The Vegas Golden Knights spoiled the Seattle Kraken's first regular-season contest on Tuesday night, hanging on for a 4-3 victory.
Vegas jumped out to a 3-0 lead, but Seattle stormed back to tie the game in the third period before Chandler Stephenson netted the eventual winner. Stephenson's tally came 35 seconds after Morgan Geekie buried the equalizer, and it was held up following a review for a possible kicking motion.
Markers from Max Pacioretty and Jonathan Marchessault in the opening seven minutes made it seem like a rout was coming early, but Seattle hung tough and carried most of the play. After 60 minutes, the Kraken had produced 54.25% of shot attempts, 51.16% of scoring chances, and 51.15% of expected goals at five-on-five, according to Natural Stat Trick.
Ryan Donato, who signed with the Kraken as a free agent this past summer, scored the franchise's first-ever goal in the second period.
Seattle returns to action Friday versus the Nashville Predators.
