Kraken Fall Flat Against Ducks in Anaheim: A Rough Night All Around
The Seattle Kraken had no answers in Anaheim. In a game where the Ducks dictated the pace, the Kraken were outworked, outskated, and outplayed-especially during a second period that turned into a 20-minute clinic by the home team. The Ducks brought the energy, and Seattle simply couldn’t match it.
Let’s break it down.
Second Period Spiral
The middle frame was where things unraveled. Anaheim took control and never looked back, dominating puck possession and winning nearly every race to the puck.
Seattle’s penalty kill wasn’t the issue-discipline wasn’t even the main problem. The Ducks just executed better, plain and simple.
They were quicker in transition, sharper on the forecheck, and far more decisive in the offensive zone.
Philipp Grubauer had a tough night in net, finishing with an .871 save percentage. While the blame doesn’t fall squarely on his shoulders-Seattle’s defensive structure left plenty to be desired-his positioning was shaky throughout the night. The final goal by Anaheim was the exclamation point on a performance Grubauer will want to move past quickly.
Melanson’s Misstep
As if the scoreboard wasn’t frustrating enough, emotions boiled over late in the second period. Jacob Melanson delivered an elbow to Troy Terry that earned him a game misconduct and sparked a pileup of angry players.
It was a reckless decision in an already spiraling game. Melanson’s frustration was understandable, but the manner in which it came out?
That’s likely to earn him a suspension-and deservedly so.
Stephenson’s Struggles
Chandler Stephenson, who logged the most ice time among Kraken forwards, had a night he’ll want to forget. While he was on the ice, Anaheim generated 11 scoring chances-a glaring stat that underscores how much the Ducks controlled play when he was out there. It might be time for head coach Dave Hakstol to reassess how those minutes are being distributed.
Offensive Woes Continue
One of the more baffling trends for Seattle lately has been their inability to generate offense against teams that actually give them space. The Ducks weren’t locking down the neutral zone or playing a suffocating trap-they were simply outworking the Kraken.
Seattle had chances to make plays, but too often passed up shots from the slot or overcomplicated their attack. When the ice opens up, you’ve got to take advantage.
The Kraken didn’t.
Silver Linings
It wasn’t all doom and gloom.
Veteran forward Jordan Eberle hit a milestone, scoring his 20th goal of the season with a nice tip-in off a Jared McCann shot. That kind of net-front presence is exactly what the Kraken need more of.
Tye Kartye also found the back of the net, capitalizing on a late turnover and snapping a shot past Lukas Dostal. It was a confident finish and a reminder of what Kartye brings when he’s aggressive on the puck.
And credit where it’s due: the penalty kill went 3-for-3. Given how much trouble that unit has had recently-and how much of that trouble has been self-inflicted-that’s a small but meaningful step in the right direction.
No Time to Dwell
The schedule doesn’t offer much breathing room. Seattle heads to Los Angeles for a matchup against the Kings tonight. After a frustrating performance in Anaheim, the Kraken will have to regroup quickly if they want to bounce back.
Puck drops at 7 p.m. Time to turn the page.