All good things must end, and all signs were pointing toward the Seattle Kraken nine-game win streak and 13-game point streak ending Monday in Pittsburgh when they took on the Penguins at a strange early-afternoon start time. Sure enough, the shorthanded (and apparently sick) Kraken lacked their usual jump and fell 3-0 to Sidney Crosby and his mates. 

Author’s Note: I have limited time to write this, so this will be a shorter Three Takeaways than usual, but here you go! 

Here are our Three Takeaways from a 3-0 Kraken loss to the Penguins. 

Takeaway #1: Injury/illness bug biting hard

Before the game, coach Dave Hakstol was even more cagey than usual about his lineup but indicated there would be personnel challenges Monday after Matty Beniers and Andre Burakovsky left early Saturday in Columbus. 

So, we had a sense that those two wouldn’t go, but we didn’t expect Vince Dunn to also be missing from pre-game warmups. Once Adam Larsson left the game in the first period after just 4:01 of ice time, you knew the streaking club was facing a major uphill battle the rest of the way. 

The Penguins came out looking fresher than Seattle in the second period and connected for two goals, one off a 2-on-1 rush between Bryan Rust and Drew O’Connor, and a second off a one-time snipe by Crosby. 

Lacking their usual zest, the Kraken limped through the rest of the game, trying to muster up some offensive push. Although they hit the crossbar twice, they just couldn’t sustain enough pressure to overcome Pittsburgh and get pucks past Tristan Jarry, who made 22 saves in the shutout.

“We just didn’t have the same jump and energy,” Jaden Schwartz said. “When you’re missing key pieces of your team, it’s tough… We’ll be better tomorrow.”

After the game, Hakstol reiterated that several players were under the weather and that Larsson’s early exit was because of illness. We’re still unclear on if Beniers, Burakovsky, and Dunn missed the game because of illness or injury, but Hakstol said all three are day to day. 

Takeaway #2: Crosby is still really good

This Penguins club, aging as it is, is still a strong group that is dangerous offensively. They’re unsurprisingly led by their veteran captain, Crosby, who is having a near-MVP-caliber season with a whopping 26 goals and 20 assists in 42 games at 36 years old.

Crosby’s goal (one of two on the afternoon) in the second period was another reminder of the unique skill he possesses to shoot from seemingly any angle accurately and with power. In this case, he received a pass from behind him, and in one fell swoop, dropped to a knee and rifled it against the grain behind Joey Daccord. 

Uh oh. 2-0 Penguins after a snipe by Sidney Crosby.

Daccord was complaining about contact with Guentzel in front, but no challenge from the Kraken. pic.twitter.com/eXj1pAPVkD

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) January 15, 2024

Daccord thought he may have been interfered with by Jake Guentzel, but nothing doing there, and there was no challenge from Hakstol.

Takeaway #3: What a run

What a fun streak this was. The Kraken went from dead in the water and their fans and media thinking the season was over, to getting on the best streak in their three-year history and launching themselves right back into the playoff conversation. 

Seattle turned things around with a stretch of elite, all-world goaltending from Daccord, good defensive structure, and timely, depth scoring. 

Now, to get things back on the rails starting Tuesday in New York, the Kraken will likely need some reinforcements from Coachella Valley and some quick recoveries from the guys that are ailing.