Kraken Fall to Stars, again!

The (11-5-6) Seattle Kraken returned home for a brief two-game stand around the Thanksgiving holiday, opening with a rematch against the (14-5-4) Dallas Stars before hosting Edmonton on Saturday, Nov. 25. After dropping the first meeting with Dallas earlier this month, a 2–1 decision on Nov. 9, the Kraken entered this contest looking to reverse a challenging history against the Stars, yet with this 3-2 loss, the Kraken have fallen to 2-10-2 all-time in the series, including a 1-5-1 mark at Climate Pledge Arena. They get shot to avenge this recent loss, when these teams meet in Dallas on Feb. 25, 2026, following the Olympic break.

Despite that record, Seattle arrived in strong form—earning points in 12 of its last 15 games (8-3-4, 20 points). Through 22 games this season, the Kraken have already surpassed last year’s pace, posting 28 points and a .636-point percentage compared to 23 points and a .523 mark at the same stage in 2024–25. With momentum building and home ice energy behind them, Seattle’s challenge was clear: break through against a Dallas team that has consistently had their number.

“I thought we were better on our forecheck, created some turnovers, and generated opportunities that led to shots on goal,” said Kraken head coach Lane Lambert. “We handled the puck better. There wasn’t a lot of space out there for either team, but for the most part I thought we defended well. They’ve got a good hockey team with world-class talent, and in the end we ended up on the wrong side tonight.

The opening frame between the Stars and Kraken was defined by swings in momentum and disciplined defense. Seattle struck first with early pressure, outshooting Dallas 2–0 before Alexander Petrovic’s high-sticking double minor gave the Kraken a prime chance to set the tone. The Stars answered back midway through the period, as Roope Hintz deflected home his seventh goal of the season off feeds from Petrovic and Jamie Benn. Seattle responded almost immediately—Brandon Montour, in his 100th game as a member of the Seattle Kraken, wristed in his fifth of the year, assisted by Shane Wright and Berkly Catton, to even the score. Physicality picked up late, with hits favoring Seattle 7–3 and Vince Dunn whistled for tripping against Hintz in the closing minutes. By the horn, shots were nearly even (Stars 8, Kraken 9), faceoffs leaned Dallas (9–6), and the game sat balanced at 1–1, setting the stage for a tense second period.

The middle frame tilted toward Dallas early, as Esa Lindell buried his third goal of the season off setups from Justin Hryckowian and Tyler Seguin to give the Stars an early son period lead. Seattle kept pace with steady pressure, trading shots to keep the margin tight (Kraken 14, Stars 13 midway through). The physical play continued to intensify, as the hits climbed to 16–8 in favor of Seattle—and penalties began to stack up. Jamie Benn was called for holding Jordan Eberle, and in the closing minutes both Roope Hintz and Vince Dunn exchanged matching holding minors, adding to a chippy finish. By the end of the period, the Kraken held a slim edge in shots (19–17), but Dallas controlled the faceoff circle (15–13), setting up a tense third period with momentum hanging in the balance.

Seattle opened the final frame with momentum, as Vince Dunn snapped home his fourth goal of the season off a feed from Jared McCann, giving the Kraken a brief edge. Discipline remained a storyline in this match, as Nathan Bastian served a too-many-men penalty, and Dallas capitalized on steady pressure to even the shot count. The physical tone escalated, with hits climbing to 21–15 in Seattle’s favor and faceoffs tightening (Stars 20, Kraken 19). Late in the period, Vladislav Kolyachonok scored his first career goal on a wrist shot assisted by Tyler Seguin and Kyle Capobianco, swinging momentum back to Dallas. Alexander Petrovic’s tripping call against Matty Beniers added to the penalty tally, underscoring a chippy finish. By the horn, shots were deadlocked at 21 apiece, leaving the game balanced but bruising as both sides battled to the end.

“I thought it was good. The next step is just hitting the net,” said Kraken defensemen Vince Dunn about their ability to create shots. “We know they’re a big shot-blocking team, so it’s tough to get pucks through. We can work the boards and give our defensemen better looks to make it easier.”

The Kraken finish off their three-game series with the Dallas Stars in Dallas on February 25, 2026, as part of their five-game road trip. The Stars will welcome the Utah Mammoth on Friday night in Dallas, and the Kraken will take on the Edmonton Oilers in a back-to-back series, beginning Saturday night November 29th and December 4th in Edmonton.

Share your thoughts on the Seattle Kraken with me at https://x.com/whatsgoodnsport. 

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