SEATTLE KRAKEN

Seattle Kraken beat Avs 3-2, can clinch series at home in Game 6

Apr 26, 2023, 9:45 PM | Updated: 10:23 pm

Seattle Kraken forward Tye Kartye, front, celebrates his goal against the Colorado Avalanche with defenseman Will Borgen during the second period of Game 5 of an NHL hockey first-round playoff series Wednesday, April 26, 2023, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)Credit: ASSOCIATED PRESS DENVER, COLORADO - APRIL 26: Goalie Philipp Grubauer #31 of the Seattle Kraken celebrates with his teammates their win against the Colorado Avalanche during Game Five of the First Round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Ball Arena on April 26, 2023 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) DENVER, COLORADO - APRIL 26: Goalie Philipp Grubauer #31 of the Seattle Kraken celebrates with Yanni Gourde #37 and Brandon Tanev #13 their win against the Colorado Avalanche during Game Five of the First Round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Ball Arena on April 26, 2023 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) DENVER, COLORADO - APRIL 26: Tye Kartye #52 of the Seattle Kraken celebrates with Matty Beniers #10, Will Borgen #3, and Jordan Eberle 7 after scoring against the Colorado Avalanche in the second period during Game Five of the First Round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Ball Arena on April 26, 2023 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) DENVER, COLORADO - APRIL 26: Tye Kartye #52 of the Seattle Kraken celebrates with his teammates after scoring against the Colorado Avalanche in the second period during Game Five of the First Round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Ball Arena on April 26, 2023 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) DENVER, COLORADO - APRIL 26: Yanni Gourde #37 of the Seattle Kraken fights for control of the puck against Devon Toews #7 and Samuel Girard #49 of the Colorado Avalanche in the first period during Game Five of the First Round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Ball Arena on April 26, 2023 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) DENVER, COLORADO - APRIL 26: Alex Wennberg #21 of the Seattle Kraken looks for an opening against the Colorado Avalanche in the first period during Game Five of the First Round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Ball Arena on April 26, 2023 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

DENVER (AP) — Tye Kartye scored in his NHL debut and the Seattle Kraken moved a win away from clinching their first playoff series after beating the reigning Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche 3-2 on Wednesday night.

Seattle Kraken 3, Colorado Avalanche 2: Stats

The Kraken take a 3-2 lead in the first-round series back home to Seattle, where they can advance Friday night in front of their raucous home fans.

“It’s the spot you want to be, but at the end of the day, the fourth one’s the toughest to get,” Kraken forward Yanni Gourde said. “We know that.”

Gourde and Morgan Geekie added goals for the Kraken, who’ve scored first in all five games. Philipp Grubauer stopped 26 shots against his former team.

Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and assisted on Evan Rodrigues’ goal that made it 3-2 with 3:37 remaining. The Avalanche couldn’t tie it up with goaltender Alexandar Georgiev pulled for an extra skater. Georgiev also was on the bench for Rodrigues’ goal.

The Kraken were without forward Jared McCann, who was injured on a hit from Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar in Game 4. Makar could only watch as he drew a one-game suspension from the league. Makar was last year’s Conn Smythe Trophy winner as the playoff MVP.

Georgiev had 26 stops for Colorado.

“Nothing to lose now,” Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said of his team’s mindset. “You don’t win, you go home.”

Kartye became the eighth player since 1927 to notch a goal while making his NHL debut in the playoffs, according to NHL Stats. Before Kartye, the last to accomplish the feat was Makar in Game 3 of a first-round series in 2019.

The goal by Kartye gave the Kraken a 2-1 lead in the second period and came moments after MacKinnon clipped skates with Will Borgen. MacKinnon was livid, too, and banged his stick on the glass as the Kraken headed down the ice. Jordan Eberle delivered a pinpoint pass to Kartye, who made it a memorable night.

Kartye, who turns 22 on Sunday, had 28 goals and 29 assists this season with the Coachella Valley Firebirds of the AHL.

MacKinnon’s goal in the second period tied the game at 1. He added an assist for his 99th career playoff points. He is now one away from joining Joe Sakic (188) and Peter Forsberg (159) as the only players in franchise history to register 100 postseason points.

Geekie opened the scoring by knocking in a loose puck early in the second period. It’s been quite a stretch for Geekie, who missed Game 3 to be with his wife for the birth of their daughter.

“They’re a good team. They’re not going to back away easily,” Geekie said of closing out the Avalanche. “Just try to play the game that we’ve been growing into and be solid on both ends of the rink.”

MISSING MCCANN

McCann didn’t make the trip with the team. Missing with him was leadership and a scoring threat (he had 40 goals in the regular season).

“It sucks that he’s out,” Kraken defenseman Vince Dunn said. “But we don’t want that to be a distraction in our locker room.”

MISSING VAL

Avalanche forward Valeri Nichushkin missed his third straight game for a personal reason. Coach Jared Bednar had no updates but said the team has been in contact with Nichushkin. Bednar said there wasn’t a legal issue surrounding the absence of Nichushkin.

Nichushkin had nine goals and 15 points in helping the Avalanche to the Stanley Cup title last season.

THIS & THAT

The Avalanche continue to struggle on the power play. They went 0 for 2 and drop to 1 for 12 in the series. … D Josh Manson didn’t take a shift in the third period.

What ESPN NHL analysts make of Seattle Kraken pushing Avs in playoffs

Seattle Kraken

Seattle Kraken Anaheim Ducks...

Mark Moschetti

Kraken snap 8-game slide with 4-0 win over skidding Ducks

Eeli Tolvanan and Matty Beniers each had a goal and an assist, and the Seattle Kraken halted an eight-game losing streak by beating the Anaheim Ducks 4-0 on Tuesday night.

2 days ago

Seattle Kraken Alex Newhook Montreal Canadiens...

Daimon Eklund

Newhook scores twice, Canadiens hand Kraken 8th straight loss

Alex Newhook scored twice and the Montreal Canadiens sent Seattle to its eighth straight loss, beating the Kraken 5-1.

4 days ago

Seattle Kraken...

The Associated Press

Guenther scores in OT, Coyotes send Kraken to 7th straight loss with 2-1 victory

Dylan Guenther scored on a breakaway in overtime to give the Coyotes a 2-1 win over the Seattle Kraken, the Kraken’s seventh straight loss.

6 days ago

Vegas Golden Knights Seattle Kraken...

Mark Anderson

Kolesar breaks tie, Golden Knights beat Kraken 3-1

Keegan Kolesar scored off a rebound with 1:20 left to put Vegas ahead for good in a 3-1 victory over the Seattle Kraken on Thursday night.

7 days ago

Seattle Kraken Adam Larsson Buffalo Sabres...

Mark Moschetti

Kraken fall 6-2 to Buffalo Sabres as skid hits 5 straight

Jeff Skinner had a hat trick and the Buffalo Sabres chased Seattle Kraken goaltender Joey Daccord in a 6-2 victory Monday night.

10 days ago

seattle kraken andre burakovsky...

Tim Booth

Seattle Kraken fall to Nashville Predators 4-1 for fourth straight loss

Roman Josi scored twice in the first 10 minutes of the third period, and the Nashville Predators extended their points streak with a 4-1 win over the Seattle Kraken.

12 days ago

Seattle Kraken beat Avs 3-2, can clinch series at home in Game 6