Written by Marcus Sledge

SEATTLE – Jamie Oleksiak scored the game-winning goal late in the third period as the Seattle Kraken rallied to beat the New York Islanders 3-2 on Saturday night at Climate Pledge Arena.

Oleksiak broke a 2-2 tie with 3:13 remaining when his point shot deflected off Islanders forward Brock Nelson’s leg and slipped under goaltender Ilya Sorokin’s glove. The Islanders challenged for goaltender interference, but the call on the ice stood, sealing Seattle’s victory.

Yanni Gourde and Jared McCann also found the net for the Kraken (9-8-1), who extended their winning streak to four games. Goaltender Joey Daccord delivered another strong performance, making 22 saves and earning his fourth straight win.

The Kraken opened the scoring at 8:10 of the first period. Gourde, battling in front of the net, redirected a puck into the crease from Brandon Tanev, tallying his first goal of the season. The Islanders tied it at 13:38 when Pierre Engvall pounced on a rebound after a Ryan Pulock shot, beating Daccord to make it 1-1.

In the third, Nelson gave the Islanders a 2-1 edge with a highlight-reel up short-handed goal. After receiving a pass from Noah Dobson, Nelson weaved through the defense, toe-dragged, and finished with a slick backhand shot at 4:49.

The lead didn’t last long. Just 37 seconds later, McCann responded for the Kraken, firing a shot from the high slot past Sorokin to even the score at 2-2.

Daccord secured the win late, making a crucial save on Nelson’s short-handed breakaway attempt with under two minutes left in regulation.

Next up: Seattle hosts the New York Rangers (10-4-1) Sunday at Climate Pledge Arena. Puck drop is 6 pm.

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