Seattle Kraken down Golden Knights on Jared McCann's OT goal

Kate Shefte, The Seattle Times on Oct 12, 2025

Published in Hockey

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SEATTLE — Two games in, the Seattle Kraken have almost 60 minutes of Grade-A film, a blueprint for how they need to play this season. They can beat teams that way.

It took 64 minutes and 55 seconds, but they managed to take down the big, bad Vegas Golden Knights, who have had their number from Game 1, with a 2-1 victory.

On Saturday night the teams played to a 1-1 regulation tie at Climate Pledge Arena. In overtime, the Kraken painstakingly set up one final chance before a shootout.

Jared McCann scored his second of the young season to give Seattle a pair of victories to start the season

The Kraken had some jitters to work through in the first period of Thursday’s opener, but gave it their all in the first period against the Golden Knights. The shots and blocks were nearly even. They had three times as many hits as Vegas and were crushed in the faceoff circle, a not-uncommon occurrence since the franchise launched that they just have to work around.

Allowing Jordan Eberle, Jared McCann and a powerful-looking Matty Beniers to reconnect on the Kraken top line has looked like a great call through two games. That trio turned in a shift that would have been enough for a 1-0 lead in a just world. McCann hit Beniers for a back-door bid and Vegas defenseman Ben Hutton swept away another potential goal.

Kraken defenseman Jamie Oleksiak took a cross-checking penalty early in the second period, sending out the league’s second-best power play last season (28.3%). The Kraken needed to remain in motion the entire two minutes, and with a booming save from Joey Daccord on a Jack Eichel slap shot, they had survived.

Oleksiak returned and Vegas immediately handed Seattle a man advantage. Eberle sent a no-look, through-the-legs pass to linemate Beniers in front of the crease. Beniers put two shifty moves on Vegas goaltender Adin Hill and scored his first of the season.

Hutton and Kraken defenseman Brandon Montour each earned five for fighting after a quick, furious bout. It was in response to Montour laying out Zach Whitecloud with an open-ice hit. Montour led with his shoulder, but Whitecloud was off balance, having just touched down after jumping to snag a puck.

Jani Nyman knocked down former Kraken defenseman Jeremy Lauzon, legally. Lauzon crossed the ice and tripped Nyman, illegally. The Kraken went back to the power play but couldn’t make use of that one.

Pavel Dorofeyev is on quite the season-opening heater and on the Golden Knights’ third man advantage early in the third period, he extended it. The Vegas forward ripped in his fifth goal of the Golden Knights’ first three games, four of which have come on the power play. He evened the score at 1.

In the final minute of regulation, Seattle defenseman Vince Dunn hit the left post. Eberle had a prime opportunity 10 seconds into overtime and the Kraken controlled the pace 3-on-3.

Daccord made 26 saves in his second straight start.

The Kraken won a season opener for the first time in their five-year history on Thursday. They bested the Anaheim Ducks for the 10th time, which is their highest win total against any opponent.

The Golden Knights are a different beast. The perennial Stanley Cup contenders — and Pacific Division champions as often as not — have defeated the Kraken 11 times, tied with the Edmonton Oilers for most in the league. Seattle is 4-11-1 against Vegas all-time.