden Schwartz answered the call.
Coach Dan Bylsma described Schwartz as a “man possessed” after the center helped the Kraken pull off a historic comeback against Vancouver last weekend. The two Pacific Division teams are set to face off again Thursday in Seattle.
“Schwartz has been front and center with some of the messaging on how we want to play and what we’re trying to do,” Bylsma said. “(Schwartz) is a gamer. He rises when the game’s on the line, when it’s an important game.”
On Saturday, Schwartz scored two goals as the Kraken became just the third team in NHL history to overcome a three-goal deficit in the final five minutes of regulation to win. Defenseman Vince Dunn also scored late and netted the game-winning goal on a breakaway in overtime, marking the Kraken’s fifth comeback from a multi-goal deficit this season.
Schwartz and Dunn were teammates on the 2019 Stanley Cup-winning St. Louis Blues. “So many people could take after him and learn from him,” Dunn said of Schwartz.
While the Kraken celebrated their comeback, the Canucks were left feeling frustrated.
“Honestly, it’s pretty devastating,” Vancouver forward Jake DeBrusk said. “We should never be losing that game, let alone letting it get to overtime. But it just goes to show, there’s a couple bad bounces and a resilient team over there.
You’ve got to give them credit, but it just reinforces the focus we have to have no matter what the score is… Anytime that we have a two-goal lead there late, that’s got to be automatic.”
The Canucks were without defenseman Quinn Hughes and center Elias Pettersson due to undisclosed injuries. Coach Rick Tocchet confirmed that neither would be traveling to Seattle.
Both teams have played once since that comeback game.
The Canucks lost 3-1 to the Calgary Flames on Tuesday, despite Brock Boeser scoring his sixth goal in the past four games. Kevin Lankinen made 26 saves for Vancouver, which has now lost five of its last six games (1-2-3).
“I’m just coming to the rink every day and trying to work as hard as I can,” said Boeser, whose 14 goals rank second on the team behind Jake DeBrusk’s 16. “I wish I’d be scoring and winning hockey games right now. I’m going to keep doing what I’ve been doing and try to help contribute to our team (winning).”
Tocchet was more pleased with his team’s effort despite the loss.
“It was a hard-working game. A lot of emotion. Guys stuck together,” Tocchet said. “A couple self-inflicted goals that are preventable, but for the most part I thought the guys worked hard. A lot of guys gave effort.”
The Kraken followed up their historic win by defeating the Utah Hockey Club 5-2 on Monday, with Schwartz adding a goal and two assists.
“(Points) never come easy,” Schwartz said. “… I wasn’t happy with how we were playing (before the holiday break). I think each guy knew that we had a lot more to bring individually and for the team, and we’ve done a good job of that.”
Kraken goaltender Joey Daccord (upper body) has missed the last two games and did not practice on Wednesday, so it’s likely Philipp Grubauer will start again on Thursday. Ales Stezka, who has yet to play in an NHL game, is expected to remain the backup.
