As a kid, I went to a lot of Oakland A’s games with my dad. We had season tickets, and barring school or a baseball game of my own, I would go to the ballpark. Depending on the score, we would often leave after the seventh inning to beat traffic. Leaving early was normal for me.
Fast forward a few years to high school, when I went to an A’s game with about eight friends. The A’s managed to score five runs in the final two innings to stage an epic comeback. It was an exhilarating win for everyone who stayed until the end, but unfortunately, I had convinced my friends to leave after the seventh inning.
Ever since that day, I’ve made a rule for myself: never leave a sporting event early because you never know what you might miss. I apply the same logic to watching games on TV. So, when the Kraken were down by three goals with under five minutes remaining in regulation against the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday, I kept watching just in case we witnessed something incredible. As luck would have it, we were rewarded with the biggest comeback in Seattle Kraken history. It’s a game I’ll never forget, and for that, I’m grateful I didn’t turn off the TV.
I firmly believe there’s no right or wrong way to be a fan. If you need to turn a game off or leave early, that’s entirely your choice, and I won’t judge. But if you do, you might miss something unforgettable.
No quit for the Seattle Kraken
Before the Kraken’s epic comeback win in Vancouver, they had lost five straight games. But as we’ve seen time and again, this team doesn’t quit. Saturday marked Seattle’s sixth comeback win after being down by two or more goals—more than they managed in the previous three seasons combined. Even during their losing streak, the Kraken continued to battle and work to get back into games.
I’m not trying to sugarcoat what’s been a challenging season, but moments like Saturday’s comeback are a big reason I still love watching this team.
The long odds
It’s no secret that the Kraken are a long shot to make the playoffs. But much like watching Saturday’s game, there’s always a chance they could defy the odds and create some magic. Money Puck currently gives the Kraken a five percent chance of making the playoffs, but the odds of them winning that game on Saturday were even slimmer.
The 2018-19 St. Louis Blues are the ultimate example of how anything is possible. They proved that a season can turn around in remarkable fashion. Here’s a look at the standings on Dec. 31 over the past eight comparable seasons (excluding 2019-20 and 2020-21 due to COVID impacts).
Seven of the last nine comparable seasons featured at least one team ranked 12th or lower in their conference on Dec. 31 that went on to make the playoffs. While the odds remain long, several teams in the Kraken’s position have managed to reach the postseason before.
Other musings
- Saturday’s comeback win marked the first time in franchise history that the Kraken overcame a three-goal deficit. Before this, they had lost all 82 games in which they trailed by three goals.
- Saturday was the 22nd time this season the Kraken allowed the first goal of the game, ranking fourth in the league. Their win percentage when trailing first is .318, compared to .600 when they score first.
- Although they didn’t score on Saturday, the Shane Wright, Oliver Bjorkstrand, and Eeli Tolvanen line continues to perform well. Bjorkstrand assisted on the game-tying goal with 50 seconds left in regulation, but he was the only member of the line on the ice when Jaden Schwartz found the equalizer.
- Speaking of Jaden Schwartz, he might be one of the most underrated players in franchise history. His two goals on Saturday moved him into third place in goals scored in the Kraken’s brief history.
- After the Kraken scored two goals with their goalie pulled on Saturday, I hope more people understand the strategy behind pulling the goalie when trailing. It’s a matter of math: there are points in a game where pulling the goalie gives you a better (albeit slim) chance to win. That chance is even slimmer if you leave the goalie in.
- It’s been a while, but I loved Yanni Gourde’s comments during his intermission interview. I often get frustrated by the lack of honesty in player and coach interviews, so it’s refreshing when someone tells it like it is.
Candidate for intermission interview of the season right here from @PiperShawTV
Also Yanni Gourde is a real one. Ton of time for this guy.
— Dave McCarthy (@DaveAMcCarthy) December 20, 2024
- The interview also reminded me how crushed I’ll feel when Yanni eventually leaves the Kraken.
- It’s way too early, but I love the idea of Kaapo Kakko developing long-term chemistry with Matty Beniers. Like I said, it’s early, but it’s an exciting thought.
- Despite how tough December has felt, the Kraken still managed to earn 50 percent of the points available, with a 5-6-2 record. A win Monday would push them over .500 for the month.
- I still enjoy watching the Winter Classic. This year’s game, taking place Tuesday on New Year’s Eve, features the Chicago Blackhawks and St. Louis Blues at Wrigley Field.
- The World Juniors have been a blast to watch, especially with so many Seattle Kraken prospects participating. Four out of the 10 teams in the tournament have at least one Kraken prospect.
- Carson Rehkopf made his World Juniors debut against Germany, logging fewer than eight minutes of ice time.
Goal of the week
Speaking of the World Juniors, check out Eduard Šalé’s snipe from Czechia’s game against Slovakia.
Eduard Sale rifles one home to give Czechia a 4-1 lead.#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/TDKgqsi9nl
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) December 30, 2024
That was Šalé’s second goal of the game. He now has three goals and two assists in Czechia’s first three games.
You don’t see that every day
Also, here is Seattle Kraken prospect Caden Price’s bank shot goal at World Juniors.
The @Kelowna_Rockets' Caden Price (#SeaKraken) with a big insurance goal for 🇨🇦! #WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/iQvv2JmGmS
— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) December 30, 2024
Players of the week
Jakub Fibigr (CZE/SEA) – We’ve talked about Fibigr, an under-the-radar prospect for Seattle, before. But he continues to impress this season and has five assists in Czechia’s first three games at the World Juniors.
Jaden Schwartz (SEA) – Both of Schwartz’s goals were pivotal in the Kraken’s comeback win against the Canucks. The first sparked hope, and the second sent the game to overtime.
Kirill Marchenko (CBJ) – I’m not sure why, but I’ve watched a lot of Columbus Blue Jackets games this season, and Marchenko has been a joy to watch. He has three goals and four assists in his last four games. The Kraken visit Columbus next week.
The week ahead
Every game is crucial from here on out as the Kraken welcome three Western Conference teams to Climate Pledge Arena.
The first game is Monday against the Utah Hockey Club. This will be the first-ever matchup between the two teams, and it’s an important game for both sides. Utah is ranked higher than Seattle in the standings but is still battling to get into a wild card spot. Utah has lost its last two games but is 6-2-2 over its last 10.
I watched a lot of Utah HC’s games earlier this season and was convinced they were one of the stronger teams in the conference. Watching Clayton Keller, Logan Cooley, and Dylan Guenther move the puck around is entertaining, but I’m hoping we don’t see much of that Monday. Utah has been deadly on the power play, converting 33 percent of its opportunities over the last 10 games.
On Thursday night, the Vancouver Canucks return to Seattle, undoubtedly looking for redemption after Saturday’s epic collapse. The Canucks will be without Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes for this game, which could give the Kraken a significant advantage. Vancouver currently holds the last wild card spot, making this a prime opportunity for Seattle to gain ground with a regulation win.
Finally, the Kraken will host the Edmonton Oilers for the first time this season. After a slow start, the Oilers have been one of the best teams in the league since Nov. 1 and hold a 6-3-1 record against the Kraken at Climate Pledge Arena all time. Like the game against Utah, avoiding penalties will be critical, as Edmonton has converted nearly 35 percent of their power-play opportunities over the last 10 games.