National Hockey League
Seattle 3, Colorado 2
When: 9:30 PM ET, Wednesday, April 26, 2023
Where: Ball Arena, Denver, Colorado
Referees: T.J. Luxmore, Dan O'Rourke
Linesmen: Shandor Alphonso, Bevan Mills
Attendance: 18143

Tye Kartye scored in his NHL debut, Yanni Gourde and Morgan Geekie also had goals, and the Seattle Kraken beat the Colorado Avalanche 3-2 in Game 5 of their series in Denver on Wednesday night.

Philipp Grubauer turned away 26 shots to give the Kraken a 3-2 lead in the first playoff series in franchise history. Game 6 will be Friday in Seattle.

Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and an assist, Evan Rodrigues also scored, and Alexandar Georgiev made 26 saves for Colorado.

The Avalanche played without defenseman Cale Makar, who served a one-game suspension for his hit on Kraken forward Jared McCann in Monday's Game 4. McCann missed Wednesday and is expected to be out for Game 6.

Colorado was also without forward Valeri Nichushkin (personal reasons) and Darren Helm (upper-body injury).

Seattle struck first when Jaden Schwartz put a shot on net that Georgiev saved, but Geekie was in front to knock in the rebound at 6:35 of the second period. It was his second goal of the postseason.

The Avalanche got even when Grubauer tried to clear the puck up the boards but Mikko Rantanen stopped it near the left circle. MacKinnon deflected Rantanen's shot past Grubauer at 7:55.

It was MacKinnon's third of the series.

The Kraken answered minutes later when Jordan Eberle skated behind the net to the bottom of the left circle and fed Kartye in the other circle. His one-timer beat Grubauer at 9:59 to give Seattle a 2-1 lead, where the score remained after two periods.

The Kraken went ahead by two goals early in the third. Oliver Bjorkstrand passed the puck out to Carson Soucy at the point, and his shot through traffic was deflected by Gourde and past Georgiev at 1:40.

It was his first goal of the playoffs.

Georgiev went off for an extra skater with 3:50 left, and Rodrigues scored 13 seconds later when his shot from the point went off two Seattle skaters and in for his first of the postseason.

Georgiev went off again but Colorado couldn't get the equalizer.

--Field Level Media

Top Game Performances
 
Seattle   Colorado
Morgan Geekie 1 Points Nathan MacKinnon 2
Morgan Geekie 1 Goals Nathan MacKinnon 1
Oliver Bjorkstrand 1 Assists Nathan MacKinnon 1
N/A Power Play Goals N/A
N/A Short Handed Goals N/A
Philipp Grubauer .929 Save Percentage Alexandar Georgiev .897
Philipp Grubauer 26 Saves Alexandar Georgiev 26
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Shots Goals Power Play Penalty Kill Penalty Mins Face Offs Won
Seattle 29 3 0-2 2-2 4 23
Colorado 28 2 0-2 2-2 4 34
Upcoming Games
  • Colorado will play their next game on the road against Seattle. The Avalanche have a W/L % of .647 after a win and .581 after a loss.
  • Seattle will play their next game at home against Colorado. The Kraken have a W/L % of .587 after a win and .528 after a loss.