Oilers use fast start to beat the Kraken 4-2 for their 3rd straight victory

SEATTLE (AP) — Vasily Podkolzin and Jeff Skinner scored in the first 5 1/2 minutes and the Edmonton Oilers beat the Seattle Kraken 4-2 on Saturday night for their third straight victory.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Leon Draisaitl also scored, with Draisaitl wrapping it up with an empty-netter with 1:58 left — just six seconds after the Kraken pulled goalie Philipp Grubauer for an extra attacker.

Calvin Pickard made 15 saves to help Edmonton improve to 24-12-3. Viktor Arvidsson had two assists.

Chandler Stephenson and Jaden Schwartz scored for Seattle. Grubauer made 28 saves.

Podkolzin needed just 57 seconds to put Edmonton on top, breaking down the right wing, taking a pass from Draisaitl and beating Grubauer from low in the slot.

Skinner made it 2-0 at 5:18, taking a long pass from Kasperi Kapanen and tucking it past Grubauer from the top of the crease for his seventh.

Oilers: Draisaitl’s 30th assist of the season, coming on Podkolziin’s opening goal, extended his points streak to 14 games (12 goals, 15 assists). That ties the longest such streak of his career. His late goal gave him 29 for the season.

Kraken: Defenseman Vince Dunn played his 500th NHL game and picked up the assist on Schwartz’ goal. He is the third Seattle player to reach 500 career games this season. Chandler Stephenson got there on Oct. 17 and Brandon Tanev did on Nov. 13.

Nugent-Hopkins gave the Oilers a 3-0 lead with 8:08 left the second period, sweeping in the rebound after Connor Brown’s shot was blocked.

Draisaitl has 25 points (six goals, 19 assists) in 11 career games against Seattle — more than any other NHL player.

The Oilers are at Boston on Tuesday night. The Kraken host New Jersey on Monday night.

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Seattle Kraken left wing Andre Burakovsky(95) reacts after a goal by the Edmonton Oilers during the second period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Edmonton Oilers center Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (93) celebrates with the bench after his goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Seattle Kraken, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Edmonton Oilers center Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (93) celebrates after his goal with teammate Brett Kulak (27) as Seattle Kraken defenseman Jamie Oleksiak, left, goaltender Philipp Grubauer, second from right, and center Chandler Stephenson (9) look on during the second period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Edmonton Oilers goaltender Calvin Pickard (30) blocks a shot by the Seattle Kraken during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Edmonton Oilers center Jeff Skinner, top left, celebrates after scoring against the Seattle Kraken during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Edmonton Oilers right wing Vasily Podkolzin, third from left, celebrates after his goal against the Seattle Kraken with teammates Brett Kulak (27), left wing Viktor Arvidsson (33), defenseman Darnell Nurse (25) and center Leon Draisaitl (29) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Edmonton Oilers right wing Vasily Podkolzin (92) scores against Seattle Kraken goaltender Philipp Grubauer, right, during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Edmonton Oilers center Jeff Skinner (53) scores against Seattle Kraken goaltender Philipp Grubauer, center, as Kraken defenseman Vince Dunn (29) looks on during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

President Joe Biden on Monday signed into law a bill that transfers the land that includes the old RFK Stadium from the federal government to city control, the next step to potentially pave the way for the NFL's Washington Commanders to return to the nation's capital.

Giving the District of Columbia control of the land for the next 99 years allows for the decaying husk of the old stadium to be torn down and the site redeveloped for any number of things. One of the possibilities is a football stadium and surrounding entertainment options at the franchise’s former home.

Owners Josh Harris, Mitch Rales and Mark Ein and Mayor Muriel Bowser stood behind Biden at the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office when he signed the D.C. Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium Campus Revitalization Act. The Commanders in a statement said it was a big win for the city and its residents.

“Washington can finally move forward on a new vision for the RFK site,” they said. “We look forward to being a part of that conversation as we evaluate a future home for the Washington Commanders.”

Bowser called this moment “the results of years of tireless and strategic advocacy, extraordinary collaboration and bipartisan leadership.”

“It is a good day for D.C. when we finally have control of our own destiny at the RFK campus,” Bowser said. “We are ready and optimistic about unlocking the full potential of this space, and with more than 170 acres of land we can do it all — deliver housing, economic opportunity, green space, recreation, sports and more.”

The resolution made it through Congress in the early-morning hours of Dec. 21 just before the holiday recess after it was removed from the year-end spending bill in a twist that threatened the efforts by Bowser and others made over the last 18 months. Controlling owner Harris and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell lobbied lawmakers on Capitol Hill in early December in support of the measure.

Playing in Washington again is no sure thing. The Commanders are also considering other places in the district, Maryland and Virginia to build a stadium in the coming years.

Their lease at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland, runs through 2027. Harris called 2030 a “reasonable target” for a new stadium.

The team played at RFK Stadium, 2 miles (3.22 kilometers) east of the Capitol, from 1961-96 before moving to Maryland. Harris and several co-owners, including Rales and Ein, grew up as Washington football fans during that era, which included the glory days of three Super Bowl championships from 1982-91.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

FILE - RFK Stadium is visible from Air Force One as it takes off from Andrews Air Force Base, Md., Nov. 29, 2017. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)