Jordan Eberle had two goals, including an empty-netter with 58 seconds remaining, and an assist as the Seattle Kraken avoided elimination, defeating the visiting Dallas Stars 6-3 on Saturday to even their NHL Western Conference semifinal series at three games apiece.
Game 7 is scheduled for Monday night in Dallas.
Eeli Tolvanen had a goal and two assists, Yanni Gourde and Matty Beniers had one of each and rookie Tye Kartye also tallied for Seattle. Goaltender Philipp Grubauer made 20 saves.
Mason Marchment, Joe Pavelski and Joel Kiviranta scored for the Stars, who had won the previous two games. Goalie Jake Oettinger was pulled 4:23 into the second period after allowing four goals on 18 shots. Scott Wedgewood replaced Oettinger and stopped nine of the 10 shots he faced.
With the Stars trailing 4-2 entering the third, Pavelski and Jason Robertson each put shot attempts off the right post in the opening 2 1/2 minutes of the period.
Shortly after a shotless power play by Dallas, Beniers scored on a two-on-one rush at 8:43 to make it 5-2, putting a wrist shot from the slot just inside the left post.
The Stars responded just 15 seconds later as Kiviranta tipped Thomas Harley’s shot from the left point past Grubauer.
But the Kraken tightened up defensively over the final 10 minutes and Eberle sealed the victory.
The Kraken outshot Dallas 16-5 in the first period in taking a 2-1 lead.
Gourde opened the scoring at 8:59, carrying the puck down the right wing and cutting toward the net unmarked when Dallas defenseman Esa Lindell fell. Oettinger stopped the initial shot, but Gourde was able to stuff the rebound into the net.
The Stars tied it just 31 seconds later on the rush. Tyler Seguin got the puck near the top of the right faceoff circle, faked a shot and sent a pass to Marchment, who headed for the net. Kraken defenseman Justin Schultz got his stick on the pass, but the puck hit Marchment in the left knee and caromed into the net.
Seattle regained the lead on the power play at 16:46. Tolvanen’s shot from the right faceoff circle was stopped by Oettinger, but Eberle corralled the rebound and lifted a backhander over the goalie.
Seattle doubled its advantage despite being outshot 12-8 in the second.
The Kraken took advantage of a Dallas line change to make it 3-1 just 1:34 into the period. Oliver Bjorkstrand skated the puck down the slot and fed Tolvanen for a one-timer from the right wing.
Kartye extended the lead to 4-1 on a wrist shot from the top of the left faceoff circle at 4:23, ending Oettinger’s night.
The Stars got one back with the man advantage at 5:37 as Pavelski redirected Miro Heiskanen’s rising shot from the left point past Grubauer. It was Pavelski’s eighth goal of the series.
–Field Level Media
