Brett Kulak scored his first goal of the season to snap a second-period deadlock, lifting the Pittsburgh Penguins to a 6–3 win over the Seattle Kraken on Monday.
Kulak, who joined Pittsburgh from Edmonton in December in the deal that sent goaltender Tristan Jarry the other way, found the net for the first time since last spring’s Western Conference final. The defenseman blasted a one-timer late in the second period, giving the Penguins a 3–2 advantage with just over five minutes remaining.
Pittsburgh (23-14-11) received offense from several unexpected sources. Defenseman Parker Witherspoon opened the scoring with a point shot that slipped past Kraken goalie Joey Daccord, marking his third goal of the season.
Connor Dewar made an impact in multiple ways, scoring short-handed in the opening period before sealing the win with an empty-net goal in the final half-minute. Dewar’s first tally continued a troubling trend for Seattle (21-18-9), which has now allowed short-handed goals in three consecutive games.
The Kraken erased an early two-goal deficit behind tallies from Ben Meyers and defenseman Ryan Lindgren. Meyers’ goal was his fifth of the season, a new career high. Eeli Tolvanen also scored for Seattle, which has now dropped four straight games and six of its last seven.
Justin Brazeau restored a two-goal cushion for Pittsburgh early in the third period, and Rickard Rakell later added a key insurance goal before Dewar’s empty-netter. The victory marked the Penguins’ second win in three outings after a three-game losing streak.
Sidney Crosby recorded two assists in his 1,400th NHL game, while Stuart Skinner turned aside 20 shots for Pittsburgh. Daccord finished with 26 saves for Seattle.
Up next:
The Penguins continue their road trip Wednesday night against the Calgary Flames.
The Kraken return home to host the New York Islanders on Wednesday night.
