Kraken lose on back-to-back days as Chris Driedger struggles to hold off Rangers

NEW YORK — Jordan Eberle and Jared McCann each had a goal and an assist as the Kraken fell, 5-2 on Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden. Seattle goaltender Chris Driedger’s second outing of the season was much bumpier than his first, to the tune of 18 saves on 22 shots.The Kraken have one game left in a season-high, six-game road trip. They’ve gone 3-2-0, having dropped two straight after a record-setting, nine-game win streak. Once again they played without forwards Matty Beniers (upper body, injured reserve) and Andre Burakovsky (undisclosed, day-to-day), plus top defenseman Vince Dunn (undisclosed, day-to-day).New York scored twice late in the second period to open up a three-goal lead and seal the victory.On his bobblehead night at Madison Square Garden, Artemi Panarin took his sweet time tracing the boards in the offensive zone, buying Vincent Trocheck time to sneak in unmarked for the tap-in. It was a power-play goal.During Seattle’s man advantage later in the first period, Oliver Bjorkstrand knocked down a Rangers pass attempt in the neutral zone. He fed McCann, who hit trailing Eberle. Eberle sent his sixth goal of the season into the bottom left corner of the Rangers’ net.That tie lasted 28 seconds. Will Borgen didn’t get enough mustard on a clearing attempt, sending it straight to Rangers defenseman Erik Gustafsson. Driedger had a clear view as Gustafsson settled the puck and wound up, but didn’t stop his rising shot from getting between his elbow and stick shaft.Driedger made his return to the NHL after a season-and-a-half-long layoff following ACL surgery on Dec. 27, making 37 saves in a 2-1 Kraken win at Calgary. Joey Daccord had been in net every game since, until Driedger took the second half of a back-to-back Tuesday. The Kraken fell 3-0 in Pittsburgh on Monday afternoon.Driedger stretched out to stop New York’s Mika Zibanejad on a clean breakaway late in the third period. The Rangers tacked on an empty-netter.