Jordan Eberle netted the game-winner at 2:23 of overtime, lifting the Seattle Kraken to a 3-2 win against the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday night.
Jared McCann and Daniel Sprong also scored for the Kraken, who have gone to overtime in three consecutive games, winning the last two. Martin Jones made 27 saves as Seattle improved to 7-1-1 in their last nine games.
“I think it’s important to play these games and feel comfortable,” Eberle said. “We’re doing a better job of that. Once you get into the postseason, a lot of games are close. You have to feel comfortable in uncomfortable situations, and this is a good test for that.”
Phillip Danault and Trevor Moore scored for the Kings, while Cal Petersen stopped 25 shots. Los Angeles was playing their second game in as many nights, concluding a four-game road trip. The Kings lost to the Canucks 4-1 on Friday.
“Especially on a back-to-back, you want to do everything you can to tighten it up and make it a hard-fought game to give us a chance down the stretch,” Petersen said. “We did go into overtime, but it’s disappointing not to get the extra point.”
In the extra period, Eberle led a 2-on-1 breakaway and scored his fifth goal of the season, assisted by Petersen.
McCann opened the scoring at 4:42 into the game. Petersen kicked away Eberle’s backhand shot, but the puck went straight to McCann at the bottom of the right circle, and he netted his team-leading seventh goal of the season and the 100th of his career.
“It was a different overtime tonight,” Kraken coach Dave Hakstol said. “We didn’t have the puck a lot, but we defended well and didn’t give up any threatening chances. We took advantage of their defenseman diving in, creating the odd-man situation.”
The Kings tied the game with 1:08 left in the second period. Danault’s shot bounced up off Jones, who lost track of the puck. Danault rushed in and hit the puck out of the air for the goal.
The teams traded goals early in the third period during the same power play. Just 35 seconds into the period — and 15 seconds after Los Angeles’ Drew Doughty was called for hooking — Moore scored a short-handed goal on a breakaway, giving the Kings a 2-1 lead.
It took just 18 seconds for Seattle to tie it, as Sprong was open in the left circle and buried the power-play goal for his third of the season.
“That can really flip momentum,” Hakstol said. “The fact the next power play group went out and answered was really important. That was a huge part of the game to get it back immediately.”
The Kraken had lost their first three overtime games this season before winning the past two. Los Angeles has now won three of their five overtime games.
“I thought it was a really hard, heavy game for both teams,” Kings coach Todd McLellan said. “Really evenly played. We made the last mistake, and they capitalized on it.”
Game Notes
Kraken goalie Philipp Grubauer was active as the backup one day after being activated off injured reserve. Grubauer missed 11 games with a lower-body injury. This was the 100th game in Kraken franchise history.
UP NEXT
Kings: Host the New York Rangers on Tuesday night.
Kraken: Host San Jose on Wednesday night.
