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Sinking In Pacific: Disheartening 6-4 Loss To Ducks Drops Kraken To 7th In Division

Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images

Recent Kraken outcomes have fallen into predictable categories: victories against teams they can stand toe-to-toe with (Buffalo twice, Pittsburgh twice), hard-fought defeats to the league’s elite (Winnipeg, Washington, Edmonton), and the rare outlier (beating Los Angeles).

Tuesday at Climate Pledge Arena, the visiting Anaheim Ducks belonged in the “winnable” category. In fact, Seattle had beaten Anaheim in eight of their last nine meetings.

The Ducks apparently didn’t read the script, or they preferred to write one of their own. The visitors scored five goals on their first 14 shots, erasing two Seattle leads in the process, and held on for a 6-4 victory. Five different Ducks had multi-point games. The win vaults Anaheim over Seattle into 6th place in the Pacific Division.

Kraken goals were scored by Eeli Tolvanen (three-game goal streak), Mitchell Stephens, Jaden Schwartz and Shane Wright. Philipp Grubauer made one save to remember, and the rest of a night he’d like to forget – though most of the goals-against weren’t on him alone. The Kraken dropped the season series to the Ducks 2-1, including both games at home.

1st Period

The Lunar New Year, which began Jan. 29, in 2025 ushers in the Year of the Snake. The Kraken are devoting one of their “Common Threads” theme nights to the holiday. The Kraken “S” emblem at left was designed by local artist Shayla Hufana.

She says of the design, “They feature a good fortune palette of red/orange resembling the PNW garter snake, symbolizing fluidity, echoed by the ice blue wave under its tail, which parallels the Kraken team’s own agility.”

This being the second of a back-to-back including travel, Philipp Grubauer gives Joey Daccord the night off in the Seattle net. Grubauer’s evening gets off to a rough start, as Troy Terry is left all alone on the doorstep for a 1-0 Anaheim lead at 1:23.

Eeli Tolvanen gets it back for Seattle at 6:43. Brandon Montour circles the net, then feeds Tolvanen for a buzz bomb from the slot which leaves Ducks goalie Lukas Dostal helpless. His 14th ties the game 1-1.

In the KHN Screengrab at right, Montour (62, vertical arrow) has just passed to Tolvanen (horizontal arrow), who is winding up his shot as Shane Wright (51) provides a screen in front.

Mitchell Stephens (67), about to score his first Seattle Kraken goal. KHN Screengrab

A hard-working goal by Mitchell Stephens gives the Kraken a 2-1 lead at 8:20. Mitchell’s first as a Kraken happens because, coming out the near side from behind the net, he wards off Jansen Harkins’ check and sends a backhand which finds a hole between Dostal’s torso and right arm.

Since being called up from AHL Coachella Valley, Stephens is playing his 20th game with Seattle.

Cutter Gauthier converts his own rebound on a 2-on-1 to re-tie the game 2-2 at 11:59. Like the Ducks first goal, not Grubauer’s fault; he makes the initial save, but isn’t in position to stop Gauthier’s backhand follow when help doesn’t arrive in time.

No worries, because it’s soon Anaheim’s turn for a defensive breakdown.

Kappo Kakko, who’s proven deadly in open ice, feeds Jaden Schwartz who fires before Dostal can push from post to post. Schwartz’s 17th restores the Kraken lead 3-2 at 14:01. In the screengrab at right, Dostal has gotten a piece of Schwartz’s blast, but not enough.

Even with a combined five goals scored, the first period will be remembered for a sure goal that wasn’t scored, because of Grubauer’s incredible glove save. On a Ducks power play, Grubauer is scrambling when Trevor Zegras takes a cross-ice pass and fired into what looks like a yawning net. Out of nowhere, Grubauer with full extension flashes out the glove just in time.

“Sarge, we have a report of Glove-Hand Robbery by one P. Grubauer.” KHN Screengrab

Here’s how remarkable that save was: the Kraken nearest to the goalie, Ryker Evans and Adam Larsson, head to Grubauer to pay their respects. When players change before the faceoff, the new arrivals all have stick taps for Grubauer.

2nd Period

In addition to honoring Lunar New Year, this is also the second of a two-game Kraken “Mom’s Trip” which included Monday’s game in Edmonton. Many of the players’ moms and significant parental influences are in attendance at CPA.

At right, courtesy of Kraken social media, that’s defenseman Jamie Oleksiak alongside his mom, Alison. In the dressing room before the game, Schwartz’s mom Carol read the starting lineup.

Thanks to Grubauer’s glove, the Kraken killed the minor to Josh Mahura. But 57 seconds remain on Jared McCann’s hook taken at the tail end of the 1st. The Kraken killed it. Thus ends the positive news for the home team in an otherwise disastrous 2nd period.

Remember how Zegras took a pass and fired from the right wing circle, only to be robbed by Grubauer? Well, Anaheim got even, and more, by sticking with the same formula. Mason McTavish took a pass in the right wing circle, shot, and tied the game 3-3 at 1:04. Robby Fabbri took a pass in the right wing circle, shot, and put the Ducks ahead 4-3 at 5:39.

Just for a change, Jackson LaCombe fires down the slot. Possibly deflected off a Kraken stick, possibly not, either way Grubauer’s glove isn’t up to the challenge at 7:58. Anaheim scores three goals in seven minutes – they only had six SOG in the entire stanza – to take a 5-3 lead after 40.

3rd Period

On the second Kraken power play of the period, Shane Wright brings the home team within 5-4 at 6:15. Of Wright’s nine goals, a team-leading six have come with the extra man. Jared McCann took the original shot, kick-saved into the slot by Dostal, where Wright was ready to pocket the change.

A Frank Vatrano empty-netter finalized the 6-4 defeat.

Up Next

Seattle’s five game homestand heading into the 4 Nations NHL Tournament break continues Thursday. The opponent is the San Jose Sharks, and because the game is being televised by ESPN, starting time at CPA is 7:30 pm, 30 minutes later than usual for weekday games.

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