Capitals Fall Flat Against Kraken in 5-1 Loss, Miss Key Chances Early and Can’t Recover
The Washington Capitals came into this one needing a spark. What they got instead was a night full of missed opportunities, unlucky bounces, and a Seattle Kraken team that simply played with more urgency from the opening faceoff.
The result? A 5-1 loss that further complicates the Capitals’ playoff push, leaving them five points out of third in the Metro Division and eight points back of the second Wild Card spot.
Let’s break down what went wrong-and where things briefly looked right-on a frustrating night in D.C.
Early Misses Set the Tone
This one could’ve started very differently. The Capitals had three golden looks at an open net early in the first period-literal layups-and came up empty each time.
Jakob Chychrun missed wide on one, and Ethen Frank was denied by a clutch defensive play from Vince Dunn on another. Those missed chances loomed large, especially as the Kraken took control of the game’s tempo.
Seattle outshot Washington 13-4 in the opening frame and capitalized on their first power-play opportunity. Jared McCann buried a shot to make it 1-0, and from there, the Kraken never looked back.
Bounces Go Seattle’s Way
Washington tried to push back in the second period, but the hockey gods weren’t smiling on them. McCann struck again, this time on a rebound that landed perfectly on his stick in front of the net. Logan Thompson didn’t stand a chance.
Just minutes later, another rebound bounced Seattle’s way-this time to Jordan Eberle, who made it 3-0. Through 40 minutes, the Kraken led not just on the scoreboard, but on the shot clock too, 21-14.
They were faster, sharper, and more opportunistic. The Capitals, meanwhile, were left chasing the game.
A Glimmer of Hope, Then More Misfortune
The third period offered a flicker of life. McCann looked like he had completed the hat trick, but a high-sticking double minor against Seattle wiped the goal off the board and gave Washington a four-minute power play. That’s when the Caps finally broke through.
Alex Ovechkin, who’s found his scoring touch again with points in four of his last five games, finished off a beautiful passing sequence from Ryan Leonard and Jakob Chychrun to cut the deficit to two. It was Ovechkin’s 22nd goal of the season and a much-needed jolt for a team looking for something-anything-to build on.
But the momentum didn’t last.
Washington came up empty on two more power-play chances and finished the night just 1-for-5 with the man advantage. Then came the backbreaker: a harmless-looking pass from Ryker Evans deflected off Tom Wilson’s skate and into the Capitals’ net. Just like that, Seattle was back up by three.
Matty Beniers added the exclamation point late, sneaking behind the defense and beating Thompson to make it 5-1. The Kraken also had a goal from Ryan Winterton called back for goalie interference, but by then, the damage was done.
Bottom Line
This was a game defined by missed chances and bad breaks. The Capitals had opportunities early to take control but couldn’t convert. Seattle, on the other hand, made the most of their looks and got the bounces when they needed them.
Ovechkin’s continued scoring is a bright spot, and Leonard’s involvement in the goal shows promise for the future. But moral victories won’t cut it in the playoff race. With the standings tightening and the margin for error shrinking, the Capitals need more than flashes-they need full 60-minute efforts and better execution in key moments.
The clock is ticking.