Skinner gets hat trick in Sabres win against Kraken

SEATTLE -- Jeff Skinner had a hat trick for the Buffalo Sabres, who handed the Seattle Kraken their fifth straight loss with a 6-2 win at Climate Pledge Arena on Monday.

It was Skinner's seventh NHL hat trick and first since he scored four goals against the Montreal Canadiens on Feb. 13, 2022.

“He’s deadly," Sabres forward Tage Thompson said. "When’s he on, he can score and create plays, and that’s a big burst of life for us, especially when we’ve been struggling to score."

Thompson and Alex Tuch each had a goal and an assist, and Zemgus Girgensons had two assists for the Sabres (33-31-5), who have won four of their past five. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 32 saves.

“We know it’s a tough building to play in,” Thompson said. “We know they come out strong, and they got one quick. The rest of it was just important to have a good response and try to get some momentum and keep it simple."

Jordan Eberle and Matty Beniers scored, and Eeli Tolvanen had two assists for the Kraken (28-27-12), who finished their five-game homestand 0-4-1. Joey Daccord allowed three goals on four shots before being replaced by Philipp Grubauer, who made 23 saves.

"I felt like we were just sloppy with the puck. No details in the D-zone, giving them too many odd-man rushes,” Tolvanen said. “They’re a good group of guys, and they're fighting for a playoff spot, too, so this time of the year, we can't make those mistakes."

Eberle scored 24 seconds into the first period to give the Kraken a 1-0 lead. He took a pass from Tolvanen in the high slot and beat Luukkonen blocker side.

“Even though we gave up that early one, obviously, there was no deflate,” Buffalo coach Don Granato said. “The guys had their legs and they felt good about their game and went right at it.”

Thompson responded 25 seconds later to tie it 1-1. He skated into a drop pass from Girgensons at the top of the right circle and roofed a shot over Daccord's glove.

"You score first shift and then they score right after, that kills you,” Eberle said. “But that being said, I mean, we should be resilient. ... They get one and you should be like, 'All right, we're fine.'"

Skinner gave Buffalo a 2-1 lead at 3:56 of the first period with a wrist shot short side from the left circle.

Tuch pushed it to 3-1 at 5:41. He received a pass from Thompson as he skated across the high slot before ending Daccord's night with a wrist shot over the goalie's right pad.

“Those are quality shots (that beat Daccord),” Seattle coach Dave Hakstol said. “The first goal against with Thompson, I mean, that's just a [heck] of a shot, right? But you get to a point where, even though they're from pretty good areas, the second and the third ones are still pucks that I know, when Joey's on, he stops. He sees those and he makes those saves."

Beniers got the Kraken to within 3-2 with a power-play goal at 14:36. Tolvanen's one-timer from the top of the right circle was blocked by Sabres defenseman Connor Clifton and then deflected off Beniers before floating over Luukkonen and landing at the right post, where Beniers tapped it in.

Owen Power made it 4-2 at 10:36 of the second period, scoring into an open net from the bottom of the left circle after JJ Peterka's shot, which was deflected by Dylan Cozens, caromed to him off the right post.

"We had too many holes in our game tonight, too much fluctuation up and down in the quality of our play throughout the game," Hakstol said. "And I saw a little bit of frustration tonight."

Skinner scored 42 seconds later to extend the lead to 5-2, beating Grubauer five-hole through a screen at 11:18.

Skinner then completed the hat trick at 18:01 of the third period to make it 6-2. He scored glove side with a one-timer from the high slot off a short backhand pass from Jordan Greenway.

"Great night by Skinner and some good chemistry there,” Granato said. “Beautiful play by Greenway to finish for his hat trick.”

NOTES: It was the Sabres' first win in six games against the Kraken. They had been the only NHL team to have never defeated Seattle. ... The last time both NHL teams scored in the first minute of a game was on April 12, 2022.