Calgary Flames vs. Seattle Kraken Recap MARCH 4th 2024

Jared McCann scored a goal and added an assist to pace the visiting Seattle Kraken to a 4-2 victory over the Calgary Flames on Monday.

Yanni Gourde, Oliver Bjorkstrand and Adam Larsson also scored for Seattle, which won for the third time in four games. Philipp Grubauer made 35 saves, including a clutch reach-back effort when it was a 3-2 game midway through the third period.

Andrei Kuzmenko scored both goals for the Flames, who had their season-best, five-game winning streak snapped. Jacob Markstrom stopped 26 shots in Calgary’s final home game before the Friday trade deadline.

Both teams are seven points out of a playoff spot with 21 games remaining in the regular season.

Gourde opened the scoring at 4:04 of the first period thanks to a fortunate break. Vince Dunn’s point shot was blocked, and the puck came to Gourde in the slot to bury for his eighth goal of the season.

After being outshot 11-2 in the first period, the Flames were better after the first intermission and pulled even with Kuzmenko’s power-play goal at 7:50 of the middle frame. Kuzmenko was below the goal line when he tried to tuck the puck between Grubauer’s skate and the post and eventually got enough whacks at it for the tally and his 100th career point.

Bjorkstrand restored Seattle’s lead five minutes later. Bjorkstrand was unchecked in the slot when he received a pass from McCann, and he quickly snapped a shot for his 16th of the campaign.

Larsson made it a 3-1 game 21 seconds into the third period. After he was fed a pass from Matty Beniers, Larsson ripped a glove-side shot for his fourth of the season.

Kuzmenko made it a one-goal game with his second of the night at the 7:46 mark, netting his 13th of the campaign with a long wrist shot through the screen.

McCann’s short-handed goal at 12:29 of the period made it a 4-2 game. McCann stole the puck at his own blue line and scored on the breakaway he created for his 26th of the season.

–Field Level Media