Jamie Oleksiak scored the game-winning goal late in the second period. Adam Larsson and Jared McCann added third-period goals as the Seattle Kraken secured a 6-4 victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Monday night.
Oleksiak’s goal at 16:34 of the second period broke a 3-3 tie, coming just 56 seconds after Buffalo’s Tage Thompson scored to erase Seattle’s two-goal lead.
The Sabres struck first with Jack Quinn’s goal just over five minutes into the game. However, Seattle responded with three unanswered goals from John Hayden, Chandler Stephenson, and Matty Beniers to build a 3-1 lead midway through the second period.
Buffalo countered with goals by Jason Zucker and Thompson, who notched his 20th goal of the season to tie the game at 3-3.
Oleksiak reclaimed the lead for the Kraken, and Seattle added insurance goals in the third period from Larsson and McCann to seal the win. Although Alex Tuch scored for Buffalo with 1:22 remaining, McCann quickly responded 17 seconds later to restore the two-goal cushion.
McCann tallied a goal and two assists, marking his first three-point performance since October.
Seattle goaltender Joey Daccord made 25 saves, while Buffalo’s Devon Levi stopped 28 shots.
Takeaways
Sabres: Buffalo’s defensive struggles continued, as the team has now allowed at least five goals in each of its last three losses.
Kraken: Seattle extended its dominance over Buffalo, improving to 7-1 all-time against the Sabres. The Kraken’s only loss in the series occurred on March 18, 2024.
Key Moment
Oleksiak’s go-ahead goal at the 16:34 mark of the second period shifted momentum back to Seattle just moments after Thompson’s game-tying score.
Key Stat
The Kraken remain perfect when their offense thrives. Since December 3, Seattle is 10-0 when scoring four or more goals but 0-13 when scoring fewer than four.
Up Next
- Sabres: Travel to Vancouver to face the Canucks on Tuesday.
- Kraken: Host the Washington Capitals on Thursday night.
