Kraken Callup Nyman Keys Late Comeback

Kraken defenseman Brandon Montour had some happy reflections in an elated postgame dressing room about his record-setting night and a pivotal debut by his team’s newest AHL prospect callup to launch this unlikely comeback.

Montour’s overtime winner an NHL record four seconds into Wednesday night’s 5-4 comeback victory over the Montreal Canadiens was also his team record 15^thby a Kraken defenseman in one season. And it came after top prospect Jani Nyman, a second-round pick from 2022, featured huge in a third period rally -- scoring the first of two Kraken markers the final 10 minutes to help force the extra session with his parents from his native Finland in the stands watching his NHL debut.

“You hear of the success he’s had down there and obviously he’s got a heck of a shot,” Montour said of Nyman, who one-timed a power play feed from Jordan Eberle. “He’s getting a good release on it. I don’t know how many shots he had, but some got tipped or blocked.

“But, I mean, I told him even before the game: ‘You’re on the power play. Have the confidence to shoot it. You know you’re here for a reason.’ ”

Matty Beniers then tied things up with 2:12 to go in regulation on another power play goal, redirecting a Vince Dunn shot with goalie Joey Daccord pulled to give the Kraken a 6-on-4 advantage.

Montour capped his four-point night after that with his second goal and fifth this season against the Canadiens – the first time a defenseman has done that to Montreal since Hall of Famer Ray Bourque some 41 years ago – on a play showcasing the veteran smarts of the Kraken’s two main summer free agent additions. Chandler Stephenson lined up alongside Montour to take the opening faceoff of the 3-on-3 overtime session when he spotted the Canadiens stacking all three of their players in a straight line directly at center ice.

The Kraken countered with the same formation, but Stephenson whispered to Montour that he’d try to push the puck forward. Montour agreed to jump ahead for the puck and told Stephenson to fall back as a defender just in case he lost the draw.

Stephenson doesn’t lose many draws, however, as winning faceoffs is a key reason the Kraken signed the free agent last summer. And he didn’t disappoint this time, pushing the puck past all three Montreal players as Montour immediately leaped forward and was off to the races for the winning breakaway goal on Canadiens goalie Jakub Dobes.

“I saw him bump it up and so we went for it,” Montour said. “It was nice to see that happen.”

Kraken coach Dan Bylsma called the overtime goal a “brilliant” play resulting from “smarts on the ice” by Stephenson recognizing the situation and he and Montour communicating and executing in mere seconds.

“It just felt like with the smarts of that play and the quickness of the play, it was game over and we were going to be walking off the bench with a win,” Bylsma said. “So, again, credit to those guys on the ice.”

It was the kind of ending Bylsma hasn’t always seen in a game where the Kraken had blown a 2-0 lead in the second period after prior goals by Montour and Eeli Tolvanen. Montreal struck for three quick goals in that middle frame, the final one and go-ahead marker coming from winger Juraj Slafkovsky.

In the 2022 NHL Draft, held in Montreal, Slafkovlsy was taken No. 1 overall, supplanting pre-draft consensus No. 1 Shane Wright – who afterward fell all the way to the Kraken at No. 4. Wright has actually outscored Slafkovsky this season and been arguably the Kraken’s top performer since the New Year, but saw only limited fourth line minutes in this contest to clear a spot for newcomer Nyman getting an extended look alongside Jared McCann and Andre Burakovsky.

Nyman, taken a round after Slafkovsky and Wright in that same 2022 draft, wound up hitting the post behind Dobes on a first period power play chance, the first of three times in the game the Kraken rang one off the metal. For a while, it looked as if Slafkovsky would be the night’s storyline, adding a third period insurance goal by redirecting a point shot with what looked to be a high stick.

But officials immediately went to video review and – after quite the delay – upheld the goal to make it 4-2. Boos rained down from the crowd on another night that seemed destined to go against the Kraken.

That is, until the lethal shot that potted 26 goals in the AHL for rookie Nyman was uncorked again off the Eberle feed.

“He’s got a great shot,” said Eberle, who picked up his third assist of the night on Nyman’s goal.

Bylsma has been imploring his players to shoot the puck quicker all season and Nyman didn’t hesitate in converting Eberle’s pass.

“This is the best league in the world, so it’s a speed league,” Nyman said of getting his shot off quickly. “But I tried to play to my strength and do the same things I did in the minor leagues.”

Nyman has been a natural goal scorer in every pro league he’s played in up to now, including the top Finnish circuit a year ago at age 19. The fact he could be vying for a spot next fall on a Kraken team looking to add more pure scoring talent makes this early NHL look even more important.

And results such as these rewarding from both an individual and team outlook perspective in a season that’s often tested the Kraken’s resolve.

“You put the puck in the right area and he’s going to find it,” Montour said. “Obviously, he got a nice shot on that goal…it was nice to see that one from him.”