Kiviranta scores 2 as Avalanche hold on to beat Kraken 3-2

SEATTLE (AP) — Joel Kiviranta and Nathan MacKinnon each scored in the second period to put Colorado ahead, and the Avalanche held on to beat the Seattle Kraken 3—2 on Tuesday.

Kiviranta also scored late in the first period to give Colorado the lead and Justus Annunen had 25 saves. Cale Makar had two assists.

Seattle’s Jared McCann tied it with 8:03 left in the second period with his milestone 100th goal with the Kraken.

Kiviranta scored again three minutes later to put Colorado back in front, and MacKinnon made it a two-goal game with 8 seconds to go in the period.

Ryker Evans scored Seattle's second goal with 4 seconds left in the game, and Phillipp Grubauer had 25 saves.

Kraken: McCann became the first player to reach 100 goals with the Kraken. A member of the Kraken since the team’s inaugural 2021 season, McCann has scored at least 27 goals in each of his first three seasons in Seattle.

Avalanche: Kiviranta’s two goal performance was just the second multi-goal effort of his career. He now has three goals in seven games this season, matching his total from last year.

The Kraken didn’t have long to bask in McCann’s milestone moment, as the resulting 1-1 score lasted just three minutes before Kiviranta put Colorado back in front with his second goal of the game. MacKinnon’s goal in the final seconds of the second put the Avalanche up by two heading into the third, and effectively put the game out of reach for Seattle.

The Avalanche finished the game with just one penalty, which came from Kiviranta at the 18 minute mark in the third period.

The Avalanche visit Utah on Thursday, while the Kraken host Winnipeg.

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AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL