TEMPE, Ariz. — One of the odder things about the Kraken’s latest in a string of bottom-feeding opponents was that this one somehow boasts a winning record playing at their pint-size home arena.
It doesn’t always make sense, as the Arizona Coyotes aren’t very good and their 5,000-seat Mullett Arena, smaller than junior-hockey facilities in Kent and Everett, on Monday night was yet again seemingly filled with more visiting fans than anything else. Despite that apparent home-crowd disadvantage, the Kraken found themselves the latest visiting side locked in a tough battle nearly two periods through this 4-1 win before a pair of goals 74 seconds apart late in the second propelled them to a fifth straight victory.
Justin Schultz and Matty Beniers capped a three-goal, middle-period Kraken comeback that carried them from behind by one to up by two at intermission. Schultz stepped out of the penalty box with five minutes left in the period and the game tied 1-1, moved in alone and put a deke move on goalie Ivan Prosvetov for his team’s first lead of the night.
