Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened. The Seattle Kraken’s remarkable point streak that took them from last place to third in the Pacific Division has ended at 10 games (8-0-2). The Kraken grabbed a 2-1 lead in the third period Saturday, but the relentless Carolina Hurricanes pushed back to tie the game and ultimately take a 3-2 regulation win.

While the Kraken got caved in in terms of possession and shot volume, they hung right in and gave themselves a good chance to win this contest. But the class of one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference shone through, and the Canes came out victorious.

Here are Three Takeaways from a 3-2 Kraken loss to the Hurricanes.

Takeaway 1: They had it

The flow of this game felt a lot like the 5-3 loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Dec. 16, though the Kraken spent much more of that game on their toes than they did in this one. Facing another elite team Saturday, Seattle took a third-period lead and appeared to be heading toward an unlikely win. But top teams are never out of games—especially when you only have a one-goal lead—and as was the case against Colorado, Carolina turned on the jets late in the third period and simply refused to lose.

The tying goal, scored by Jordan Martinook at 10:37 of the third period, didn’t involve an obvious mistake by any Kraken players. Jordan Staal delayed behind the net, which lured Matty Beniers to him, then snuck his pass between the legs of Adam Larsson onto Martinook’s stick in the slot. Because Beniers had tried to flush Staal out from behind the net, he wasn’t able to get back to the top of the crease in time to take Martinook’s stick away.

Jordan Martinook ties it. Looked like the #SeaKraken had it covered, but Staal snuck it through Larsson.

2-2 pic.twitter.com/bMKRcyXK2O

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) January 11, 2026

The winning goal, which came three minutes later at 13:50, was more the result of a Kraken mistake. Cale Fleury—who, by the way, has been awesome in his extended stint filling in for Brandon Montour—tried to chip the puck off the glass to create an offensive rush. But Seth Jarvis stepped up and gloved down the clearing attempt in the neutral zone, and the Hurricanes transitioned quickly. As they closed in on Joey Daccord, Ryan Lindgren shoved William Carrier into Daccord—enough contact to disrupt the netminder, but not self-inflicted enough to challenge for goalie interference—and Jaccob Slavin completed Carolina’s comeback.

Canes take the lead, 3-2. #SeaKraken called timeout to decide whether or not to challenge for goalie interference, but opted against it. pic.twitter.com/YrhQEIGCtP

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) January 11, 2026

Takeaway 2: Pretty goals

The Kraken had a shockingly low shot volume in this one—their lowest output of the season—and were nearly outshot by a 3-1 margin, mustering just 12 shots on Brandon Bussi compared to Carolina’s 34. Those numbers don’t tell the whole story, though, because the Kraken did have some good looks either blocked by Hurricanes defenders, while Seattle’s shooters also sent pucks wide and failed to execute on a few rush opportunities.

Considering that paltry volume directed at Bussi, the Kraken did a decent job of making the most of their chances and got two pretty goals from Matty Beniers and Berkly Catton on the night.

Beniers was Seattle’s best player in this game, and his confidence appears to be soaring since being reunited with Kaapo Kakko, who also helped his game take off last season. He was rewarded with a beautiful goal to tie the game 1-1 at 14:13 of the first period, deking Slavin out of his jockstrap at the blue line, racing in, and slipping it through Bussi.

MATTY MAGIC WITH SOME SORCERY! 🧙‍♂️🚨

What a goal! Jaccob Slavin's jock is in the rafters after that one.

1-1 #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/WMUQb1LZLT

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) January 11, 2026

The score remained 1-1 through the first five minutes of the third period, when Catton broke through for his third goal in three games after going goalless for the first 27 games of his NHL career. Ryan Winterton read Bussi’s breakout pass and picked it off, then slung a perfect feed to Catton in the slot, who whipped it inside the left post.

BERKLYYYYYYYY! 🐱 🚨

Ryan Winterton picks off Brandon Bussi's pass and sets up Berkly Catton for his third goal in three games after going goalless in his first 27.

2-1 #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/CJAhNUNYS8

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) January 11, 2026

Takeaway 3: Jaden Schwartz returns

There’s no doubt the Kraken sorely missed Jaden Schwartz during his 19-game absence, which dated all the way back to Nov. 26, when he came up lame and hobbled off against the Dallas Stars. Schwartz finally returned Saturday and looked like his old self. He was fast, physical, and creative, nearly scoring on a breakaway and setting up several chances for his teammates.

He told KHN’s Piper Shaw after the game that his body “held up” well and that he felt good. Getting Schwartz back is a huge boost for this team.

Schwartz’s return coincided with Chandler Stephenson temporarily exiting the lineup, as his wife just gave birth to the couple’s third child. Meanwhile, Jordan Eberle missed his second game in a row with an upper-body injury that has made him day to day, and Brandon Montour continues to slowly work his way back.

Seattle certainly remains undermanned, but the players who were able to go hung right in with one of the NHL’s top teams. It’s a shame they couldn’t pull that one out.

Now Seattle heads to the Big Apple to take on a Rangers team Monday that just lost 10-2 to the Boston Bruins. The Kraken are now behind San Jose again in the standings, so they badly need to take care of business in that game.