Kraken Bounce Back with Grit and Youth in 4-2 Win Over Devils
If there was ever a moment to take the temperature of the Seattle Kraken’s season, Sunday’s matinee against the New Jersey Devils was it. Coming off a flat-out embarrassing loss to Anaheim just two days prior, the question wasn’t just about the scoreboard - it was about identity.
Would the Kraken show some spine and bounce back? Or would the disjointed, head-scratching performance from Friday carry over and sink their playoff hopes even further?
Turns out, Seattle had an answer. And it came from the kids.
Youth Movement Powers the Response
Matty Beniers, playing in his 300th NHL game, and rookie Berkly Catton each lit the lamp in the third period, while Ryker Evans chipped in with a second-period tally. Jordan Eberle sealed the deal with an empty-netter, but the tone was set by the young core.
Beniers’ goal was a beauty - a slick backhander top shelf - and Catton’s was the kind of chaos play that good teams find a way to finish. Add in Jacob Melanson’s seven hits - yes, seven, giving him 17 over the last two games - and it’s clear Seattle’s youth didn’t just show up, they showed out.
This was a gritty, grind-it-out win - the kind Seattle has to lean on if it wants to stay in the playoff picture. At 5-on-5, the Kraken were the better team.
That’s a good thing, because special teams? That’s still a work in progress.
Special Teams Still a Sore Spot
Seattle lost the special teams battle - again. Dougie Hamilton’s first-period power-play goal made it four straight games where the Kraken have surrendered the opening goal, and it exposed two recurring issues: early breakdowns and penalty kill struggles.
Jack Hughes added a third-period power-play goal for the Devils, making Seattle’s PK just 2-for-4 on the day. The Kraken’s own power play?
An 0-for-4 showing that didn’t generate much momentum.
That’s a tough pill to swallow, but the Kraken made up for it by winning the even-strength battle and getting a solid performance in net.
Daccord Delivers When It Matters
Joey Daccord turned in a 27-save performance, including a dozen stops in the third period alone, to snap a personal three-game skid. He wasn’t flashy, but he was sharp when it counted - especially in the final frame when the Devils pressed hard after cutting the lead to one. His acrobatics on a second-period Devils power play kept the game tied and gave his team a chance to take control.
Period-by-Period Breakdown
First Period:
This one started with two evenly matched teams - both middle of the pack defensively and near the bottom offensively. Five minutes in, Daccord made a key save on a Jack Hughes tip, which, believe it or not, was only the second time in ten games the Kraken didn’t give up a goal in the opening five minutes.
But the good vibes didn’t last. A Shane Wright high stick gave Jersey the man advantage, and Dougie Hamilton didn’t miss. His sixth of the season came on a blast from the point, and just like that, the Kraken were chasing again.
Tempers flared shortly after when Ryan Lindgren laid a clean hit on Ondrej Palat. Dawson Mercer took exception, and the gloves came off.
Mercer picked up an instigator penalty, giving Seattle a power play, but the Kraken couldn’t cash in. A Jonas Siegenthaler trip sent Matty Beniers flying, but he bounced back up - a little shaken, but okay.
Second Period:
Seattle’s best early chance came from Chandler Stephenson, set up beautifully by Eeli Tolvanen, but Jacob Markstrom stood tall. Moments later, the Kraken got on the board - albeit with a little help from the Devils.
Ryker Evans sent a hopeful shot toward the net, and it took a deflection off New Jersey’s Johnathan Kovacevic. Markstrom got most of it, but not enough. The puck slid through his pads and barely over the line, with Seattle’s fourth line creating traffic in front.
That goal gave the Kraken a jolt. They killed off another Devils power play with help from a Jaden Schwartz block, and Eberle nearly gave Seattle the lead late in the period.
Tolvanen also delivered a big hit that left Brett Pesce bloodied on the ice. After 40 minutes, shots were 16-14 in favor of New Jersey, but the Kraken had momentum.
Third Period:
Jacob Melanson kept the physical tone going, adding to his hit total and making life miserable for the Devils' defense. The 21-year-old now has 81 hits in just 17 games - that’s a whole lot of sandpaper from the bottom six.
Then came the turning point. Just over seven minutes into the third, Eberle dug the puck free and found Beniers, who went wide and roofed a backhander for a 2-1 lead.
The celebration? A stick twirl and holster - Matty’s got some flair to go with that finish.
Eighteen seconds later, it was Catton’s turn. Stephenson won the draw and zipped a cross-crease pass to Catton, who angled it in from along the goal line.
It might’ve gone off the post, maybe off a skate - doesn’t matter. The puck was in, and Markstrom’s frustration was obvious as he launched it down the ice.
But the Kraken weren’t in the clear just yet.
Seattle’s penalty kill, ranked 30th in the league, gave up another one. Hughes found the back of the net with the extra man to make it 3-2. That’s now four straight games with a power-play goal allowed.
New Jersey pulled Markstrom for the extra attacker late, but the hockey gods weren’t on their side. A bouncing puck skipped over Hamilton’s stick at the blue line, and Eberle pounced, firing home his team-leading 18th goal into the empty net to ice it.
What’s Next
The Kraken will host the Washington Capitals on Tuesday, and it could be a historic night. Alex Ovechkin is expected to make what may be his final appearance at Climate Pledge Arena. The Great 8 has hinted at a possible return to Russia after this season, so fans might want to soak in every shift.
For now, though, Seattle can breathe a little easier. They answered the bell when it mattered - not just with goals, but with grit, energy, and a little swagger from their young core. If they can build on that, the playoff chase is still very much alive.