Kraken defeat Coyotes, keep pace in Pacific race

TEMPE, Ariz. --The Seattle Kraken kept pace in the Pacific Division with a 4-1 win against the Arizona Coyotes at Mullett Arena on Monday.

Seattle remained two points back of the Los Angeles Kings, who have played one more game, for third place in the Pacific. Los Angeles defeated the Vancouver Canucks 3-0 on Monday.
"[100 points is] a nice marker for our group, and we want them to be proud of that. That's a [heck] of a number," Kraken coach Dave Hakstol said. "That being said, the group took it in stride. We've got [two] more games to go in the regular season, and we've got the opportunity to get ready for the first round of the playoffs."
Jared McCann and Justin Schultz each had a goal and an assist for Seattle (46-26-8), which has won five in a row. Philipp Grubauer made 22 saves.
"We just tried to play our game and get ready for the playoffs, and I thought it was a good effort," Schultz said.

Jack McBain scored, and Ivan Prosvetov made 33 saves for Arizona (28-40-13), which lost to the Kraken for the third time in eight days.
"I don't think [Seattle] found it tough," Coyotes coach Andre Tourigny said. "We didn't play as well as we can in those games, but we'll give them credit. They're tough to play against. They have a lot of pace, and they match a lot of the things we do really well. We're relentless and apply pressure, but they do as well. It was a tough matchup."
Schultz gave the Kraken a 2-1 lead on a breakaway at 14:56 of the second period. Just as Schultz came out of the penalty box, the Coyotes turned the puck over, allowing the defenseman to skate in and tuck a forehand inside the right post.
"I don't remember the last time I had a breakaway," Schultz said. "I was lucky enough it worked out. I know some guys do (practice breakaways), but I usually don't."
Matty Beniers made it 3-1 at 16:10, scoring glove side with a wrist shot from the left face-off circle on a rush.
McCann scored his 40th goal of the season to make it 4-1 at 14:39 of the third period. He beat Prosvetov glove side from the top of the left circle on a power play.
"I just needed a chance. There's a lot of guys in the NHL who don't get the opportunity," McCann said. "Not that they don't deserve it, sometimes that's just the way it goes. But it's obviously something I worked for."

McBain gave the Coyotes a 1-0 lead at 9:22 of the first period, redirecting Liam O'Brien's shot from the blue line after O'Brien intercepted a clearing attempt from Morgan Geekie.
"[After that], we weren't executing very well or making plays, and they're a good team that takes advantage of [mistakes]," McBain said. "And we didn't help ourselves."
Oliver Bjorkstrand tied it 1-1 at 3:12 of the second with a one-timer off a pass from Alex Wennberg from along the goal line on a power play.
Seattle was 2-for-4 with the man-advantage. Arizona was 0-for-4.
"Special teams played a big role in that game," Tourigny said.
NOTES:The Kraken are 26-10-4 on the road after going 11-27-3 away from home in 2021-22. … Bjorkstrand is the Kraken's sixth player with at least 20 goals this season (McCann, Beniers, Daniel Sprong, Jordan Eberle and Jaden Schwartz). … Seattle goalie Joey Daccord, who played college hockey at Arizona State University, replaced Grubauer for the final 1:16. Daccord was the backup with Martin Jones (upper body) day to day. … Coyotes forward Laurent Dauphin (upper body) didn't play in the third period.