CHICAGO (AP) — Tyler Johnson and MacKenzie Entwistle scored in the second period, and the Chicago Blackhawks topped the Seattle Kraken 4-3 on Tuesday night.
Jason Dickinson and Boris Katchouk also scored for Chicago, and Petr Mrazek made 33 saves. Joey Anderson added two assists.
The Blackhawks had dropped six of seven. They held off the Kraken in the final minutes at the end of a difficult day.
“I was really proud of the guys," said forward Nick Foligno, one of Chicago's alternate captains. “Even when we wavered, even when we had a dip and it looked like we were kind of giving them some goals, we just find our way back again.”
Chicago announced that it is cutting ties with Corey Perry after the veteran forward engaged in what the organization called unacceptable conduct. The team said in a statement that an internal investigation showed Perry acted in violation of his NHL Standard Player Contract and club policies “intended to promote professional and safe work environments.”
Pat Morris, Perry’s agent, did not respond to messages seeking comment.
Players, along with the coaching staff, were informed of Perry's departure by general manager Kyle Davidson after the team's morning skate. The news took an emotional toll, but the Blackhawks recovered to win for the third time at home in nine games.
“It's definitely a challenging day for the guys,” coach Luke Richardson said. “I thought they were totally professional tonight, did their jobs and kept mentally strong.”
Richardson said he did not address the team after Davidson.
“I was just part of the group that he addressed,” Richardson said. “There really was nothing else for me to say.”
Matty Beniers had a goal and an assist for Seattle in its second straight loss. Rookie Tye Kartye and Alex Wennberg also scored, and Adam Larsson had an assist for his 200th point.
“We made a good push at the end there,” Beniers said. “I didn't think we had our best today, but we battled hard and just didn't get what we wanted.”
Seattle goaltender Philipp Grubauer blocked 19 shots in his return from an undisclosed injury suffered a week ago against Calgary.
Katchouk and Dickinson scored 1:29 apart midway through the first period to give Chicago a 2-0 lead. It was Dickinson’s fifth goal in four games after he recorded his first career hat trick in a 4-3 overtime win against Toronto on Friday.
“Our puck play was pretty sloppy through the first two periods,” Kraken coach Dave Hakstol said. “That causes us a lot of problems against that team the way they're going to push as soon as they have possession.”
Beniers and Wennberg struck late in the first to tie it at 2.
Beniers trailed in on the play and fired a shot that slid through Seth Jones’ block attempt and then past Mrazek with 5:17 left in the period.
Wennberg added a short-handed goal with 37 seconds left. He swept wide and beat Mrazek to complete a 2-on-1 after Chicago got crossed up on coverage.
Johnson put the Blackhawks back in front 4:22 into the second, beating Grubauer from the right circle. Entwistle made it 4-2 at 10:43, firing in a rebound of Anderson’s backhanded wraparound attempt.
Set up by Beniers’ dash down the ice and cross-ice feed, Kartye beat Mrazek at 6:51 of the third. Chicago killed a 5-on-3 Seattle power play over 1:03 late in the period.
During the game, Chicago announced it had acquired forward Anthony Beauvillier from Vancouver in exchange for a conditional fifth-round pick in the 2024 draft. The 26-year-old Beauvillier has two goals and six assists in 22 games this season.
UP NEXT
Kraken: At Toronto on Thursday.
Blackhawks: At Detroit on Thursday.
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