Blackhawks' beat Kraken 4-2 for fourth straight win
By TIM BOOTH | AP Sports Writer
SEATTLE (AP) — Patrick Kane and Alex DeBrincat each had a goal and an assist and the Chicago Blackhawks beat the Seattle Kraken 4-2 Wednesday night for their fourth straight win.
Seth Jones also scored to extend his points streak to seven games and Jake McCabe added an empty-netter for the Blackhawks to seal the win. Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 31 shots, including 16 in the second period.
Jared McCann and Yanni Gourde scored in the third period for Seattle, and Philipp Grubauer finished with 15 saves. The Kraken have lost five straight and seven of eight.
Kane snapped a wrist shot past Grubauer at 5:36 of the third on an odd-man rush for his sixth goal of the season to push Seattle’s lead to 3-0.
McCann scored on the power play with 5:45 left to get Seattle on the scoreboard, and Gourde scored on a slap shot with 1:49 left after the Kraken pulled Grubauer to pull to 3-2. However, they couldn't get the equalizer.
Jones finished off a 3-on-2 rush with his second goal of the season. The play started with a cross-ice pass from Kane to DeBrincat and left Jones unmarked at the back post. It was Jones’ 67th career regular season goal among his 300 points. He has two goals and five assists during his points streak.
Seattle has given up the first goal in 10 of 16 games this season and five of its past seven losses.
DeBrincat then doubled the advantage at 2:01 of the second, taking an outlet pass from Kirby Dach and using his speed to fend off Seattle defenseman Jamie Oleksiak and flip the puck over Grubauer’s shoulder for his ninth goal of the season.
Seattle was sluggish at the start and couldn’t sneak one past Fleury despite dominating chances in the second period. He made a sprawling diving stop on Gourde looking at an open net moments after Debrincat's goal, and denied McCann and Calle Jarnkrok on chances, and Jeremy Luzon hit the post late in the period.
NOTES:
Blackhawks activated Caleb Jones from long-term injury reserve and put him into the lineup. Jones played 9:53. Adam Gaudette was scratched and Chicago also placed Tyler Johnson (neck soreness) on long-term injury reserve. Johnson can’t return until after Sunday’s game at Calgary. ... Chicago added Rob Cookson as an assistant coach and named Marc Crawford associate coach on the staff of interim head coach Derek King. ... Grubauer made his 200th career start. ... McCann has seven points in his past seven games.
UP NEXT
Blackhawks: At Edmonton on Saturday.
Kraken: Hosts Colorado on Friday.