Photo: Getty Images
For about 50 minutes, the Ottawa Senators maneuvered waters as calm as resort spa.
Then the Seattle Kraken delivered a rally to make waves that nearly consumed their hosts for good.
Three goals in 3:49, scored by Jared McCann, Ryan Donato, and Mason Appleton remarkably delivered the Kraken out of a three goal deficit, rallying to force overtime, but ultimately fell 4-3 in OT to Ottawa.
Josh Norris’ power play blast and second goal of the game sealed the fate of the Kraken on their fourth game of the trip, left to salvage a point in the standings by forcing overtime.
Head coach Dave Hakstol declined though to find much solace in the overtime point.
“I said it the other night – I’m not looking for feel good points, I’m looking for wins,” said Hakstol. “It’s tough to tie that game up, come back, and lose in overtime.”
However, Hakstol remarked the lesson banked for future comeback assignments falls in the fundamental of peer-to-peer energy.
“It’s important to be able to go out there and play hard for one another and fight, compete right to the very end,” said Hakstol. “Whether we got one or not – to be able to execute and build on momentum – that’s a period where everyone fed off each other. That’s important.”
The Kraken appeared to have the fourth game of the road trip on track with a 1-0 lead on Mason Appleton’s tip at the net from Colin Blackwell. Ottawa issued a coach’s challenge for an offside dispute, confirmed after video replay.
The Senators immediately capitalized off momentum on the ensuing shift with a one-timer by Norris at the right circle, 8:32 into the first period, and used a Brady Tkachuk deflection at the net and Parker Kelly’s fifth goal in a span of 1:57 in the second to boost the lead to 3-0.
The Kraken were well on their way to a fourth straight defeat but found new life in Jared McCann’s snipe from inside of the right circle at 9:14 of the third period to get on the board.
“We just came alive,” said McCann.
Ryan Donato followed with his 12th goal of the season with 10:10 left and Mason Appleton, off a Senators turnover in their zone, uncorked a sharp angled wrister past Anton Forsberg to astonishingly tie the game with 6:59 remaining.
“We played simple,” said McCann. “It sounds cliché at this point but that’s how we have to play to win games.”
The best Kraken chance in overtime came on Jaden Schwartz’s attempted two-on-one feed to Jordan Eberle, broken up by a hustling Tkachuk. Mark Giordano’s tripping penalty set up a four-on-three Ottawa power play, ending the game on Norris’ one-timer from the right circle and team leading 22nd goal.
Former Senator Chris Driedger made 23 saves for the overtime loss.
The Kraken will attempt to salvage a win on the trip, visiting Montreal for the five-game finale on Saturday at 4pm PT (93.3 KJR / Kraken Audio Network).