Breaking Down Stars-Kraken Game 1

This was a fun one.

The Seattle Kraken won Game 1 in overtime 5-4 against the Dallas Stars.

Wildly exciting hockey game, six goals in the first period, fun comeback in the third and then Yanni Gourde’s OT winner to give Seattle a 1-0 lead.

Here are the things I found interesting. Thank you for reading.

Joe Pavelski (with help from Max Domi)

In case you missed the earlier headlines, Joe Pavelski was back for the Stars.

And then, on cue, he scored twice in the first period to give Dallas a temporary 2-1 lead. Later he completed the hat trick in the third period, giving Dallas hope and then in storybook-type stuff, he did it again to force overtime.

Gone since Game 1 of Round 1. Returns with four goals. Great stories truly write themselves.

Pavelski’s second goal was vintage, a tip on a point shot by Thomas Harley. You’ve heard the stories, you’ve seen the Tweets and videos of him practicing it each morning, anyone can write that story — and many will this postseason.

The fourth goal was also a tip, albeit slightly different in it’s development, but I want to focus on another key part of Pavelski’s night… the Stars movement from neutral to offensive zone with him on the ice.