Patrik Laine scored at 2:16 of overtime as the host Columbus Blue Jackets defeated the expansion Seattle Kraken 2-1 on Saturday night.
Laine took a pass from Zach Werenski and beat Seattle goaltender Philipp Grubauer with a wrist shot from the right faceoff circle.
Eric Robinson also scored for Columbus and Elvis Merzlikins made 19 saves.
Brandon Tanev scored the lone Seattle goal and Grubauer stopped 23 of 25 shots.
Tanev opened the scoring at 14:32 of the second period. From deep in his own end, Seattle’s Ryan Donato lifted a high pass that fell at the Columbus blue line. The puck bounced over the stick of the Blue Jackets’ Oliver Bjorkstrand and Tanev was able to outmuscle him for the puck. Tanev skated in on a 2-on-1 with Riley Sheahan and faked a pass across the crease before going to his backhand and lifting the puck past a sprawling Merzlikins.
It was the third goal in the past two games for Tanev, who tallied twice Thursday in a 4-3 victory at Nashville, the first win in franchise history for the Kraken.
The Blue Jackets, who beat Arizona 8-2 in their season opener Thursday, tied it at 10:07 of the third period on a goal from their fourth line. Following a faceoff win in their own zone, Scott Harrington’s long lead pass created a 2-on-2 at the Seattle blue line. The Blue Jackets’ Gregory Hofmann was able to tap the puck ahead to Robinson, who skated down the right wing and put a wrist shot into the upper far corner of the net.
Related: If you’re a fan of the Kraken, check out #SeaKraken rumors, rankings, and news here.
Columbus had a chance to score first when Laine skated in from the blue line on a breakaway with 7:52 remaining in the second, but he was unable to lift a backhander over Grubauer’s pads.
The Blue Jackets had another good chance on a 3-on-2 break two minutes into the third period, but Max Domi’s wrist shot from the right wing whizzed past Grubauer’s right ear and just over the net.
Columbus’ Gustav Nyquist unleashed a one-timer with 14 minutes left from a sharp angle on the right wing following a cross-ice pass, but Grubauer was able to get across the crease and stop it with his left leg pad.
–Field Level Media