The Seattle Kraken came into tonight's matchup against the Chicago Blackhawks with high hopes after their recent trade for Kaapo Kakko, but their performance on the ice didn’t match the excitement surrounding the new addition. From the opening puck drop, the Kraken looked disjointed, lacking cohesion and struggling to string together any meaningful offensive pressure. Defensive miscues and turnovers piled up as the game wore on, and despite Joey Daccord's best efforts to keep his team in it early, the Kraken couldn't avoid another defeat.
Kraken unable to find momentum
The first period saw some vintage Joey Daccord saves, with the goalie keeping his team in it despite the Blackhawks' dominant play. At one point, Yanni Gourde even stepped in when Daccord was caught out of position, making an incredible save to preserve the tie. Chicago controlled the tempo, with shots narrowly missing the mark and all the momentum in their favor.
The second period saw a more physical game, as tensions rose when Tanev knocked Ryan Donato down, sparking a brief scuffle. The intensity escalated when Connor Murphy dropped the gloves to challenge Chandler Stephenson, who wasn’t interested in the fight. That’s when Vince Dunn flew in to defend his teammate, giving the Kraken a rare spark in an otherwise disappointing game.
This is why Vince Dunn is so important. He's realiable in every single way. pic.twitter.com/4bIJGVc4ZN
— Kraken Canada (@KrakenCanada) December 20, 2024
Same mistakes, different game
The Kraken struggled to maintain defensive structure and couldn't capitalize on their own chances. Chicago took the lead with an Ilya Mikheyev goal at 10:54 of the second period. They extended their lead early in the third when Mikheyev scored his second at 6:06. The Kraken did manage to get one back at 11:26 when Ryker Evans scored his fourth of the season, assisted by Oliver Bjorkstrand and Brandon Montour, but it wasn't enough to spark a comeback. Chicago sealed the victory with Nolan Allan’s goal at 15:11, assisted by Ryan Donato and Connor Murphy.
The Kraken have now dropped three straight games, and all three losses have been marked by the same recurring mistakes: poor turnovers, lack of consistency, and inability to generate sustained offensive pressure. With a tough road trip ahead, including back-to-back games against Colorado and Vegas this weekend, the Kraken will need to quickly find a way to clean up their play if they want to avoid letting this skid extend.
In a small silver lining, the Kraken’s current record of 15-17-2 still puts them ahead of where they were at this time last season (10-14-9). Last year, they turned things around with a historic nine-game win streak. Perhaps the holiday magic that sparked that run is still lingering, and the Kraken can find a way to bounce back and get back into the playoff picture.