McCann scores in overtime as Kraken beat Lightning for first time
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Jared McCann scored a power-play goal 2:53 into overtime, and the Seattle Kraken beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-3 on Monday night.
With Tampa Bay’s Nick Paul in the penalty box for hooking, McCann converted a one-timer from the top of the left circle for his fifth goal of the season. The Kraken earned their first victory in five tries against the Lightning since entering the NHL in 2021.
″(The win) makes a six-hour plane ride a lot easier, for sure,” McCann said after the Kraken finished 2-1-1 on a four-game trip. “I thought we played awesome on this road trip, but it’s over now. We’ve got to focus on the next game.”
Brian Dumoulin, Yanni Gourde and Kailer Yamamoto scored in the first period for Seattle. Philipp Grubauer made 33 saves for his first win in five decisions this season.
The Lightning trailed 3-1 after one period, but Alex Barre-Boulet got them within one by scoring a power-play goal 3:40 into the second. Brandon Hagel tied it with 5:32 remaining in the third.
“This game was lost in the first period,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. “We played hard enough to get a point, but this is the NHL. If you spot a team three goals, you need four to win.”
Yamamoto set up Gourde’s goal at 13:08 of the opening period to give Seattle a 2-0 lead, and then scored a power-play goal at 15:52.
“I thought this was his best game,” Seattle coach Dave Hakstol said of Yamamoto, who matched his point total through the first nine games. “He had a ton of energy tonight. ... He was involved in every part of the game. He had the puck on a string, and he was making plays throughout the entire game. It was nice to see him get rewarded with a power-play goal.”
Dumoulin had the first goal for the Kraken, who had been 0-4-0 against Tampa Bay since entering the NHL in 2021.
Tanner Jeannot scored in the first and assisted on Barre-Boulet’s power-play goal for the Lightning, who finished 3-0-2 on a five-game homestand. Jonas Johansson, coming off back-to-back shutouts, finished with 40 saves.
“We did a good enough job in the last two periods to come back and get a point,” Hagel said. “I can’t really say we deserved to get the two points after the way we played in the first period, but we got the point. We’re going on the road, so we’ve got to take the point and move on.”
The Kraken ended Johansson’s shutout streak at 132:06 when Dumoulin banged home the rebound of Justin Schultz’s shot.
Gourde, a Stanley Cup winner with the Lightning in 2020 and 2021, made it 2-0 one minute later, beating Johansson with a wrist shot from the slot.
Tampa Bay cut the deficit in half at 13:37 when Jeannot’s backhander beat Grubauer.
UP NEXT
Kraken: Return home to host Nashville on Thursday night.
Lightning: Visit Columbus on Thursday night.
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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
