It was déjà vu for the Kraken faithful at Climate Pledge Arena last night as the Seattle Kraken hosted the Vancouver Canucks in a rematch of last week’s thriller. Unfortunately, this time, the result wasn’t as sweet.
The Kraken wasted no time energizing the crowd, with Chandler Stephenson lighting the lamp less than two minutes into the first period. Vince Dunn and André Burakovsky set up the play beautifully, and Seattle looked poised to carry that momentum forward. However, Vancouver’s Max Sasson answered midway through the period, capitalizing on a rebound to knot the score at one apiece heading into the intermission.
The second period tilted in Vancouver’s favor. A neutral-zone turnover proved costly as Conor Garland broke free and deked Philipp Grubauer to restore the Canucks’ lead. Soon after, Vancouver suffered a setback as starting goaltender Thatcher Demko left the game with an undisclosed injury. Backup Kevin Lankinen stepped in, but the Kraken couldn’t solve him during the frame.
Things looked grim early in the third. Tyler Myers unleashed a rocket from the point to make it 3-1 Vancouver. Yet, if last week’s game taught us anything, it’s to never count out this Kraken squad. Matty Beniers, who’s finally rediscovered his scoring touch, netted a power-play goal—his third tally in as many games—to cut the deficit to one.
After a 19-game goalless streak, Matty Beniers now has goals in 3 straight.
— Emerald City Hockey (@EmeraldCityHky) January 3, 2025
Love the high-low-high play to the bumper. Very common in the NHL, but the Kraken rarely use it. pic.twitter.com/SOglTOjor2
As the final minute ticked away, Seattle pulled Grubauer for an extra attacker. Vince Dunn delivered the heroics, blasting home the tying goal with just 53 seconds left, sending the building into a frenzy and the game into overtime.
Overtime was thrilling but scoreless, with both teams trading high-quality chances. Grubauer and Lankinen stood tall, forcing a shootout to decide the winner. Vancouver struck first in the shootout as J.T. Miller beat Grubauer. The Kraken’s shooters—Oliver Bjorkstrand, Kaapo Kakko, and Matty Beniers—couldn’t solve Lankinen, sealing the Canucks’ revenge with a 4-3 victory.
Key takeaways
- Matty Beniers continues to heat up, with his offensive confidence returning after a slow start to the season.
- Vince Dunn remains a catalyst on both ends of the ice, showcasing his clutch scoring ability.
- Kaapo Kakko, though scoreless in this one, displayed excellent puck control and creativity on the top line.
- With Joey Daccord sidelined, Philipp Grubauer had an up-and-down performance, but his third-period saves were crucial to securing the comeback.
What a difference a week makes. While the Kraken fell short this time, the fight and resiliency of this group shine through. A point earned in the standings, and a reminder that this team has heart. Next up? A chance to regroup and refocus for their upcoming matchup. Stay tuned, Kraken fans!