Seattle Kraken beat Washington Capitals 5-3 at Capital One Arena as Jared McCann scores late

By Vancouver Television Sports Desk

Alex Ovechkin got on the board with his first goal of the season, but the Seattle Kraken answered with a pair of decisive third-period shifts to edge the Washington Capitals 5-3 at Capital One Arena on Sunday. McCann provided the turning point, scoring at 14:33 of the third period to make it 4-3 for Seattle before Ryan Winterton closed out the scoring on a breakaway at 17:20 for the 5-3 final.

McCann’s third-period goal gave Seattle the lead after he entered the zone, beat defenseman Timothy Liljegren and fired a low wrist shot past goaltender Logan Thompson. Winterton then extended the advantage on a breakaway late in the period, providing the cushion the Kraken needed to protect their two-goal gap as the Capitals pushed to respond.

Seattle’s offence also came from Frederick Gaudreau and the team’s special balance through the top of the lineup. Gaudreau scored for the Kraken for the third time in two games and added an assist, while Winterton recorded an assist. Ben Meyers contributed two assists, and Joey Daccord finished with 33 saves to secure the win for the Kraken.

The Kraken improved to 4-2-0 and won two straight as they began a five-game road trip. Washington, meanwhile, fell to 3-2-0 after the loss, despite strong goaltending from Thompson, who made 22 saves.

Kaapo Kakko opened the scoring for Seattle at 6:06 of the first period. Thompson made the initial save on a point shot from Vince Dunn, but the rebound found Kakko in the bottom of the right circle, and Kakko scored between Thompson’s left skate and the post to put the Kraken up 1-0.

Washington tied the game at 1-1 at 11:41 when Jordan Kyrou scored his first goal as a member of the Capitals. Kyrou received a cross-ice pass from Cole Hutson and finished from the bottom of the left circle to level the score, bringing immediate momentum to Washington after an early Seattle lead.

Ovechkin responded to the Kraken’s second move on the score sheet by putting Washington ahead 2-1 at 16:47 of the first period. Peter Evans turned the puck over behind the net, and Ilya Protas found Ovechkin in front; Ovechkin wristed it past Daccord to give Washington the lead.

The game continued to swing as Jordan Eberle tied it 2-2 at 19:49 of the first period. Eberle scored by knocking home his own rebound at the back post, erasing Washington’s late advantage and sending both teams into the intermission level at two.

Seattle regained the lead in the second period with Gaudreau’s goal at 13:24. Winterton delivered a pass in front of the net, Gaudreau deked around Thompson and slid the puck home to make it 3-2 for the Kraken.

Boone Jenner answered for the Capitals early in the third period. Just 46 seconds into the third, Jenner tied the game 3-3 after keeping the puck in at the blue line and then knocking in his own rebound in front.

After the equalizer, McCann’s go-ahead goal shifted the outcome firmly in Seattle’s favour. He set up the decisive score at 14:33 by beating Liljegren and finishing low past Thompson, and Winterton’s breakaway at 17:20 sealed the 5-3 result as the Capitals could not find a late equalizer.