The Seattle Kraken suffered one of their worst defeats of the season Tuesday night, falling 7-2 to the St. Louis Blues in a game where nothing seemed to go right. After allowing five unanswered goals, Joey Daccord was pulled in the second period, paving the way for 20-year-old Niklas Kokko to make his unexpected NHL debut. While Seattle managed to get on the board late in the game, the damage had long been done, and this loss further highlighted the inconsistency that has plagued the team this season.
A nightmare from the start
The Kraken struggled to find their footing from the opening puck drop, and the Blues wasted no time capitalizing. Jordan Kyrou opened the scoring for St. Louis at 8:04 in the first period, and just a few minutes later, Oskar Sundqvist doubled the lead on the power play. Seattle managed just four shots in the opening period compared to 14 from the Blues, setting the tone for what would become a disastrous night.
Despite the rough start, the Kraken came out strong in the second period, generating the first nine shots on goal and applying real pressure. Unfortunately, Jordan Binnington stood tall in the Blues’ net, and when Seattle failed to break through, St. Louis quickly flipped the script. Robert Thomas scored five minutes into the period, and from there, the floodgates opened.
Zack Bolduc and Cam Fowler each found the back of the net in quick succession, stretching the Blues’ lead to 5-0 and chasing Daccord from the game. Enter Kokko, who was likely not expecting to see NHL minutes this soon after being called up for emergency backup duties. But Seattle had no other option, and the young netminder was immediately put in a tough spot. Just two minutes after entering, Kokko allowed his first NHL goal to Jake Neighbours, and by the time the second period ended, Seattle was facing an insurmountable 6-0 deficit.
Finding some life in the third
Seattle finally showed some signs of life in the third period, breaking Binnington’s shutout bid early when Vince Dunn found the back of the net unassisted. It was a small moment of personal redemption for Dunn, who spent the first four years of his NHL career in St. Louis before being taken by the Kraken in the expansion draft.
Later in the period, Jaden Schwartz added another tally, with assists from Kaapo Kakko and Adam Larsson. Schwartz, who also played for St. Louis earlier in his career, has continued to be one of Seattle’s most consistent offensive contributors this season. However, it was far too little, too late, and the Kraken ultimately skated off with a disappointing 7-2 loss.
Where does Seattle go from here?
For Kraken fans, this was a brutal game to watch. With trade deadline speculation heating up and frustrations mounting over the team’s inconsistency, some fans are calling for a complete teardown and rebuild. But while this game was a disaster, it’s important to remember that just two games ago, the Kraken went into Florida and beat the defending Stanley Cup champions in their own building. This team is capable of strong performances but continues to struggle with consistency.
The loss also underscores the growing uncertainty in Seattle’s goaltending situation. With Philipp Grubauer sent to the AHL and Daccord shouldering a heavy workload, it’s unclear what the Kraken’s plan will be moving forward. Kokko getting thrown into the fire was an unexpected development, but it also highlights Seattle’s lack of depth in net. Whether he sees another start or if Seattle makes a move before the deadline remains to be seen.
The Kraken will now return home to face the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday, hoping to put this ugly loss behind them and find some stability before the trade deadline.