The Florida Panthers kicked off their four-game road trip with a tough loss, falling 6-2 to the Seattle Kraken at Climate Pledge Arena. The Kraken were firing on all cylinders, with Kaapo Kakko leading the charge by racking up a goal and two assists. Teammates Bobby McMann, Ryan Winterton, Berkly Catton, Ben Myers, and Jamie Oleksiak each chipped in with a goal and an assist, helping Seattle leapfrog the San Jose Sharks to claim the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.
Vinnie Hinostroza provided a spark for the Panthers, finding the back of the net 12:07 into the first period. This came right after Catton had doubled Seattle's lead.
The play unfolded as Jesper Boqvist deftly tapped Gustav Forsling’s head-man pass to Hinostroza, who then sent Luke Kunin streaking into the offensive zone. Hinostroza blew past Adam Larsson and buried Kunin’s return pass, capping off a beautifully executed rush.
Eetu Luostarinen put the final stamp on the game with a last-second goal, backhanding the rebound from Forsling’s shot past Joey Daccord. Mackie Samoskevich set up Forsling near the blue line, but it was a case of too little, too late.
The Panthers couldn’t match the Kraken’s intensity, as Seattle was ruthlessly efficient, scoring six times on just 25 shots against Daniil Tarasov. The loss snapped Florida's three-game winning streak, and they'll have a day to regroup before facing the Canucks on Tuesday.
The Five Hole: Key Takeaways
- Vinnie Hinostroza has been a bright spot since joining the Panthers from the Minnesota Wild on March 6, tallying two goals and an assist in just three games.
- Eetu Luostarinen broke a nine-game goal drought with his buzzer-beater, marking his 25th point of the season, surpassing last year’s total.
- Carter Verhaeghe was active offensively, matching Luostarinen, Kakko, and McMann with a game-high four shots. Florida dominated 5-on-5 shot attempts 20-5 when Verhaeghe was on the ice.
- Mackie Samoskevich continues to contribute, now up to 23 points with assists in consecutive games. He was the only Panthers forward to finish with a plus rating.
- Gustav Forsling was a force on the ice, logging 22:11 with an assist, one shot, two hits, and two blocks.
The Panthers have some regrouping to do as they head into their next matchup, hoping to bounce back and keep their playoff hopes alive.