Flames score three times in first period, hang on to beat Kraken 3-2

Calgary Flames center Yegor Sharangovich (17) moves the puck against Seattle Kraken defenseman Adam Larsson (6) and defenseman Jamie Oleksiak (24) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

SEATTLE (AP) — Yegor Sharangovich and Jonathan Huberdeau each scored on the power play in Calgary’s three-goal first period and the Flames held on to beat the Seattle Kraken 3-2 on Sunday night.

Morgan Frost also scored and Dan Vlader stopped 27 shots as Calgary retained possession of the second wild-card playoff berth in the Western Conference.

Kaapo Kakko and Brandon Tanev scored for Seattle, which lost for the fourth time in six games. Joey Daccord finished with 32 saves.

Frost got the scoring started for Calgary with 5:57 left in the opening period, minutes after Seattle’s Jaden Schwartz had a power-play goal taken off the board after a successful challenge for goalie interference.

Sharangovich doubled the Flames' lead with 3:17 to go in the period, beating Daccord through the five-hole. The Kraken challenged for goaltender interference and after a lengthy review, the power-play goal stood. Huberdeau made it 3-0 with his 20th goal on a 5-on-3 power play with 2:04 remaining.

Kakko got the Kraken on the scoreboard with a power-play one-timer with 5:29 remaining in the second and Taney pulled them to within one at 5:41 of the third.

Schwartz had an assist on Kakko’s goal for his 300th career point.

TAKEAWAYS

Flames: Calgary has one of the highest winning percentages in the league when scoring first, seventh at 70 per cent. On the other end, the Flames have been the worst first-period team this season at just 30 goals scored.

Kraken: Seattle has allowed 61 goals in the first period — second-most in the NHL. The Kraken never got into a rhythm after the early deficit and played from behind the rest of the night.

KEY MOMENT

Up 1-0, a big hit in the centre of the ice by Calgary’s Brayden Pachal caused some fighting and Seattle was dinged with a double-minor for roughing. That put the Flames on the power play to double the lead and never look back.

KEY STAT

The Kraken finished the night with seven penalties for 14 minutes, with three players in the box at one point.

UP NEXT

Flames: Host the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday.

Kraken: Host the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday.

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AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL

Zach Martin, The Associated Press