Kraken's late push falls short in 4-2 loss to Oilers

Vasily Podkolzin opened the scoring just 57 seconds into the game, beating Kraken goaltender Philipp Grubauer with a top-shelf shot after a quick rush down the right wing. Podkolzin's goal came off a pass from Leon Draisaitl, who extended his own points streak to 14 games. Just over five minutes later, Jeff Skinner doubled the Oilers’ lead at 5:18, receiving a pass from Kasperi Kapanen and slipping the puck past Grubauer to make it 2-0. Seattle found themselves in an early hole, unable to find their rhythm against the high-powered Oilers.

Kraken show fight, but can't climb back

In the second period, the Kraken struggled to contain Edmonton’s offensive pressure, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins extended the Oilers’ lead to 3-0 at 11:52. After a defensive breakdown by the Kraken, Nugent-Hopkins found himself in front of the net alongside Connor Brown. Nugent-Hopkins was able to sneak one past Grubauer, capitalizing on the breakdown in coverage and putting the Kraken further behind. Despite the setback, Seattle showed resilience. Chandler Stephenson gave the Kraken a glimmer of hope at 15:56, picking off a turnover and racing down the ice for a breakaway goal, cutting the deficit to 3-1.

Jaden Schwartz pulled the Kraken even closer in the third, scoring his 13th goal of the season. The play started with a sharp shot from Kaapo Kakko, which created a rebound opportunity for Vince Dunn. Dunn’s shot was finally put home by Schwartz, who continues to make an impact for the Kraken, with six points in his last four games. The Kraken appeared to be building momentum, looking to replicate some of the magic from their recent victory over Vancouver. However, with just under two minutes remaining, an empty-net goal from Leon Draisaitl sealed the Oilers' 4-2 victory, as Seattle couldn't complete the comeback.

A highlight for the Kraken was Vince Dunn’s milestone achievement, as he played in his 500th career NHL game. Dunn also picked up an assist on Schwartz’s goal, marking a significant achievement in his career. Kaapo Kakko continued to contribute, adding an assist on the play and solidifying his growing impact since joining the team.

Philipp Grubauer made 28 saves in a challenging game, facing pressure from the Oilers throughout. While the team eagerly awaits Joey Daccord’s return, it’s encouraging to see Grubauer continuing to improve, especially against tough competition. The Kraken will look to regroup in their upcoming matchups, hoping to build on the positive aspects of their game and minimize the costly mistakes that allowed Edmonton to gain the upper hand.