Nikita Kucherov scores twice as Kraken lose seventh straight in 4-3 OT loss to Lightning
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - DECEMBER 9: Adam Larsson #6 of the Seattle Kraken checks Luke Glendening #11 of the Tampa Bay Lightning during the second period of a game at Climate Pledge Arena on December 9, 2023 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Christopher
SEATTLE - The Seattle Kraken dug themselves out of a 2-0 hole and took their first lead since November 23 early in the third, but the Tampa Bay Lightning rallied to hand the Kraken a 4-3 loss in overtime behind two goals from NHL points leader Nikita Kucherov.
Kucherov and Brandon Hagel sped through the checking efforts of Seattle's defense in overtime with Kucherov finishing a perfect pass through the legs of Kraken defenseman Vince Dunn from Hagel to hand Seattle their seventh straight loss.
"These times are tough," winger Jordan Eberle said. "We got to find a way to get out of it and flip the script from a losing streak to a winning streak."
Oliver Bjorkstrand scored his 300th career point on a second period goal, and Jamie Oleksiak scored his second of the season to pull the Kraken level after falling behind by a pair. Jared McCann scored his team-leading 13th goal on the power play 14 seconds into the third period to give Seattle their first lead in any game since the night before Thanksgiving.
But a puck around the boards took a bad bounce off the skate of an official to spark a Tampa rush chance in the third period that tied the game on a Nicholas Paul goal, and Kucherov scored his 19th of the season in overtime to sink the Kraken.
"There's all kinds of things that are not going our way," head coach Dave Hakstol said. "But, you know, through all of that there was nothing but push from our guys."
The Kraken went a total of 400 minutes and 14 seconds before holding a lead in any game. They beat the San Jose Sharks 7-1 on Nov. 23 before embarking on their current skid. McCann's goal in the third period finally snapped that streak, but wasn't ultimately enough to snap the run of losing games.
"It's obviously difficult, can get kind of frustrating at times," Oleksiak said. "But I think it's a matter of kind of looking at the positives and seeing what you can take away and get better as a group because there's a lot of hockey left to be played. And I think we just have to kind of put that into perspective."
Phillip Grubauer made one of his best saves in three years in Seattle to deny Kucherov on a prime power play chance before having to leave the game with a lower body injury at the end of the second period. Grubauer had to cross his crease from right to left and then reach back above his head to snag Kucherov's shot off a Paul pass.
The save helped Seattle kill off the tripping penalty to Ryker Evans, but the Lightning found a way to get the lead anyway shortly after.
"He was playing a hell of a game tonight," Hakstol said. "I mean, I hate to see it for him and obviously for our team. He's played very well and tonight he was outstanding."
Defenseman Justin Schultz also left the game in the second period after taking a puck to the face that deflected off Eberle's stick.
The save helped Seattle kill off the tripping penalty to Ryker Evans, but the Lightning found a way to get the lead anyway shortly after.
A point shot from Nick Perbix was deftly deflected by Anthony Cirelli in the high slot as he snuck through traffic and by Grubauer for a 1-0 Tampa lead.
Kucherov then cashed in for his first goal in the closing minute of the period. The puck caromed through the skates of three Kraken players to land on the stick of Brandon Hagel in the slot. A pass from Hagel to Brayden Point and then to Kucherov left a wide open net for a 2-0 Lightning advantage.
The Kraken then managed to push back in the second period to get back into the contest.
Oliver Bjorkstrand beat Tampa goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy's glove with a shot from the outside of the right circle into the top corner to get the Kraken on the board. The goal also served as the 300th point of Bjorkstrand's NHL career.
Seattle's offensive surge continued to create chances. Oleksiak managed to start a rush chance through the neutral zone. Eberle controlled the puck in the offensive end and got it back to Jamie Oleksiak for a one-time rip that found the net through Vasilevskiy's stick side.
The Kraken went back to the power play due to a Luke Glendening tripping call with 1:13 left in the period. However, Grubauer would be injured on a short-handed opportunity for Tampa. Hagel and Cirelli sprung free on a 2-on-1 chance. Hagel's cross to Criellli ended with a shot wide of target but Grubauer immediately recoiled in pain as the play went back down the ice. The period came to a conclusion with Grubauer seemingly favoring his left side.
"He was playing a hell of a game tonight," Hakstol said. "I mean, I hate to see it for him and obviously for our team. He's played very well and tonight he was outstanding."
Chris Driedger has played in net back-to-back nights for the Coachella Valley Firebirds up in Abbotsford, B.C. against the Canucks' AHL affiliate. He'll likely be asked to make a detour down to Seattle to back up Joey Daccord for Sunday night's game against the Minnesota Wild.
Defenseman Justin Schultz also left the game in the second period after taking a puck to the face that deflected off Eberle's stick.
Gourde tried to play a puck off the boards in the Seattle zone as their defensive pairing went for a line change, but that's when the puck caromed off an official to start a Lightning rush. Kucherov took the loose puck, crossed it to Cirelli and found Paul open in front of the net for a redirected shot by Daccord to tie the game back up at 3-3 with 12:51 left to play.
Bjorkstrand got a great look for a go-ahead goal on a power play with seven minutes left to play but came up empty. Alex Wennberg delivered a great pass across the front of the net, but Bjorkstand's shot was shoveled wide of target.
Cirelli tripped Tye Kartye with 15.9 seconds left to play in regulation, which gave Seattle a 4-on-3 advantage into the extra session. The Kraken only got one shot on net with one shot missing target and three more blocked by Lightning defenders while Seattle had the extra man. Bjorkstrand got two more strong looks on Vasilevskiy before Kucherov and Hagel ripped though the Kraken defense for the game-winning goal.
"This stretch has been tough," Hakstol said. "Yet, if you look for a spot where for me, for the group, you know, really competitively digging in and showing real signs of turning that corner, you look at the New Jersey game, you look at tonight's game. Those are real positives. One point? it stinks and nobody feels good. But if you look at the way that this hockey game went, you can still speak to a lot of belief in this dressing room, as there should be."
Added Eberle: "It's hard to swallow. … We got to find a way to win hockey games because, you know, you look at the standings and I mean, we're definitely not out of this thing. But you know, you continue to lose you're going to find yourself out of it. We have to find a way to get two points in situations of overtime or even in defending a lead, whatever it may be, because you can find yourself out of this thing quick."