Kraken down Blue Jackets 4-2 for 3rd straight road win

Alex Wennberg and Jared McCann each had a goal and an assist, and the Seattle Kraken defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-2 at Nationwide Arena on Friday night for their third straight road win and a season series sweep.

FIRE THE CANNON! 😏 pic.twitter.com/A8oSOFCXfB

— Seattle Kraken (@SeattleKraken) March 4, 2023

Wennberg netted the match-winning goal against his former team while McCann became the first player to reach 30 goals in a season for the Kraken.

“We had a really consistent effort,” Kraken coach Dave Hakstol said. “I liked our third period. We came out and were on our toes in the third period—could have easily stretch the lead in the first part of that period.

“That didn’t happen, but we responded well and were able to close out the game.”

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Joran Eberle and Brandon Tanev also scored for Seattle, and Vince Dunn had two assists. McCann’s assist on Eberle’s goal extended his point streak to five games, matching his career high.

Philipp Grubauer stopped 23 shots for the Kraken, who stayed ahead of Edmonton for third place in the Pacific Division — two points behind Los Angeles and Vegas.

Adam Boqvist and Patrik Laine each had a goal and an assist for Columbus, which has lost two of its last three games and remains in the NHL basement.

“It wasn’t like a terrible effort,” Blue Jackets coach Brad Larsen said. “I know there’s another level of competitiveness at the puck that’s going to be required. We could have killed a lot more plays and had the puck more.”

Elvis Merzlikins, in his first game as the Blue Jackets’ full-time starter after the trade of Joonas Korpisalo to Los Angeles, stopped 34 shots.

Columbus forward Sean Kuraly suffered a left oblique strain in practice Thursday and will be sidelined the remainder of the season.

Oliver Bjorkstrand, in his first Columbus appearance since being traded to Seattle in the off-season, left the game in the third period with a lower-body injury.