Kraken 3, Penguins 2 in OT

It wasn’t the most exciting affair, but the Kraken don’t care. The idea is to “play a good road game”. That involves getting an early lead or at least the first goal, check, take the crowd out of it if possible, check, keep it simple and dull, check, and don’t try to be fancy, which is mildly redundant. Check.

Big forward Mason Marchment opened the scoring for Seattle at 1:24 of the second period with a steal in the offensive zone and a wicked wrister. It was his first tally in 19 games.

That lead held up for almost 15 minutes before future first-ballot Hockey Hall of Famer Sidney Crosby lit the lamp at 16:16.

Sid’s goal was more of an early Christmas present from Kraken goalie Philipp Grubauer. Grubi went behind his net to play the puck up the boards, but he played it directly to Penguins forward Connor Dewar. Dewar fired a pass to Crosby who ripped it home before Grubauer could get back to the net.

Another Penguin destined for Hall of Fame enshrinement is Evgeni Malkin. He gave Pittsburgh the lead at 5:56 of the third period by banging a puck home on the power play.

Sustained pressure from Seattle led to their tying goal. After they cycled the puck and dug it loose in the offensive zone, Marchment went cross-ice to Matty Beniers who roofed a shot from the lower right wing circle at 12:36.

That was it through regulation. 2-2. We went to OOOOhhhhhverrrrtime.

The Kraken’s stick-to-it-tive-ness gave them yet another opportunity to win a hockey game. They came in with points in ten of their last 13 games.

And whatayaknow:

Pittsburgh dominated OT — Kris Letang hit the crossbar with a shot in the first minute — but the Kraken won the game on their only shot of the extra session. Defenseman Brandon Montour scored for the first time in ten games with a wrist shot in the high slot that beat young goalie Sergei Murashov, who was playing in just his third NHL game.

Seattle found a way again.

Earlier Kraken:

— Kraken Comeback! Beat Blackhawks 3-2

Of interest from the Canucks:

–– Canucks Power Outage: Lose To Stars 4-2

PWHL:

–– Goldeneyes Make Debut Magical