Matty Beniers scored the winning goal in a shootout, lifting the visiting Seattle Kraken to a 4-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks in NHL action Friday at Rogers Arena.
Cale Fleury, Chandler Stephenson and Ben Meyers scored for the Kraken (18-14-7) in regulation time, with Joey Daccord earning the netminding win, making 20 saves.
Kiefer Sherwood, Jake DeBrusk and Linus Karlsson replied for the Canucks (16-20-4), with Thatcher Demko stopping 25 of 28 shots. DeBrusk also had two assists.
Fleury opened the scoring for the Kraken at 17:34 of the first period, ripping a blast from near the boards on the right wing that beat Demko high to his blocker side.
It was Fleury’s first goal of the season and second of his career, the only other tally coming in 2019 when he was a member of the Montreal Canadiens.
Seattle outshot the Canucks 13-8 in the first period.
Stephenson upped the lead to 2-0, on a power play, at 8:53 of the second frame.
After Vancouver’s Drew O’Connor and Sherwood failed to produce a shot on a 2-on-0 break, the Kraken came back up the ice and Jordan Eberle fed Stephenson, who beat Demko with a one-timer from the right circle.
At 13:06, Sherwood made it 2-1, also on the power play, tapping home a rebound of a DeBrusk shot. Sherwood now has 17 goals on the year.
Meyers restored the two-goal margin at 18:13, going to the net and tipping home a pass from Ryan Winterton.
With 38 seconds left in the period, DeBrusk scored his 10th of the season on another power play, converting a feed from Brock Boeser. It was only DeBrusk’s second goal in his last 18 games. Nine of his 10 markers have come with a man-advantage.
Signing contracts & scoring goals.
Big day for Linus Karlsson. pic.twitter.com/SZCEDb0bpN— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) January 3, 2026
Karlsson pulled the Canucks even at 3-3 at 6:14 of the third, backhanding home a rebound of a Filip Hronek point shot for his 10th marker of the year.
In overtime, the Kraken believed they had scored the winner with 2:15 to play but it was waved off after Seattle was assessed an interference penalty. On the ensuing 4-on-3 power play, the Canucks had several good scoring chances but could not beat Daccord.
Beniers scored the only goal in the shootout, deking out Demko with a nifty move and slotting home a forehand shot.
The Canucks host the Boston Bruins Saturday (7 p.m.).
NOTES: The Canucks announced Karlsson had signed a two-year contract extension, with a $2.25-million annual average value. Karlsson has 17 points in 37 games with the Canucks this season. He also led the Abbotsford Canucks in playoff scoring a year ago as they won the Calder Cup championship. He was a third-round draft pick of the San Jose Sharks in the 2018 NHL entry draft… Canucks forward Marco Rossi was placed on injured reserve after suffering a lower-body injur Tuesday against the Philadelphia Flyers… The Canucks have just four wins in 18 home games.