Seattle Kraken defenseman Brandon Montour (No. 62) celebrates after scoring the game-winning goal in overtime, securing a 5-4 victory against the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday night in Seattle. Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson (No. 48) and goaltender Jakub Dobes (No. 75) react to the decisive play. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Brandon Montour made NHL history on Wednesday night, scoring just four seconds into overtime to secure a thrilling 5-4 victory for the Seattle Kraken over the Montreal Canadiens. His goal, the fastest in NHL overtime history, capped off an incredible comeback after Seattle rallied from a two-goal deficit.
Montour’s Historic Goal
As soon as the puck dropped in overtime, Chandler Stephenson won the faceoff, sending it straight to Montour. Without hesitation, Montour charged toward Canadiens goalie Jakub Dobes and fired a shot into the upper-right corner, sealing the win in record time. His goal tied the fastest-ever start to a period in NHL history, matching feats by Claude Provost (1957), Denis Savard (1986), and James van Riemsdyk (2014).
Seattle’s Comeback Effort
Earlier in the game, the Kraken found themselves trailing 4-2, but they refused to back down. Jani Nyman, making his NHL debut, ignited the comeback with a power-play goal midway through the third period. Then, with just over two minutes left, Matty Beniers redirected a powerful shot from Vince Dunn to tie the game at four, setting the stage for Montour’s overtime heroics.
Montour, who also opened the scoring early in the game, finished with two goals and two assists, playing a key role in the Kraken’s win. Eeli Tolvanen added to Seattle’s scoring with his 19th goal of the season, while goalie Joey Daccord made 21 saves.
Canadiens’ Strong Start Falls Short
Despite the loss, Montreal had a dominant stretch, scoring four consecutive goals to take a commanding lead. Juraj Slafkovsky led the charge with two goals, while Patrik Laine and Alex Newhook each found the back of the net. Dobes stood strong in goal, making 30 saves, but he couldn’t stop the Kraken’s late surge.
Slafkovsky’s second goal of the night also earned him a milestone—he became just the second player in Canadiens history to reach 100 career points before turning 21, following in the footsteps of Mario Tremblay in 1976-77.
Nyman’s Impressive Debut
Jani Nyman, who had been lighting up the American Hockey League with 26 goals for Coachella Valley, made an immediate impact in his first NHL game. He became just the second player in Kraken history to score in his NHL debut, joining Tye Kartye, who did it in the 2023 playoffs.
His key moment came in the third period, when Jordan Eberle controlled the puck behind Montreal’s net and set him up for a clean shot. Nyman wasted no time, blasting it into the net and shifting momentum in Seattle’s favor.
Looking Ahead
Seattle will look to keep their momentum going when they host Utah on Friday night, while Montreal hopes to bounce back against Florida on Saturday.
