Beniers scores first NHL goal, Kraken top Devils in shootout

SEATTLE --Matty Beniers scored his first NHL goal for the Seattle Kraken in a 4-3 shootout win against the New Jersey Devils at Climate Pledge Arena on Saturday.

Beniers, the No. 2 pick in the 2021 NHL Draft, was playing his second game after getting an assist in a 5-3 loss to the Calgary Flames in his debut on Tuesday.
"I thought he played a solid hockey game," Seattle coach Dave Hakstol said. "He played a good solid hockey game, and he and his linemates made some solid plays. … He controls the puck in all three zones. As a center, he does a very good job being in the right spots to receive the puck and make the next play. The creativity is there and as his confidence grows, we'll see more and more."

Jared McCann had two assists, and Philipp Grubauer made 23 saves for the Kraken (24-44-6), who had lost two straight.
Jesper Bratt scored his 25th of the season for the Devils (26-42-7), who were 0-for-3 on the power play and have lost seven of nine (2-5-2). Nico Daws made 23 saves.
"It's probably the reason we lost the game, our power play wasn't good enough," New Jersey coach Lindy Ruff said. "When we did get our opportunities, we missed the net or our execution wasn't very good. And then they score on the power play. So if you want to look at one thing in the game, it's probably that we could have generated momentum, we could have generated some good energy, and we didn't."
Beniers put Seattle in front 3-2 at 16:57 of the second period, getting to a rebound and shooting into an open net on the power play.
"We won the draw back and I was just crashing the net and it popped out to me," Beniers said. "Kind of a lucky goal for me, you don't get many like that. It was a great feeling and I just kind of jumped into [McCann's] arms. … After the goal it was electric, I couldn't help smiling."
Damon Severson tied the game 3-3 at 4:55 of the third when he shot past a falling Grubauer, who had tripped over the skate of Haydn Fleury.
"It's almost like we're missing a bit of that swagger that we had," Severson said. "I'll use that word. … Obviously, we're just going to try to simplify. When I say that, I mean like just getting more shots."

Bratt gave the Devils a 1-0 lead at 3:15 of the first period. He received a cross-ice pass from Andreas Johnsson and scored on a wrist shot from the right circle over the glove of Grubauer.
"'Grubi's' game was solid," Hakstol said. "The first real good opportunity is a great shot that ends up in the back of the net, and that didn't shake Grubi at all. He played a solid game all through the 65 minutes and into the shootout."
Will Borgen tied it 1-1 at 10:49 with a one-timer from the top of the right circle off a pass from Victor Rask along the goal line.
Jesper Boqvist helped New Jersey regain the lead 2-1 at 16:14 when he scored from the low slot after Pavel Zacha sent him a backhand pass from the right circle.
Carson Soucy tied it 2-2 at 15:20 of the second period. Yanni Gourde started the play by winning a race to the puck along the boards. He then got the puck to McCann, who passed to Soucy all alone near the right hash marks.
NOTE:The Devils played without defenseman Ryan Graves, who missed the game after being struck by a skate blade in his chin in the third period of a 3-1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday.