McCann scores again in Kraken win against Predators

SEATTLE -- Jared McCann scored for the third straight game and had an assist, and Philipp Grubauer made 32 saves for the Seattle Kraken in a 4-2 win against the Nashville Predators at Climate Pledge Arena on Thursday.

Grubauer has won his past two starts after losing his first four this season, including a 4-3 overtime victory at the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday. He made 23 saves in the first two periods Thursday.

“You can't control what's coming at you,” Grubauer said. "If it's a breakaway for the first shot or a fluffy from the red line, stop everything right? That's the mentality.”

Oliver Bjorkstrand, Brian Dumoulin, and Vince Dunn each scored for the Kraken (4-5-2), who have points in four of their past five games (3-1-1). Justin Schultz had two assists.

Seattle played its first home game since returning from a four-game road trip.

"We did what we had to do,” Kraken coach Dave Hakstol said. “These nights can be challenging, and we had our struggles finding our legs throughout the first two periods up and down, especially the second period. We just didn't have a ton of energy, but we turned that around completely in the third.”

Roman Josi and Tommy Novak each scored, and Juuse Saros made 27 saves for the Predators (4-6-0), who have lost the first two of their five-game road trip.

"I feel like we're doing a lot of good things,” said Josi, the Nashville captain. “It’s a little frustrating right now because we're not getting the results, we're not getting the wins. But I think once we're able to capitalize on some of those opportunities, we will have better success.”

Novak gave the Predators a 1-0 lead at 6:35 of the first period on the power play. Luke Evangelista passed from the top of the left face-off circle down to the goal line for Colton Sissons, who found Novak in the slot for a one-timer over the glove of Grubauer.

Bjorkstrand tied it 1-1 at 15:21 with a power-play goal after taking a pass from Schultz, turning and shooting it off the crossbar and in behind Saros.

McCann put Seattle ahead 2-1 at 17:41, scoring on a 2-on-1 with Yanni Gourde. McCann one-timed it by Saros following Gourde’s pass over the stick of Predators defenseman Jeremy Lauzon.

Josi tied it 2-2 with a power-play goal at 16:34 of the second period, scoring on a Tyson Barrie pass from the right hash marks off the near post and in.

"They're a great team,” Josi said. “They play fast, they're hard to play against, they're in your face. There's not a lot of time.”

Dumoulin gave the Kraken a 3-2 lead by responding 24 seconds later at 16:58 with a wrist shot around a screen and over Saros’ blocker.

“That one tonight was a big one by ‘Dumo,’ Hakstol said. “Just to be able to bounce right back and score that goal. Great netfront by [Tye Kartye], really good play by Dumo to pull it and find the shooting lane."

It was Dumoulin’s second goal in two games after scoring one in 82 games with the Pittsburgh Penguins last season.

“It's great to contribute,” Dumoulin said. “I think that's the biggest thing, especially with this team, is everyone's got to contribute for us to win. And we've done that here in this last stretch. We've gotten goals from different people.”

Grubauer took a penalty for tripping Liam Foudy at 17:50 of the second period. The Kraken killed the penalty, which was the second of Grubauer’s NHL career.

“Sometimes it's kind of awkward not being able to sit in the box there by taking the penalty,” Grubauer said. “There’s a couple of huge blocks, and we need those. It doesn't matter who takes the penalty, sitting in the box, you want to kill it off for that guy and for the team.”

Dunn scored on a slap shot from the left point at 8:38 of the third period for the 4-2 final.

NOTES: Gourde’s assist on McCann’s goal was his 100th point with the Kraken since being selected from the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft. … McCann has eight points (five goals, three assists) in his past seven games. … Novak has five points (three goals, two assists) in his past five games.