SEATTLE (AP) — Brandon Mountour scored the fastest goal in NHL overtime history, securing his second goal of the game just four seconds after the start of overtime, leading the Seattle Kraken to a thrilling 5-4 comeback victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday night. The dramatic finish marked not only Mountour's remarkable performance but also erased the Kraken's earlier two-goal deficit.
Chandler Stephenson played a pivotal role by winning the faceoff to start the extra period, after which the puck found its way to Mountour. With sheer determination, he surged forward and managed to beat Canadiens goalie Jakub Dobes, placing the puck precisely in the upper-right corner of the net. This moment is historic, as it matches the record for the fastest goal to start any period in NHL history. Notably, this record was previously held by three players who achieved similar feats at the start of their respective periods.
The Kraken's resilience was on full display as they overcame considerable odds. After trailing, the team rallied back with Jani Nyman, making his NHL debut, scoring on power play with 9:07 left on the clock in the third period. Matty Beniers also played a key role, tipping in a hard shot from Vince Dunn just 2:12 before the final buzzer, bringing the game to a thrilling 4-4 tie.
Earlier, Mountour opened the scoring just 4:14 minutes in, and his involvement did not stop there; he also provided two assists during the match. Eeli Tolvanan added to the Kraken's tally, scoring his career-high 19th goal of the season, contributing significantly to the 5-4 victory.
Montreal initially took control of the game, scoring four consecutive goals, which provided them with a 4-2 lead. Juraj Slafkovsky starred for the Canadiens, netting two goals, with Patrik Laine and Alex Newhook adding one for the team each. Goalie Jakub Dobes made 30 saves, but it was not enough to secure the victory.
A remarkable highlight from the game was Slafkovsky's achievement of reaching 100 career points at the tender age of 20 years and 347 days. He is now the second player in Canadiens history to achieve this milestone at such a young age, following the footsteps of Mario Tremblay, who reached this mark at 20 years and 164 days during the 1976-77 season.
For the Kraken, Nyman's debut was unforgettable as he became only the second player from the team to score on his NHL debut, following Tye Kartye, who previously did so during the first round of the 2023 playoffs against Colorado.
One key moment of the game came during the Kraken's power play when Jordan Eberle managed to gain control of the puck behind the Canadiens' net. Seeking to make the most of the opportunity, Eberle found the open Nyman stationed just outside the crease, who then swiftly drilled it home, shifting the momentum back to the Kraken's favor.
On the statistical side, Mountour's two-goal performance allowed him to break the previous tie with Dunn for the Kraken's record for most goals scored by a defenseman during a season, marking his impressive 15th goal of the season.
The Kraken now look forward to their next game on Friday night against Utah, eager to build on this victory. The Canadiens, on the other hand, will host the Florida Panthers on Saturday.