Kraken defeat Flyers in OT, extend point streak to 8

SEATTLE -- Justin Schultz scored at 2:35 of overtime, and the Seattle Kraken extended their point streak to eight games with a 2-1 win against the Philadelphia Flyers at Climate Pledge Arena on Friday.

Schultz redirected a pass from Oliver Bjorkstrand through Philadelphia goalie Carter Hart's legs for the goal.

"I just kind of waited for the opportunity,” Schultz said. "'Bjorky' and [Yanni Gourde] did a great job just holding on to the puck, and we found an opportunity. [I was] lucky enough to [have it] go in."

Vince Dunn tied it early in the third period, and Bjorkstrand had two assists for the Kraken (14-14-9), who have won four straight and are 6-0-2 during their point streak. Joey Daccord made 27 saves.

It was Seattle’s last game before facing the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2024 Discover NHL Winter Classic at T-Mobile Park in Seattle on Monday (3 p.m. ET; MAX, truTV, TNT, SN, TVAS).

"We've been in some low-scoring games,” Daccord said. “I think we're confident in our structure, and we have a blueprint for how we need to win games. And I think when we stick to that, and we have a full group committed to the team and in the structure that we've set up in our game plan, good things happen.”

Travis Konecny scored a short-handed goal for the Flyers (19-11-5), who have earned at least one point in 12 of their past 13 games (8-1-4). Hart made 27 saves.

"In overtime, they get the bounce, but overall, it was a good effort,” Konecny said. “We’ll take the point. It’s a tough way to come in back to back after the [holiday] break, so we’ll take it and move on."

Konecny gave Philadelphia a 1-0 lead at 16:21 of the first period off a 2-on-1 rush. Kraken forward Kailer Yamamoto had partially broken up Scott Laughton’s pass, but Konecny pulled it around Daccord’s pad and rolled it in off Dunn’s skate.

Dunn tied it 1-1 at 5:45 of the third period with a slap shot from the point that deflected off Flyers defenseman Nick Seeler. Alex Wennberg won a face-off back to Bjorkstrand, who tapped it to Dunn at the blue line for the shot.

"When they scored the (tying) goal, I felt we played better," Philadelphia coach John Tortorella said. "There wasn’t much going on for a lot of the game. They ended up generating a little bit more as the game went on. It’s just grind away and find a way to get a point. You always want the other one, but I have no complaints about the effort."

Schultz’s winning goal came in his first game since Dec. 20 after he was a healthy scratch in the previous two games and was replaced in the lineup by rookie Ryker Evans.

"You know, Schultz, he's a guy that's played in this league for a long time," Seattle coach Dave Hakstol said. "And all you have to do is look at his performance tonight to know how good of a pro he is and how great of a teammate he is.

"I mean, when we talk about wanting to have team-first guys, selfless guys in this room ... I'm sure it was very difficult for him, personally, to come out of the lineup. That hasn't been the case many times for him in his career, yet the way he handled that really pushes the group inside of this dressing room in the right direction."

The Kraken now turn their attention to the Golden Knights in the Winter Classic on New Year’s Day.

"I think we'll get tomorrow to kind of relax, and then Sunday, it starts, basically," Schultz said. "It's going to be busy for everyone here, especially for all of us at home. Everyone’s got families and stuff, so it's important for everyone to narrow their focus, and there's still two points on the line."

NOTES: Bjorkstrand played his 500th NHL game. … Tortorella coached his 1,500th NHL game, becoming the first coach born in the United States, and eighth overall, to reach the milestone He is 723-591-149 with 37 ties. … Seattle became the sixth team in NHL history to follow an eight-game winless streak (0-6-2 from Nov. 24-Dec. 10) with a point streak of at least eight games, following the 2010-11 Washington Capitals, 1992-93 Calgary Flames, 1980-81 Boston Bruins, 1974-75 Atlanta Flames and 1973-74 Los Angeles Kings.