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Kraken hold on to beat Avalanche 3-2

Seattle Kraken defenseman Jamie Oleksiak, forward Kole Lind, forward Victor Rask and defenseman Will Borgen, from left, celebrate a goal during the first period of the team
Seattle Kraken defenseman Jamie Oleksiak, forward Kole Lind, forward Victor Rask and defenseman Will Borgen, from left, celebrate a goal during the first period of the team's NHL hockey game against the Colorado Avalanche, Wednesday, April 20, 2022, in Seattle. (Stephen Brashear)
Associated Press

SEATTLE — Kole Lind, Jordan Eberle and Yanni Gourde all scored in the first period and the Seattle Kraken held on to beat the Colorado Avalanche 3-2 Wednesday night.

Philipp Grubauer had 25 saves as Seattle won its third straight. Matty Beniers had an assist to become the first rookie this season to begin his NHL career with a point in each of his first four games.

Cale Makar and Artturi Lehkonen scored for the Avalanche, and Pavel Francouz finished with 26 saves. Colorado, assured of having the top seed in the Western Conference, has lost two straight after winning nine in a row. The Avalanche remained tied with Florida with 116 points for the Presidents’ Trophy for the league’s best record.

Lind gave the Kraken a 1-0 lead on a backhand shot 1:12 into the game for his second goal of the season.

Beniers assisted on Eberle’s goal at 5:23 that made it 2-0. It was Eberle’s 19th.

The Kraken made it 3-0 when Jared McCann’s shot from the right point went off the skate of Colorado defenseman Bowen Byram and Gourde in front and in with 5:16 remaining in the opening period. It was Gourde’s 18th.

Makar got the Avalanche on the scoreboard with his 27th with 2:23 to go in the first, and Lehkonen got his 17th to make it 3-2 with 3:40 left in the third.

Strong start

Seattle selected Beniers out of Michigan with the No. 2 pick in last year’s draft. He’s the first rookie to debut with an expansion team in its inaugural season and record a point in each of his first four games since Bernie Johnston (1979-80). The longest stretch is six games by Wayne Gretzky (1979-80).

Beniers also had an assist in his NHL debut, a loss at Calgary, last Tuesday. He then scored a goal in back-to-back games against New Jersey and Ottawa.

NOTES: Colorado forward Mikko Rantanen missed Wednesday’s game with what the team called a non-COVID-related illness. … Nazem Kadri returned from an upper-body injury, playing for the Avalanche for the first time since March 31. … With his assist on Gourde’s first-period goal, McCann registered his 200th NHL point. … The Kraken honored linesman Vaughan Rody, who worked his final NHL game in his 21st season. Rody lives in Lake Stevens, Wash.

Up next

Avalanche: At Edmonton on Friday night.

Kraken: At Minnesota on Friday night.