While an atmospheric river continues to pound the Pacific Northwest, Seattle Kraken fans can take solace in the fact that Losing Streak Camille (that’s what we began calling it on the latest Sound Of Hockey Podcast episode) has finally ended.
The Kraken rallied back in dramatic fashion on Wednesday, tying the Los Angeles Kings 2-2 on a Matty Beniers redirection with 26 seconds remaining in the third, then getting an overtime power-play goal from Vince Dunn to end a six-game skid that started with a 1-0 shootout loss at the New York Islanders on Nov. 23.
“I thought it was awesome, just the fight from our group,” Joey Daccord said. “We’ve competed so hard these last couple weeks, and it just hasn’t gone our way.”
Here are Three Takeaways from a thrilling 3-2 Kraken comeback win over the Kings.
Takeaway #1: Late-game heroics
The Kraken penalty kill has definitely gotten better now that the team has switched from the wedge plus one to a diamond formation, which seems to have eliminated the ever-present too-easy seam pass. The PK did allow one off a rush on Wednesday, though, and it came at a bad time with the game tied and five minutes remaining in the third period.
Ryker Evans took a four-minute double-minor for high sticking Corey Perry, and Anze Kopitar quickly sent Kevin Fiala on a partial breakaway, on which Fiala converted for what felt like the winning goal at the time.
But the Kraken didn’t give up. Back on the power play themselves and with Daccord off for an extra skater, Eeli Tolvanen sent a shot-pass toward the top of the crease that Matty Beniers redirected into the top corner.
MATTY MAGIC! 🚨
— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) December 11, 2025
Let's play overtime! #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/5ymp7xZpnG
“Matty’s goal, there, there’s not much to it,” Dunn said. “It’s throwing the puck where guys are going to the net, and eventually it’s going to go in for us.”
Beniers then cut hard to the net in the overtime period and drew a penalty on Adrian Kempe, which gave Seattle its seventh power play of the game. Tolvanen contributed again, laying a perfect pass into Dunn’s wheelhouse.
HE DUNN DID IT! 🚨
— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) December 11, 2025
JUST WHEN YOU THOUGHT YOU WERE OUT, THEY PULL YOU… BACK IN!
Beniers ties the game with 26 seconds left, then draws a penalty. On the ensuing power play, Vince Dunn wins it with a bomb.
Losing Streak Camille has ended. #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/Nu3tWdz6Yi
“It’s not anything special drawn up,” Dunn said. “It’s just taking the shot that’s there and hoping good things happen.”
The game-winning goal was Dunn’s third point of the game and Tolvanen’s second assist in just over two minutes between the third period and OT.
Takeaway #2: Jared McCann scores, gets hurt again
Jared McCann, who recently returned from a 17-game absence due to a lower-body injury, looked like vintage Jared McCann in this game and scored a power-play banger (all three goals came on the power play for the Kraken, which also gave up a short-handed goal seconds after it failed to convert on a 5-on-3, but that’s neither here nor here) to open the scoring at 3:21 of the second period.
MCCANN CAN! 🚨
— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) December 11, 2025
Great setup, and a vintage Jared McCann finish for the power-play goal.
1-0 #SeaKraken. pic.twitter.com/C5joHBws3u
But the play that put Seattle onto a 6-on-4 power play and led to the late tying goal also sent McCann to the locker room with what looked like another bad lower-body injury.
Goalie Anton Forsberg got caught behind the net and went scrambling to get back in his crease. When he did, his right pad tangled with McCann’s left leg and took the Kraken’s best scorer down in an awkward way.
As Seattle headed to the all-important manpower advantage on the ice, McCann was helped down the tunnel and not putting much weight on his left leg.
After McCann’s mysterious lower-body injury dragged on for much of the beginning of the season, and as Jaden Schwartz, Berkly Catton, Matt Murray, and Tye Kartye (illness) all try to work their way back from various ailments, seeing McCann go down was the last thing the Kraken wanted.
Lane Lambert did not have an update after the game.
Takeaway #3: The Kraken needed that win
During the losing streak, the Kraken genuinely played some very good games—except for the two against the Edmonton Oilers, who steamrolled them twice. They had a chance to win every other game of the stretch but found different ways to lose those.
“We’ve had some losses here, some tough losses at home, where we’ve played well,” Lambert said. “We were playing well again tonight, and I’m just happy for our players that they finally got rewarded for it, because they’ve been working.”
With the win, the Kraken stopped the bleeding in the standings, at least for now. They had quickly plummeted from second place all the way down to sixth in the Pacific Division and appeared to be headed for tank. While they remain firmly outside the bubble, they’re still just two points out with games in hand on everybody.
Now, if they want to remain competitive in the coming months, they need to use this miraculous victory as a jumping-off point to start rebuilding their belief in themselves.
Whether or not that happens remains to be seen, and McCann exiting once again makes things even harder. But at least Losing Streak Camille is a thing of the past.
Good/fortunate result for one game, but here is the larger view from Canada.
From the Real Kyper and Bourne Dec. 8 show at time index 1:25:24
Kyper: “Seattle’s falling off, they stink” (Sammy: “they always stink”), “oh my God they’re no good.”
Bourne: “The Kraken, since their inception, nailed the logo and jersey and vibe and then they went out and got no one of interest” (Sammy: “no one”).
Who do you think they should get “of interest,” and how do they get them? Those geniuses don’t discuss that, do they. No, they don’t.
Those guys are idiots.
It was nice to see the boys gut one out tonight on national TV. Grinding out games is the only way they’ll be able to climb back into the playoff picture. They’ve been hurt more than usual this year with injuries.
This is a personal opinion, but it is mainstream in the wider hockey community. It is an established opinion based on publicly available verifiable facts. What evidence did you lack in this case?
The consensus based on five years of results, team and player statistics, advanced analytics, visual perception of the game, the quality of the staff hired, the dynamics of development, and the overall information environment surrounding the team is unequivocal in its conclusion that the Kraken has not built a quality product. You can object it?
These are the guys who work as sports journalists, they have the opportunity to watch all the teams play, interact with colleagues across the league, talk to insiders, compare and draw conclusions. They voice their opinions to millions, and if those opinions were completely inadequate or unpopular, it would undermine their reputation and directly affect their employment – so despite their chatter, they have skin in the game.
This is the opinion of virtually all more or less authoritative hockey observers in North America, Germany, and Russia, probably everywhere else. That also my opinion as a person who watched every Kraken game since 2021. And opinion of vast majority of really involved fans, except probably you and Darren.
I think Sean McIndoe at the Athletic had an excellent take on the Kraken in his weekly power rankings this Monday. It speaks directly to your point Denis.
Everybody says so?
What did everybody have to say about Utah going into the year? Is Chris Johnston’s reputation now in tatters because a month into the season he declared them “arrived” only to watch them lose 13 of their next 18? Remember when everybody said Nashville “won” the offseason? It shouldn’t be surprising to learn that sometimes the consensus gets it wrong.
I don’t think anybody is saying the Kraken are world beaters, but I think there’s plenty of room to disagree with the idea that they’re dogshit because the consensus of a sports media that pays them no mind says so? To me, “everybody says so” isn’t convincing just because you make it wordy.
Exciting win!
Go Kraken!!!
Daryl,
Don’t read into what I haven’t said. Or, maybe, you’re losing the idea. Obviously, it’s not about remembering who said what and when and substituting that for your own judgment.
The first fact is that Kraken is a poor sports product that puts on a poor show. Today, this is an axiom based on mutually corroborating facts and analytics, not a private opinion. Is it worth proving this for the hundredth time from scratch? Today’s game is not an exciting win by any means or probably you didn’t see it.
The second fact is that the general public perceives Kraken as a bad sports product that puts on a bad show. Sometimes unjustifiably optimistic, sometimes overly harsh, but overall the consensus is clear. No one except Kraken fans will turn on a Kraken game just for the sake of it.
Regarding your facts:
1) If a tie game in the last 30 seconds followed by a win in OT isn’t exciting, what would qualify exactly? While I agree the quality of hockey overall wasn’t particularly high for either team, the game itself had exciting elements.
2) Daryl’s point is that the media pays zero attention to the Kraken, so their opinion just reinforces itself. Yes, that is partly due to the fact that they’ve mostly been bad for their first 5 years, but even if they were good or playing well, the media probably wouldn’t notice. Like when they won 10ish games in a row and took down the unbeatable Bruins in year 2, there was barely a mention of it. There is a very strong anchoring bias and echo chamber when it comes to national hockey media. I’m not saying they’re wrong in this case, I’m saying it’s not worth paying attention to them regardless, because they pay very little if any attention to the team.
3) How many hockey fans turn on games for other teams, especially during the regular season? How many baseball fans do that? I’d venture very, very few. Football is the only sport where that happens, and that’s mainly due to pervasive gambling and fantasy.
Boist – I’d also add that the number of football games in a year make it far more reasonable for people to tune into teams that they aren’t expressed fans of. Committing to 82 hockey games for 1 team is a tall ask, let alone 82 for all the others, and this is before you consider the start time and time zone differences. Regardless, I think the main point of contention within these forums isn’t whether or not the Kraken are a “good” team, but rather how much hope we can reasonably have for the future and the best path to get there.
But regardless, if you can’t watch last night’s game and come away with the impression that it was an exciting, then you need to have your pulse checked.
Don’t read into what I haven’t said. Fair enough, but when you try and establish the “quality” of a team (a subjective measure) as fact because of a perceived broad based public opinion… it seems to me you’re playing pretty loose with “what the facts are”.
Here’s an actual fact. The Kraken are in Wildcard No. 1 by points percentage. That is a fact.
I did, of course, see last night’s game and yes, I thought it was an exciting game. Three lead changes, two ties and a one goal game throughout. A last minute equalizer to push the game to overtime and a home win. Exciting? Yes! but probably you didn’t see it.
Darn you and your facts!
Daryl,
Again, with all due respect, you have completely missed the point of the dialogue. The discussion has been reduced to debating minor details that you yourself have invented.
Kraken is a bad team that plays poorly and uninterestingly. Even if it wins, even if it makes the playoffs. It’s all a mirage that will dissipate, because there is no top-level foundation beneath it.
Opinions may differ, but honestly, in this case, I can’t imagine a sighted person with access to the internet who would reasonably think otherwise.
1. Playing five on three, they couldn’t make three accurate passes in a row, lost the puck at the entrance, didn’t cover the zone, and didn’t create any significant scoring chances. A minute later, already at 5 on 4, two of our players collided with each other at the blue line when entering the zone, lost the puck, and ended up conceding a goal on the power play. Was I the only one who saw that?
2. We conceded again while shorthanded. Are you aware that our PK% this season is the lowest of any team in the league over the past five years?
3. Zero 5-on-5 conversion. Again.
The fact that they finally won shoud be a desirable toping on a main dish ie great playing. Without it it’s just one of of the probability outcomes
Although… I’m sure Buffalo also has fans who think everything is going according to plan and eagerly defend it on forums.
Howdy Lawrence.
Chuck Holmes shared that video on here last week. I actually agree with a lot of what that guy has to say, but I also think he misses on a couple fairly significant points.
The expansion draft is one thing I think is greatly mischaracterized. Nine of the players taken in the expansion draft were traded for 13 picks within eight months. Unfortunately, that is way, way beyond the media’s attention span. Francis didn’t draft a “win now” team, he drafted a tradeable team.
“Fire the entire development staff.” First, I get that fans and pundits are quick to “know better”, but this proclamation is the height of temerity for a cashews and cigarettes guy. Not only does he not have an accurate take on Shane Wright’s development, he seems to completely overlook the fact the Kraken have iced eight of their drafted players from four drafts. That a significant number. That Matty Beniers and Wright haven’t turned into “elite” pivots is hardly a clear cut case of mismanagement. Additionally, he questions the idea of drafting Jake O’Brien because he’s a center? Elliot Friedman had a nice take on this when he was asked about it. Basically, “are you out of your mind? You take O’Brien.” A good example is the Devils taking Simon Nemec rather than Logan Cooley or Wright because they were “set down the middle”. Oops.
As I said, that guy has a lot of good points and management is far, far from beyond reproach (Grubauer), but I think a few of the points he leans into are a bit “dubious”.
Again Lawrence, welcome.
Daryl W,
Apologist
I think the developmental concerns are largely overblown and also ignorant of a typical development path for youngsters in the NHL. In fact, the chatter around Matty/Shane reminds me a lot of the chatter around Mackinnon during his first 4 years – a not-insignificant portion of the fandom and front office were tossing around the idea of trading him. How stupid would that have been! If it took Mackinnon 5 years to break out into his own, then I think pulling the cord on our development staff 4 years into Mattys career and 1.25 into Shane’s is shortsighted silliness from people who just want to be mad about something on the internet.
And just to be clear – I’m not saying that Matty or Shane will become the next Mackinnon, but I do think the best is very much yet to come for them both.
Wow, that’s more than just a little cherry picking on facts. Though it is a fact.
Here’s another one, they have the second lowest total of wins in the NHL by only 1.
I don’t want to go into the data science of your fact but it’s probably due to a statistical anomaly.
“My name is Mad King Donald, and The Seattle Kraken are the WORST hockey franchise in the WORLD. Literally EVERYONE knows and agrees with me, even people in Germany! I’ve watched all the games!”
HAHAHAHAHAHA! You are a peach.
Seattle G,
If that is the conclusion you have drawn from what has been written, then you have serious gaps in your logic and understanding of other’s position.
These are extremely important skills if you want to be taken seriously anywhere outside of an anonymous forum.
No need to thank me, take care.
You just keep getting funnier!! Keep it up, Denis! You’re hilarious.
I’m suspecting Denis is a Montreal schill who is just upset The Habs didn’t take Shane Wright, and now they have no one down the middle after Suzuki…and The Kraken have an embarrassment of riches at the center position. But according to you, no one IN THE WORLD will ever value Seattle’s center depth.
I found this forum accidentally and really watched a lot of hockey. I got into Seattle because I live in SEATTLE part-time and I just love hockey, but this team is just so interesting to me.
That second year was probably the worst thing that could’ve happened to this team because it just feels like ownership not sure management felt the way with ownership thought after that second year there’s no reason we can’t be in the playoffs again every season and it was just unrealistic that team just played almost everybody had career high and it was still the team that is the Spider-Man meme where everybody’s the same, but they all had career years.
And obviously that hasn’t proven out since then and then everybody says play the kids why not but who even knows if those guys are any good but you gotta do what you gotta do.
here is a YouTube video I found like last week.This person explains the KRAKEN so perfectly it’s scary.
All this said I think at the end of the day I don’t know maybe because I’ve gotten out of my 30s and it’s like I love sports but I don’t think it’s so serious like I used to. The greatest gift I ever got was like following hockey and watching like every team versus just really concentrate on one. I think that’s where people get a lot of rose colored glasses but again does it really matter it’s entertainment at the end of the day. I’m happy I found this form and I hope everybody has a great week.
https://youtu.be/6-pwoRce4kE?si=ACDLbpILjDYTk09D
The “mainstream” hockey media is almost entirely on the east coast. So the majority of Seattle’s games start after 10pm and end after midnight for them. They don’t watch Seattle’s games and only the decent ones admit it. At best, they watch the 5-minute recap videos and then regurgitate what each other says or yammer about numbers from a “model” that was built before the team even existed.
I’m not saying they’re 100% wrong but they’re also not exactly experts.
Does anyone really think if the media watched the Kraken more their opinion would improve?
Seriously this debate really comes down to its unfair that the uninformed media think we’re really shitty when we’re really only mostly shitty.
Okay this is really funny.
Denis, I do agree with part of what you say, randomly no one is going to turn on the tv to watch the Kraken play. That’s because they are new and they just haven’t found their identity yet. Yes, we’ll all admit it’s been a struggle and no, we aren’t super happy about it. BUT, we are fans , probably mostly because we live in Seattle. Denis there is nothing wrong with that and fans aren’t generally going to sit on the harsh side of your opinion. So just let us be. Just because we don’t put a lot of value into some podcasters opinions, that’s okay. We’re here watching them every day, investing in the team. Podcasters take a peek occasionally when they need something exciting to talk about. They really only benefit when there is some sort of controversary.
@deepest34a2f6030d
I do think someone who is not local but actually watches the Kraken is Thomas Drance at the Athletic and his opinion is consistently more positive – though still very reserved – on the Kraken.
After a few rough outings I can understand how some folks are ready to write the team off. Personally, I think in spite of an extraordinarily anemic offense, they’re still in a playoff spot and well positioned to take advantage of improvements on the horrendous PK and their overall lack of scoring. If you’re skeptical you think their record will revert to the mean and if you’re optimistic you think the offense will… and the PK as well.
As an apologist, I’m going optimist.
Go Kraken!!!
That might be the most relaxed fun I have had at a Kraken game in three years. You just accept they aren’t that good, and then you get to enjoy a hockey game.
Now I feel bad for people who think this team should be going to the playoffs sometime in the next 2-3 seasons. You’re missing out. If you can’t enjoy some Marchment-Benny-Hill hilarity, you should re-assess your life priorities.
That slipped on a banana peel fall in the middle of the d-zone was gold. Especially since he was nowhere near the puck (or anyone else) and it thankfully didn’t impact play. His poke check on Brandon Montour that led to the shorty was less humorous.
I hate the 7:30 starts, though, and confess that I left after the second LA goal. I forgot my jacket last night, was a total popsicle by that point and somewhat worried about flooded roads on my way home.
On a more serious note, I’m sick and tired of all this “failed franchise” and “they need to blow it up and start over again” shit. As Alison pointed out a few weeks ago, Seattle is the third-fastest expansion team to 150 wins. Though maybe all those Mariner games I watched from the Kingdome’s left-field bleachers in the early 80’s just gives me a better perspective.
Good point about those Debbie Downers that basically think this is the worse franchise in year 5 in NHL history.
Go Kraken!!!
What is the point of that stat?
It’s the kind of stat you get from a know nothing ex business consultant pretending to be a hockey expert.
That’s like bragging about owning the world’s 3rd fastest turtle.
There’s a difference between bragging and saying “we aren’t complete shit.” That stat was in service to the latter, as clearly stated by the comment you were responding to.
You think turtles are a lot faster than I do.
On the broadcast, right after the game, Jennifer Botterill pointed out all three Kraken scores came off pre-shot lateral puck play. More of that please.
Besides this they just propped up some stats on goals during PP.
My stray observations from last night:
1) Joey beat twice by backhand shots. As a skater I loved my backhand shot but I’ve never played net, nor at a high level. Any goalies able to help me understand more of the science on the backhand from the defense perspective? It felt watching it Joey was behind in trailing in case the shooter pulled the puck back to forehand but maybe my memory is soggy from college soda’s.
2) How many more opportunities is Marchment going to receive? It seemed like his fumble on a puck is what helped to create the Kings first goal. I remember Jamie Huscroft telling me once there are two types of players, those who are good with the puck on their stick, and those who are better without the puck. At this point of his Kraken experience it feels like Marchment falls in the latter. I really don’t want to see him handle the puck too much.
3) Still not a fan of how he’s played the last couple of years but Oleksiak passed the eye test for me last night.
That gives Marchment too much credit. He’s lousy away from the puck, as well. He used to be a lot faster and a decent player, but his play has clearly fallen off a cliff all around. But they want to keep playing him in the hopes that he rebounds and they can recoup some value in a trade at the deadline, as he’s a pending UFA. At some point, though, they need to just accept that he’s a sunk cost.
I should add — with McCann, Catton and Schwartz all hurt, they don’t really have anyone else to play, anyway.
And if Meyers hadn’t made it up for last night, they would have had only 11 forwards with Kartye out sick (which let’s hope is not something contagious or else it will also probably knock out some combination of Winterton, Evans and/or Wright as they seem to function as a pack).
I wonder how much of Marchment’s 20 goals last year were generated by playing with more dynamic players. poor to average player unless he has Robertston and Hintz to play with. Ditto with Geekie. He probably gets a 20+ point jump just by playing with Pasta.
There is only one way for Seattle to make the playoffs this year; They need to acquire Cory Perry! He has made the finals for various teams 5 out of the last 6 years! I mean, what have they got to lose! If you’re superstitious and worried about those 3rd jerseys – fear no more! Get COREY FUCKING PERRY! He’ll shake things up! Maybe we can trade him for Marchment? They are both wingers so why not! (ps. this post = satire)
If Seattle wins in Utah, do they extend the dad’s trip? On the flip side, if they lose in Utah, does it mean the Kings moms were the good luck charm last night?
There’s only one way to interpret that… the moms are the good luck charm!
The McCann injury was so heartbreaking that it made it difficult to enjoy the tie and win (although I’m sure it was awesome for those who were at the game). It looked really bad. I’d be surprised if we see him again before the end of the season. He’s the team’s best player, or at least best forward, and it’s not close. That dude has just gotten no luck and he has always shown maximum effort in every game he plays, even at times in previous seasons when it seemed like a lot of the team was phoning it in.
I’m holding out hope on McCann for a couple of reasons: 1) he’s a total diver, so it’s never easy with him to gauge how bad anything is when he’s down on the ice. 2) the body part he appeared to be clutching while down on the ice was not his lower leg where he’d made contact with Forsberg, but higher up in a sensitive area that appeared to come into contact with a stick blade just as he was going down.
But if it was just the sensitive area hurt, he wouldn’t need help just getting down the tunnel. I’m guessing he’s out for weeks if not months.
Yeah if he is out again for a long period of time it will be a total unfortunate shame. McCann is currently the only true natural goal scorer on the team.
You want to talk about diving, how about Stephenson on that tripping call earlier in the game? Yikes.
I agree. That one-timer he scored was as satisfying as it was heartbreaking when he was injured shortly thereafter. He is the team’s best player and I believe he’s the best Kraken ever. He always gives his all and he has actual talent. That injury didn’t look good. I’m hoping he’ll be back before the end of the season, but this team is doomed without him.
Assuming it was actually shot today, McCann is in the video the team posted on social media of everyone at the airport heading to Utah. So he appears to at least be making the trip to SLC.
There’s a lot to like about how this team plays in close games. They are actually good at scoring with the goalie pulled!
It is indeed kind of amazing how they’ve managed to hold onto some of last year’s comeback ability despite the overall offensive anemia.
Womp womp…McCann out 3 weeks, so not worst-case scenario, but not good.
Lambert also mentioned illness and that it may be a 7d night. Matty Beniers does not seem to be in the photo the team posted on social media this morning…