Four-point night for Jared McCann, two goals for Jordan Eberle carry Kraken to 5-2 win over Canucks
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - FEBRUARY 22: Jordan Eberle #7 of the Seattle Kraken maneuvers the puck during the third period of a game against the Vancouver Canucks at Climate Pledge Arena on February 22, 2024 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Christopher Ma
SEATTLE - Jared McCann scored his 25th goal of the season as part of a four-point night, Jordan Eberle scored a pair of goals, and the Seattle Kraken earned a critical 5-2 victory over the Western Conference-leading Vancouver Canucks on Thursday night.
Vince Dunn and Justin Schultz also scored for Seattle, while Philipp Grubauer made 19 saves on 21 shots in his second game back from an extended stay on the injured list.
The victory keeps the Kraken right in the middle of the chase for the final playoff spot in the West with two weeks remaining until the NHL trade deadline. Seattle remains three points back of the St. Louis Blues and Nashville Predators for the final Wild Card spot in the conference after both teams also won on Thursday night.
"We play against the best team in the NHL, one of the best teams in the NHL, and we play like that. We just feel good, we're dominating. And, you know, it's frustrating sometimes when we're not playing like that every game," McCann said.
McCann's four-point effort was just the second such performance of the season for Seattle. Oliver Bjorkstrand also had four points in a 7-1 blowout win over the San Jose Sharks in December.
"I've never been a guy to focus on points," McCann said. "I've said that since the beginning my career, it's just not the type of player I am. Sometimes they come, sometimes they don't, but just trying to control what I can control and that's just my effort."
The Kraken won the special teams battle in the contest and controlled the play for much of the night against a Canucks team that saw their season-worst losing streak extended to four games. Seattle killed off all four power play chances they gave to Vancouver, while the Kraken effectively scored on two of their power play opportunities.
"Those are big goals for us and at this time a year you got to have every piece of your game chipping in," head coach Dave Hakstol said.
Eberle scored the last two goals of the night, which included an empty net goal with 2:09 left to play, to put the game out of reach.
"Obviously, we want to be playing meaningful hockey all the way down the stretch and this is a big one," Eberle said.
It's a volatile time for the Kraken as the trade deadline approaches. Seattle has several players, including Eberle, Schultz, Alex Wennberg and Tomáš Tatar, who are on expiring contracts and could be traded away for future assets if the Kraken can't stay in the playoff hunt. However, when they play like they did Thursday night – against a team in the Canucks that could potentially be their first-round opponent in the playoffs if they made it – there is every reason to think the team still has plenty to accomplish ahead of them.
"We've had a lack of consistency throughout the year at different times, but it's nice to see. Hopefully we start hitting our stride," Eberle said.
Seattle had to play from behind early as Vancouver grabbed the lead on a fluky play where Grubauer lost his stick.
Graubuer's stick got stuck in the netting behind the goal, which left Grubauer vulnerable. The Kraken couldn't corral the puck to clear the zone or ice the puck and the Canucks capitalized. J.T. Miller kept a loose puck away from Grubauer in front of the net and tucked it into the net for a 1-0 Vancouver lead.
After surviving an Eberle tripping penalty immediately on the heels of Miller's goal, Seattle had a power play chance of their own when Elias Lindholm high-sticked Jaden Schwartz. As the penalty expired, Dunn fired a blast from the point that beat Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko through traffic to even the game at 1-1. It didn't count as a power play goal, but it may well have been as Lindholm had not been able to rejoin the play in time to help.
"(We) kind of talked about him shooting the puck a little bit more and that's going to open me up," McCann said. "But you know, just kind of a good play that turned out well. I keep harping on him to shoot the puck so he's kind of glad he did."
Nils Höglander gave Seattle another power play chance to begin the second period on a hooking call against Eberle. Just 21 seconds into the period, a clearing attempt from Ian Cole fell directly to McCann, who ripped a wide open chance into the top corner of the net for a power play goal and a 2-1 Kraken lead.
Another fluky play allowed the Canucks to tie it up again less than five minutes later. A shot from Pius Suter deflected 90-degrees horizontally to the right and then redirected off the shoulder of Sam Lafferty by Grubauer for Lafferty's 11th goal of the year.
But while the score was level, the Kraken were controlling the play and really ramping up the pressure on Vancouver. Eventually, the Canucks cracked with Demko unable to bail them out any further. Justin Schultz fired a shot from high atop the right circle that utilized a great net front screen from Matty Beniers to beat Demko to the far post for a 3-2 Kraken lead.
Less than a minute later, McCann found Eberle with a great pass from behind the goal line, with Eberle able to put his own rebound by Demko for a 4-2 lead.
Demko finished the night with 26 saves on 30 shots for the Canucks. He made two terrific saves on Matty Beniers and Eberle with under seven minutes left to play to keep Vancouver within reach. But the Canucks pulled Demko for the extra attacked with over four minutes remaining and Eberle was perfectly positioned to finish off an empty try for McCann from distance that bounced directly back in front of the net off the end boards.
The two teams won't play again this season unless it comes in the playoffs. Seattle took two of the three games this year to win the season series between the Pacific Northwest rivals for the first time.