The Florida Panthers' momentum hit a roadblock on Sunday night with a 6-2 defeat at the hands of the Seattle Kraken. The Kraken, fresh off a victory in Vancouver, came out firing with three first-period goals and managed to fend off a lengthy 5-on-3 Panthers power play in the second. This win propels Seattle past the San Jose Sharks, securing the second wild-card position in the Western Conference.
Despite having just two fewer points than Seattle, the Panthers remain 11 points shy in the Eastern playoff race. Florida faces a challenging stretch with three more games on their western road trip, starting Tuesday in Vancouver, followed by back-to-back games in Edmonton and Calgary on Thursday and Friday.
Vinnie Hinostroza provided a spark for the Panthers with a goal at 12:07 in the first period, narrowing the gap to one. However, Seattle responded with a Ryan Weatherton goal just before the period's end, extending their lead to 3-1.
The Kraken continued to dominate, adding three more goals. Eetu Luostarinen managed to notch Florida’s second goal just before the final horn.
Seattle's Joey Daccord was solid between the pipes, making 21 saves for the win. Daniil Tarasov, with 19 stops, took the loss for Florida.
Scoring Breakdown
- Kraken 1, Panthers 0 (5:28 1st): A chaotic scene in front of the net saw a point shot deflect off several players, including Ben Meyers, to open the scoring.
- Kraken 2, Panthers 0 (11:52 1st): Berkly Catton capitalized on a rebound that Tarasov initially stopped, doubling Seattle’s lead.
- Kraken 2, Panthers 1 (12:07 1st): On a rush, Luke Kunin set up Vinnie Hinostroza, who netted his second goal since rejoining the Panthers.
- Kraken 3, Panthers 1 (18:26 1st): Ryan Weatherton found the puck after a Brandon Montour pass led to a one-timer by Meyers that clanged off the post.
- Kraken 4, Panthers 1 (3:20 2nd): A turnover deep in the Panthers' zone allowed Kaapo Kakko to maneuver around the net and score.
- Kraken 5, Panthers 1 (10:07 3rd PP): Bobby McMann fired a shot from the slot, finding the back of the net off the post.
- Kraken 6, Panthers 1 (14:37 3rd): Jamie Olesiak added to the tally with a close-range goal.
- Kraken 6, Panthers 2 (19:58 3rd): Eetu Luostarinen managed to beat the buzzer for Florida’s final goal.
Three Stars of the Game
- Joey Daccord, Seattle
- Kaapo Kakko, Seattle
- Berkly Catton, Seattle
Up Next: Game 67
The Panthers will look to regroup as they continue their road trip, hoping to close the gap in the playoff race.