The Seattle Kraken pulled off yet another thrilling comeback Wednesday night, rallying from a two-goal deficit to defeat the Montreal Canadiens 5-4 in overtime. Brandon Montour played hero, scoring just four seconds into the extra period—the fastest overtime goal in NHL history.
Montour, who torched the Canadiens for a hat trick in their last meeting, dominated once again with two goals and two assists, capping off a historic night in dramatic fashion. His game-winner came immediately after the opening faceoff in overtime. Chandler Stephenson won the draw clean, sending the puck straight to Montour as he crossed the red line. Without hesitation, Montour raced in and snapped a shot past Montreal goalie Jakub Dobes, igniting the home crowd and sealing the comeback victory.
A record-breaking night for Montour
With his two-goal performance, Brandon Montour set a new franchise record, surpassing Vince Dunn for the most goals scored by a defenseman in a single season for the Kraken. The veteran blueliner has been an offensive force since joining Seattle and continues to be one of the team’s most impactful players, especially in clutch moments.
Montour opened the scoring just under five minutes into the first period, giving Seattle an early lead. Eeli Tolvanen followed up with another goal early in the second, making it 2-0, but momentum quickly shifted in Montreal’s favor.
Canadiens surge back
Just when it seemed like the Kraken were in control, the Canadiens responded with three unanswered goals. Patrik Laine put Montreal on the board with a power play goal at 7:11 in the second period, followed by Alex Newhook’s equalizer minutes later. Juraj Slafkovsky then put Montreal ahead with a goal late in the second, sending Seattle into the third period trailing 3-2.
Slafkovsky struck again early in the final frame, extending the Canadiens' lead to 4-2, and for a moment, it looked like Seattle was headed for another tough loss.
Jani Nyman’s first NHL goal sparks the comeback
Making his NHL debut, Jani Nyman provided a much-needed spark for the Kraken. The 20-year-old Finnish prospect, who has dominated the AHL this season, netted his first career goal on the power play midway through the third period, cutting the deficit to one. His quick release and poise in front of the net showed exactly why Seattle was eager to bring him up to the NHL level.
That goal gave Seattle the jolt of energy they needed. With under three minutes left in regulation, Matty Beniers came through in the clutch, blasting home another power play goal to tie the game at 4-4 and send the Climate Pledge Arena crowd into a frenzy.
The overtime period barely lasted a blink before Montour finished the job in record time. Just four seconds after the faceoff, he sent the puck past Dobes for the game-winner. His ability to step up in big moments has been undeniable, and after already torching Montreal for four points in their last meeting, he once again made the difference when it mattered most.
Takeaways and what’s next
Seattle’s power play, which has struggled for much of the season, came through when it mattered most, delivering two crucial goals late in the game to force overtime. Joey Daccord allowed four goals on 25 shots but made key saves down the stretch to give the Kraken a chance to complete their comeback.
Now sitting at 28-34-4, the Kraken will look to carry this momentum forward as they continue their homestand. With the trade deadline behind them, fans will see more young players like Nyman get valuable NHL experience as the team evaluates its future core. Next up, Seattle takes on the Utah Hockey Club on Friday, looking to build on this thrilling victory.