Bobby McMann scores twice in Seattle debut as Kraken beat Canucks 5-2

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - After waiting over a week for clearance to play, Bobby McMann put on a show in his debut with the Seattle Kraken.

McMann scored a pair of goals in his first game for Seattle in a 5-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks that snapped a four-game losing streak for the Kraken.

"Yeah, that was a fun one," McMann said after the game. "It's always nice to get the win, and then when you contribute, it makes it that much better.

"It almost resembles in a way like your first game. You've got an entirely new group, new organization, new fans. You want to make a great first impression. Sometimes things go your way a little bit more than other nights. And luckily, that was tonight for me."

McMann scored on the power play late in the first period, and converted his second goal four minutes into the third period as the Kraken won a game they absolutely had to have against the worst team in the NHL.

Jared McCann snapped a 10-game goal drought, and Jamie Oleksiak and Matty Beniers also scored for Seattle in the victory.

"We kept our foot on the gas. I thought we made more plays tonight," head coach Lane Lambert said. "… I thought this was a much better game for us.

"We had a good talk this morning and, you know, it's almost like we're playing not to lose instead of playing to win, and I thought tonight, we kept our foot on the gas and we kept having chances."

Despite landing in Seattle last Saturday after being traded at the deadline by the Toronto Maple Leafs, McMann had to await immigration clearance to be able to join the lineup. The delay caused McMann to miss the Kraken's last three games before finally getting his authorization on Friday morning.

Paired up with Beniers and Jordan Eberle on Seattle's top line, McMann helped provide the scoring punch the Kraken have been hoping for from their newest addition. The trio each delivered three-point performances in the victory.

On a power play late in the first period, McMann fired a relatively benign shot on goal from the left circle that managed to sneak through Vancouver goaltender Nikita Tolopilo to give Seattle a 2-1 lead. The puck seemingly got stuck in Tolopilo's great and was pulled across the goal line as he retreated into his net to give McMann his first in a Seattle uniform.

Then with Seattle up 3-1 in the third, Beniers, Eberle and McMann combined for a stellar goal to effectively put the game away. Beniers carried the puck into the zone, passed wide to Eberle and he then found McMann wide open on the backdoor of Topopilo for an easy tap-in finish for a commanding 4-1 lead.

"I think it was a good game all around," Beniers said. "Every line and D-(pair) and goalies. Everyone's working together, and that's when hockey is easy, it's fun. You know, the speed, intensity, a lot of passion, and a lot of energy on the bench, so kind of everything was working. And, you know, just happened to go in for our line, but it could have went in for every line."

The first-line trio combined again for Seattle's final goal as McMann and Eberle won a puck back in the offensive zone through their forecheck as Eberle found Beniers unmarked in front of the goal as he beat Tolopilo for the fifth goal of the night.

 "Those two control the play so well," McMann said of Beniers and Eberle. "When the puck's on their stick, they're just so dynamic and unpredictable for the other team. So I'm just trying to get open for those guys. Ebs is so good at finding pockets around the ice, making those couple slip passes tonight through guys legs, that's easy hockey when he's doing that. So he's a great player to play with and Matty was just a workhorse tonight."

The Kraken grabbed the lead just four minutes into the contest.

Brandon Montour fired a shot from the right circle and collected his rebound behind the net before finding McCann for a snap shot that beat Tolopilo for a 1-0 Kraken lead. It's the first goal for McCann since January 31. He had scored six goals in six games before his 10-game drought.

However, it would be a McCann turnover that helped Vancouver tie the game up at 1-1.

A giveaway from McCann in the offensive zone led to the Canucks springing Evander Kane for a breakaway. A nice backhand finish from Kane beat Philipp Grubauer's glove into the top of the goal to level the game midway through the period.

With Tom Wilander in the box for a holding call late in the period, McMann's first put Seattle back in front with 50 seconds remaining in the first. 

Seattle then caught the Canucks on a bad line change in the second period as Oleksiak found a clean look from the slot that beat the glove of Tolopilo for a 3-1 lead.

Marco Rossi added a goal for Vancouver with 20 seconds left to close the final margin. Brock Boeser's strong forecheck forced Oleksiak's breakout pass to deflect directly to Rossi as Grubauer was left scrambling, unable to make the stop.

Grubauer finished with 32 saves on 34 shots in a strong performance in goal for the Kraken.

Seattle will have to reset quickly as the defending champion Florida Panthers come into Climate Pledge Arena on Sunday evening at 5 p.m.

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