WINNIPEG, CANADA - FEBRUARY 14: Goaltender Philipp Grubauer #31 of the Seattle Kraken makes a glove save on a shot by Pierre-Luc Dubois #80 of the Winnipeg Jets during second period action at the Canada Life Centre on February 14, 2023 in Winnipeg, M …
Goals from John Hayden and Jared McCann, and 38 saves from Philipp Grubauer in net weren't enough as the Seattle Kraken fell 3-2 to the Winnipeg Jets in a shootout loss on Tuesday night.
Mark Scheifele and Pierre-Luc Dubois both scored in the shootout session after a scoreless overtime to sink Seattle in the final game of their five-game road trip. The Kraken have not won in a shootout yet this season as they move to 0-3 in games undecided through 65 minutes of play.
Seattle does earn a crucial point in the standings in a Western Conference that is extremely tight with just over two weeks remaining before the trade deadline.
Hayden scored his second goal of the season for Seattle on his 28th birthday starting in place of Daniel Sprong.
"They did a good job defending," Hayden said. Overall, I thought it was a pretty good game for us. A couple details that led to giving up our lead but it was a hard fought point," Hayden said.
Sprong was a healthy scratch for the second time in five games since the All-Star break for Seattle despite having 15 goals and 14 assists for the Kraken this season.
All three games against Winnipeg this season have ended in 3-2 finals with the Kraken winning a game in regulation in December along with overtime and shootout losses to the Jets.
Grubauer was terrific in net for Seattle. He made 38 saves on 40 shots for the Kraken as his run of strong play continues. Over his last nine starts, Grubauer is allowing just 2.00 goals per goal game with a .930 save percentage.
"I though Grubi was really good," head coach Dave Hakstol said. "They had some good quality opportunities especially through the second and the third. At one point halfway through the first where the shots were lopsided but they didn't really have a lot of quality, but they had quality in the last 50 minutes of the hockey game and Grubi did a real good job. And that's how you win games on the road. Good goaltending, win the specialty teams battle, do the little things and we were able to do that tonight and Grubi is a big part of that."
The Kraken were unable to capitalize on some big chances early in the contest. Despite six minutes of power play time in the first period, the Kraken were unable to strike.
Winnipeg goaltender David Rittich turned two shots aside after a goalie interference penalty against Dylan DeMelo. Seattle then had a four-minute advantage after Morgan Barron caught Will Borgen with a high stick that resulted in a double minor. Three saves from Rittich and five blocks from Winnipeg kept the Kraken off the board.
Alex Wennberg also turned down a prime chance in front of the net off a rebound, electing to pass behind him to Oliver Bjorkstrand only to have it promptly broken up.
Winnipeg struck first in taking advantage of a Kraken miscue. Seattle won a defensive zone face-off only to give the puck away behind their net. Nikolaj Ehlers found Blake Wheeler in front of the net, who beat Grubauer as the Jets took a 1-0 lead.
Hayden then finished a great pass from Morgan Geekie as he crashed the net with the redirect sliding between Rittich's legs to even the game up.
After a Dubois interference call against Vince Dunn, McCann's team-leading 25th goal of the season gave Seattle the lead on the power play. His shot pinballed off the skates of DeMelo and Mason Appleton to slide past Rittich to give the Kraken a 2-1 lead late in the second period.
Midway through the third, Winnipeg then took their chance at the pinball machine. Dubois's backhand of a rebound in front of the net bounced off Dunn and into the back of the net with 10:21 left to play to make it a 2-2 game.
A Justin Schultz shot attempt with a blocked by Adam Lowry and sprung Mason Appleton for a breakaway chance. Appleton's shot went off the post but Oliver Bjorkstrand was called for slashing to give the Jets a late power play chance.
The Kraken penalty kill came up big as the game headed to the extra frame. Both teams had prime chances in overtime. A clean look in front of the net from Jordan Eberle missed wide and sprung the Jets on a counterattack that saw Wheeler's shot slide wide on the opposite end.
Seattle returns home to face the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday and the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday.