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Ryan S. Clark, NHL reporterJan 1, 2024, 08:04 PM ET
CloseRyan S. Clark is an NHL reporter for ESPN.
SEATTLE — From the crowd chanting his name to being awarded the game’s MVP trophy, the Winter Classic became Joey Daccord’s world with the Seattle Kraken goaltender leading his team to a 3-0 win Monday against the Vegas Golden Knights.
Daccord’s second career shutout also proved to be the first in Winter Classic history and just the fourth since the NHL started playing outdoor games on a more frequent basis starting with the Heritage Classic in 2003.
“I think it was a special day for everybody. For our team, for our city, for hockey,” he said. “It was an incredible day and just so grateful to be a part of it. It was really special, and it was a huge win for our group. That’s a good team over there. It’s a big two points and at the same time, it’s something I’ll never forget and it’s one of the coolest days of my whole life.”
With 19 career games prior to this season, Daccord has used this season to emerge into becoming one of the Kraken’s most important players. His latest performance not only saw the Kraken win their fifth straight game, but they did it against the defending Stanley Cup champion Golden Knights.
The Kraken scored all their goals within the first five minutes of each period to help set the stage for the 27-year-old Daccord having one of the strongest performances of his career.
Daccord established himself by staying in position in a 2-on-1 late in the first period that saw him collected a loose puck off Kraken defenseman Vince Dunn’s stick. A minute later, a turnover in the Kraken’s end saw Golden Knights star center Jack Eichel receive a point-blank scoring chance that Daccord turned down with his left leg.
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Late in the third, Eichel found space on a cross-ice pass that he immediately fired for a one-timer that Daccord swallowed whole that led to the majority of T-Mobile Park giving him a standing ovation while repeatedly chanting…
Source link : https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/39224783/joey-daccord-leads-seattle-kraken-winter-classic-victory
Author : Ryan S. Clark
Publish date : 2024-01-02 01:13:20
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