Seattle’s Jared McCann led the way with two goals and two assists, helping the Kraken beat the Washington Capitals 5-1 on Tuesday night. Alongside McCann, Jordan Hebert and Matti Beniers each scored a goal and provided an assist, while Ryker Evans also found the back of the net. Philipp Grubauer was solid in goal, stopping 19 shots. For Washington, Alex Ovechkin contributed his 22nd goal of the season, marking his 919th career goal and extending his NHL record. Logan Thompson made 27 saves in the game.
The game kicked off Seattle’s scoring spree in the second period, with McCann converting a drive from the right side between the circle and the blue line just over a minute into the period. Later, with less than 10 minutes remaining in the period, McCann scored his 14th point of the season, tying it to a rebound from Beniers’ shot—this was McCann’s first multi-goal game of the year. Beniers’ assist also extended his point streak to four games. Near the end of the period, Ebel scored his 19th point of the season on a rebound, increasing Seattle’s lead to 3-0.
In the third period, McCann appeared to complete his second career hat trick with a breakaway goal, but it was disallowed after a review confirmed a double minor penalty on Beniers. As a result, the Capitals gained a power play, during which Ovechkin scored twice—once with just over a minute remaining and again with 2:30 left on the clock. Evans scored his fifth goal of the season in the final stretch, making it 4-1, and Beniers added his 13th goal of the season, tying his personal best for January with nine goals.
Looking ahead, the Capitals will visit the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday, while the Kraken host the Toronto Maple Leafs on the same day.
Fan Take: This game is a reminder of Ovechkin’s legendary goal-scoring prowess, but it also showcases the rising talent of players like McCann and Beniers, signaling exciting developments for the future of the NHL. Such performances energize fans and generate anticipation for what’s to come in the season’s latter stages.
