Oilers 4, Kraken 2
Entering action on Monday night, three games below .500 on the season and eight points out of a playoff spot, the Kraken had the opportunity to take a big step in Edmonton against the Oilers, a team that had beaten Seattle in seven straight outings.
Make that eight straight. Seattle fell 4-2 despite generating a number of chances to build a lead.
It looked good early. Eeli Tolvanen opened the scoring for Seattle at 3:37 of the 1st period by crashing the net. His goal was reviewed for goalie interference, but stood.
Mattias Janmark, who scored for the first time since last spring’s playoffs, briefly tied the game at 14:27 with an accidental deflection near the left post. Kraken goalie Joey Daccord had no chance.
Three minutes later Vince Dunn untied things with a point shot that skipped awkwardly off the ice and past Oilers goalie Calvin Pickard.
Shots were even 12-12 in the 1st period.
Oilers captain Connor McDavid, in his first game back after serving a three-game suspension for a cross check to the head of Canucks forward Conor Garland two Saturdays ago, tied the game just 1:57 into the 2nd period by banging home the rebound of his own shot off the rush.
The game winner came for Edmonton at 9:38 when Corey Perry snuck in behind the Kraken layers to receive a long pass from D-man Darnell Nurse and score on a clear breakaway while going 5-hole on Daccord.
Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm added an empty net goal with a minute remaining in the 3rd period.
Seattle had countless Grade-A scoring chances in the game, but couldn’t turn the trick. The club went 0-for-4 on the power play while Edmonton went 0-for-1.
Edmonton moves back into first place in the Pacific Division as the Kraken fall further away, returning to Climate Pledge Arena to host the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday night.
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