Korpisalo makes 25 saves in debut for Rangers, who hold off Kraken

SEATTLE — Joonas Korpisalo made 25 saves in his debut for the New York Rangers, who fended off a late Seattle Kraken rally for a 4-3 win at Climate Pledge Arena on Saturday.

The goalie was acquired in a trade with the Boston Bruins on July 1 but had not played this season because of a lower-body injury. Dylan Garand had played in 12 straight games (10 starts, two in relief) for the Rangers since No. 1 goalie Igor Shesterkin sustained a season-ending lower-body injury on Oct. 9.

“4-0 lead, maybe we didn’t have our foot on the gas as much (in the third period),” Korpisalo said. “They scored one early, they got the momentum, and it’s such a small thing that happens and it kind of turn (the game) all the way around. But it turns out to be a one-goal game.”

Tye Kartye scored in his return to Seattle, and Mika Zibanejad and Alexis Lafreniere each had two assists for the Rangers (10-7-1), who have won three in a row.

“It was a little weird (playing against my old team), honestly,” Kartye said. “I don’t think it’s because of the building or the city or anything, but I still know a lot of the guys. The team hasn’t had too much changeover, so I think playing against some old friends was definitely a little weird for me.”

Berkly Catton had two assists to extend his point streak to eight games (10 points; three goals, seven assists) for the Kraken (9-6-1), who have lost two of three.

Joey Daccord allowed three goals on 10 shots in the first period and was replaced by Philipp Grubauer, who made 15 saves in relief.

It was Seattle’s final game before they leave for the 2026 NHL Global Series Finland in Helsinki, where they will face the Carolina Hurricanes at Veikkaus Arena on Nov. 12 and 14.

“There’s been a lot of packing, and we’ve got to leave right after,” Seattle forward Kaapo Kakko said. “But, I think (it was) an early game, nothing crazy, so I think that's not an excuse.”

Gabe Perreault made it 1-0 at 1:35 of the first period. Daccord stopped a one-timer from Lafreniere, but Zibanejad collected the rebound in the corner and one-touched it to Perreault in the left circle, who one-timed it over Daccord’s left shoulder.

“I thought the first two periods, we were solid,” New York coach Mike Sullivan said. “I thought we were playing the game the way we wanted to play, and we were dictating terms.” 

Kartye, who was claimed off waivers by the Rangers from Seattle on Feb. 27, appeared to score off a face-off at 8:25, but video review determined the puck was kicked into the net.

Kartye scored his first power-play goal in the NHL less than a minute later at 9:05, tipping Adam Fox’s point shot out of the air and over Daccord’s glove from the slot.

“It’s a great opportunity for me,” Kartye said of being elevated to the power play. “It’s something I’ve done a little bit before. I did a lot in junior and the American League, so not something totally new. So, just trying to do my job.”

Kartye has 13 points (six goals, seven assists) in 18 games this season.

“(Kartye) is a great story right now,” Sullivan said. “He’s a great kid, he’s a terrific teammate. I couldn’t be happier for him.” 

Jaroslav Chmelar pushed it to 3-0 at 13:53, finding Noah Laba’s rebound after it hit Daccord’s glove and bounced into the slot. Chmelar tapped it into an open net from outside the crease, chasing Daccord.

“I didn't like a couple of the goals,” Seattle coach Lane Lambert said. “It's really hard for our hockey team to chase games, and we needed to do something to change the momentum.”

Pavel Dorofeyev scored two seconds after a Brandon Montour penalty ended to make it 4-0 at 12:46 of the second period. Off a rush with Zibanejad and Lafreniere, Dorofeyev took a feed from Zibanejad in the low slot, deked to his backhand, and tucked it around Grubauer’s left skate.

Kakko cut it to 4-1 at 1:50 of the third period, picking up a Montour rebound at the left side of the net, then wrapping it around behind the net and sweeping it inside the right post. It was his first goal in three games against the Rangers since being traded from New York to Seattle on Dec. 18, 2024.

“I saw (Korpisalo was) kind of still sliding, and I was on the goal line already, so that would be hard to put it in (if I shot right away),” Kakko said. “And I mean, it happens fast, I was just thinking he's still going that way, and maybe I have time to go (around).”

Jordan Eberle pulled Seattle within 4-2 with a power-play goal at 6:38, tapping a Matty Beniers cross-crease pass into an open net at the left post.

Vince Dunn made it 4-3 at 15:02, one-timing Catton’s pass across the blue line off the right post and in from the right point.

“The third was the exact opposite (of the first two periods),” Eberle said. “We started to create, we started to win (puck battles), started to make plays. We created space and had some looks. … Power play got a big one.”

NOTES: Fox became the fastest Rangers defenseman to 20 assists in a season in 18 games, besting the previous mark held by Brian Leetch (19 games in 2000-01). … Zibanejad assisted on the game-winning goal for his 77th time with the Rangers and surpassed Artemi Panarin for the third most in franchise history behind Brian Leetch (87) and Rod Gilbert (86).