SEATTLE — It took the Seattle Kraken 45 games to match their victory total from the franchise’s disastrous debut season.
It also earned Seattle a position that few anticipated the Kraken to attain this season: first place. It also stopped a winning streak for the Devils.
On Thursday night, Ryan Donato scored two goals and added an assist, while Andre Burakovsky scored 1 minute and 10 seconds into overtime to give the Kraken a 4-3 victory over the New Jersey Devils.
Seattle snapped a two-game losing streak and won its 27th game, matching its total from the previous season, when the Kraken finished with 27 wins and 49 losses. Seattle is now tied for first position with the Golden Knights in the Pacific Division, but the Kraken have a higher points percentage.
“It informs me of the group’s accomplishments. I mean, that’s the crux of the matter, right?” Coach Dave Hakstol of Seattle stated. “That is why we are here. You’re here to battle for a playoff slot and positioning, and the first priority is to continue competing every week for crucial points that count toward a postseason berth.”
Andre Burakovsky celebrates his game-winning goal against Mackenzie Blackwood in the Kraken’s 4-3 overtime victory over the Devils.
The Devils had won five consecutive games overall and seven consecutive games on the road. It failed to sweep a five-game road trip, its longest of the season.
Despite accumulating nine out of a possible ten points during the trip. Lindy Ruff, the coach, was dissatisfied with the performance.
“The journey turns out to be enjoyable. I mean, you’re pleased whenever you can earn that many points,” he explained. “We are not pleased with our performance. Disliked our performance tonight. Too many fights were lost. Too many avoidable scenarios were neglected.”
Donato gave Seattle an early 2-0 lead, but New Jersey responded with a comeback. At 6:04 of the third period, a shorthanded breakaway goal by Erik Haula knotted the game at 2.
Brandon Tanev regained the lead for the Kraken at 7:51, but a late goal by New Jersey forced overtime. Nico Hischier redirected the rebound from Jack Hughes’ shot past Seattle goaltender Martin Jones with 1:14 remaining, ending a prolonged flurry of activity around the net after the Devils removed goaltender Mackenzie Blackwell.
New Jersey forced overtime for the second consecutive game with a late goal after pulling the goaltender. On Monday, Hughes scored with 8.6 seconds remaining in regulation against San Jose. The Devils ultimately prevailed in a shootout.
Burakovsky scored his thirteenth goal of the season past Blackwell.
“I believe I was fortunate. Burakovsky stated, “I don’t know who it was, possibly (Jesper) Bratt, but it hit his stick and went five-hole.” “That wasn’t exactly what I intended to do, but it worked out.”
Midway in the second period, Damon Severson scored to bring New Jersey within 2-1.
Jones made 27 saves and was successful in eight of his last nine outings. Blackwood made 36 saves, allowing the Devils to remain in the game despite the Kraken’s early barrage of shots.
Donato scored goals that were almost similar, ending an eight-game drought in which he failed to score. Donato scored in five of his first six games in December, before going scoreless for eight games and accumulating only four points.
At 12:27 of the first period, he scored his first goal by firing a wrist shot from the right circle past Blackwell’s glove and under the crossbar.
Seattle took a 2-0 lead at 4:52 of the second period on a goal scored from virtually the same place on the ice.
The New Jersey Nathan Bastian returned from a 22-game absence due to an upper-body ailment.
»Devils lose in overtime to the Kraken, ending a five-game winning streak«