Red-hot McCann leads Kraken past Ducks for 5th straight win
SEATTLE (AP) — Jared McCann scored his fifth goal in the past five games, Daniel Sprong scored for the first time since Jan. 17, and the Seattle Kraken beat the Anaheim Ducks 5-2 on Tuesday night for their fifth straight win.
Back home after sweeping a four-game road trip, McCann stayed hot as his 31st goal of the season gave Seattle a 2-0 first-period lead. Sprong’s 16th goal late in the second period pushed Seattle’s lead to 3-1 after Anaheim’s Trevor Zegras scored a spectacular between-the-legs goal in the opening seconds of the period.
Jamie Oleksiak also scored his career-best ninth of the season for Seattle, Eeli Tolvanen scored on a power play midway through the third period off an assist from McCann, and Jaden Schwartz added an empty-net goal with 17 seconds left.
Matty Beniers had two assists and extended his lead as the top scoring rookie in the league. and the Kraken inched closer to Vegas for the top spot in the Pacific Division.
It’s the fourth time this season Seattle has a win streak of at least five games. Seattle’s longest win streak last year in its inaugural season was three, accomplished once.
Seattle goaltender Philipp Grubauer made 20 saves, including a pair of key stops on Max Jones early in the first period, and won his fourth straight decision. But the one shot he couldn’t stop was a stunning finish by Zegras that’ll be added to his career highlight reel.
Zegras slipped behind Seattle’s defense in the opening moments of the second period, pulled the puck between his legs and flipped it over Grubauer’s shoulder for his 21st goal of the season. Max Comtois scored with 1:27 left, but Anaheim saw its streak of points in five straight games come to an end.
Anaheim goalie John Gibson made 26 saves.
NOTES: Seattle F Ryan Donato was scratched as Sprong rejoined the lineup after sitting four of the previous six games. Donato had played 23 straight games and the last time he was scratched was Jan. 10 at Buffalo. ... F Brock McGinn made his debut with the Ducks after being claimed off waivers from Pittsburgh last week. ... Seattle D Adam Larsson had his 21st assist of the season on McCann’s first-period goal. Larsson now has a career-high 26 points.
UP NEXT
Ducks: At Vancouver on Wednesday.
Kraken: Host Ottawa on Thursday.
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