McCann leads Kraken to 4-2 win over Flames for third victory in 4 video games

Jared McCann had a aim and an help to assist the Seattle Kraken beat the Calgary Flames 4-2 on Monday night time for his or her third win in 4 video games.

Yanni Gourde, Oliver Bjorkstrand, and Adam Larsson additionally scored for Seattle, which is 6-2-1 in its final 9. Philipp Grubauer stopped 35 pictures because the Kraken pulled even with the Flames within the Western Convention playoff chase, seven factors again of idle Nashville for the second wild card.

It was the a hundredth win in franchise historical past for Seattle in 225 video games, which ties St. Louis for the third-fastest growth crew to achieve that milestone. The one groups that did it quicker have been Vegas (173 video games) and Florida (223 video games).

“For our crew proper now, we’re within the battle right here. An important win goes to develop into 101,” mentioned McCann. “That’s to not take something away from that milestone as a result of I hope all people within the group that’s labored extraordinarily onerous to make that occur feels their contributions and feels lots of delight in it.”

Andrei Kuzmenko scored twice for Calgary, which snapped a five-game successful streak. Jacob Markstrom completed with 26 saves.

Kuzmenko has 13 objectives on the season and 5 in 10 video games since being acquired from Vancouver on Jan. 31 as a part of the commerce that despatched Elias Lindholm to the Canucks.

After going greater than two months between begins, lacking a bulk of that as a result of a lower-body damage, Grubauer has been wonderful since his return to the crease on Feb. 13, going 5-1-0 with a .943 save proportion.

“Grubby’s been good,” Seattle coach Dave Hakstol mentioned. “Simply the calmness that the gives. You’ll be able to add up the massive saves tonight on the proper time.”

With Seattle up 3-1 after Larsson’s aim 21 seconds into the third interval, Calgary minimize the deficit in half on Kuzmenko’s second of the night time at 7:46.

The Flames then acquired consecutive energy performs in an try to drag even. Nevertheless, after failing to attain on the primary, it was the Kraken that scored on the second.

McCann stripped the puck from Calgary’s Rasmus Andersson, raced in on Markstrom, and scored short-handed for his team-leading twenty sixth aim with 7:31 remaining.

“I used to be fairly gassed so I simply tried to get the shot off fast,” mentioned McCann. “I prefer to go low blocker however determined to vary it up on the final second. He’s an enormous goalie, so I used to be capable of finding a spot.”

Calgary coach Ryan Huska didn’t blame Andersson, implying the move again to him by Andrew Mangiapane might need been accountable.

“I believed Raz acquired put in a troublesome spot up prime,” Huska mentioned. “Now he’s flat-footed with strain popping out at him.”

Lower than a minute later, Calgary rookie Martin Pospisil was given a significant and a recreation misconduct for drilling Seattle defenseman Vince Dunn into the top boards from behind. Visibly shaken up however leaving the ice on his personal, Dunn went to the dressing room and didn’t return.

“Rubbish,” Hakstol mentioned when requested in regards to the hit. “However not likely an entire lot totally different than the primary hit six or seven seconds into the sport. You run round like that you just in all probability must reply when someone involves you man to man and that didn’t occur both.”

After a listless first interval during which Calgary fell behind 1-0, the Flames have been higher within the second interval, tying it at 7:50 on a artful effort from Kuzmenko on the facility play. The 28-year-old Russian faked going behind the online, prompting Grubauer to look over his different shoulder, solely to chop again and jam it contained in the close to submit for his a hundredth profession NHL level.

Seattle reclaimed the lead lower than 5 minutes later when poor defensive protection by Oliver Kylington left Bjorkstrand open within the slot and he one-timed McCann’s centering move behind Markstrom. Bjorkstrand’s third aim within the final 4 video games gave him 16 on the season.

Seattle was the higher crew by a large margin within the opening 20 minutes, outshooting the house facet 11-2 and scoring the one aim.

At 4:04, Dunn’s level shot hit a few gamers in entrance the place it was corralled by Gourde and whipped behind Markstrom for his eighth.

Seattle middle Alex Wennberg didn’t play, nor take the morning skate with the crew, for what coach Dave Hakstol mentioned earlier within the day was “trade-related points.” A pending UFA at season’s finish, the 29-year-old Swede has 9 objectives and 25 factors in 60 video games.

UP NEXT

Kraken: At Winnipeg on Tuesday night time to complete a two-game journey.

Flames: At Tampa Bay on Thursday night time to open a three-game journey.

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AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com.hub/NHL