Jared McCann's late goal lifts Kraken over Panthers

Playing against his former team, Jared McCann scored the go-ahead goal with 12:57 left in the third period as the visiting Seattle Kraken upset the Florida Panthers 2-1 on Saturday night.

Kaapo Kakko had Seattle's other goal and Shane Wright dished out two assists. Joey Daccord made 26 saves.

Although the Kraken are not in a playoff position, Daccord is having a stellar season with a 20-14-3 record, including Saturday's win over the reigning Stanley Cup champions.

This was the first game for both teams in two weeks due to the 4 Nations Face-Off. The Panthers had eight players in that tournament -- more than any other team in the NHL.

Matthew Tkachuk, who played in the 4 Nations Face-Off, sat out Saturday due to a lower-body injury.

Eetu Luostarinen scored Florida's lone goal, and Sergei Bobrovsky made 20 saves.

Kakko opened the scoring with 6:32 elapsed in the first period. The play started when Florida's Gustav Forsling tried to clear the puck. However, Vince Dunn held the puck in, Wright dished to Matty Beniers, who found Kakko on the left wing. Kakko then skated in and stuffed the puck between Bobrovsky's pads.

Florida tied the score on Luostarinen's goal with 11:37 gone in the second. The play started with Niko Mikkola's long lead pass to Anton Lundell, who skated in before slipping a backhand pass to Luostarinen in the slot.

Luostarinen then scored on a shot that deflected in off Daccord's blocker.

Seattle surged ahead on McCann's shot, which bounced in off Bobrovsky's stick. Adam Larsson earned the primary assist as Seattle scored on the rush.

It was a sweet play for McCann, who played for Florida from 2016 to 2019.

Florida pulled Bobrovsky for an extra attacker in the final three minutes, and the Panthers' Sam Reinhart had a chance to tie the score, but his chip shot went over the net with 1:43 left.

That was Florida's best chance at a tying goal, and the Kraken held on from there.

--Field Level Media