The (7‑4‑4) Seattle Kraken and (7‑7‑1) Columbus Blue Jackets clashed on Veterans Day 2025 in downtown Seattle, delivering a contest defined by resilience and execution. Seattle struck first to defend home ice, but Columbus answered late in the second and ultimately prevailed in a goalie‑centric battle, grinding out a 2–1 victory after overtime and a shootout.
Seattle opened the night dictating tempo, owning the dot and nudging ahead in shots while Columbus leaned on blocked lanes to stay afloat. The Blue Jackets clawed back late, evening the shot count and forcing turnovers that kept the Kraken from fully breaking free. Yet the home crowd didn’t have to wait long for a spark: with just 1:25 left, rookie Ryan Winterton flashed poise beyond his years, snapping home his second career goal off crisp setups from Ben Myers and Jamie Oleksiak. Myers sent the Kraken into intermission with energy.
The middle frame turned into a grind, with Columbus leaning on blocked shots and turnovers to frustrate Seattle’s rhythm. The Blue Jackets edged ahead in shots and hits, while the Kraken kept pace in the faceoff circle to maintain possession battles. Penalties finally broke through the clean sheet, with Miles Wood, Eeli Tolvanen, and Ryan Lindgren all whistled in a chippy stretch that tilted momentum.
The breakthrough came late when rookie Adam Fantilli uncorked a blistering slap shot for his fourth goal of the season, capitalizing on Seattle’s miscues. Tempers flared further as Sean Monahan drew an unsportsmanlike call against Ryker Evans, underscoring a period defined by grit, whistles, and Columbus seized control of the match.
The final frame was a battle of attrition, with Columbus grinding out an edge in shots, faceoffs, and blocked attempts while Seattle struggled to break through. The Kraken’s discipline wavered, while frustration and penalties piled up. Though Ben Meyers was whistled for interference late, the game remained locked in a defensive tug-of-war. Overtime brought more of the same—Columbus pressing, Seattle countering—but neither side could land the decisive blow, so the game went to a shootout.
In the shootout, Jet Greaves and Matt Murray traded saves until Kirill Marchenko and Eeli Tolvanen exchanged goals. Ultimately, Charlie Coyle’s wrist shot sealed it, lifting the Blue Jackets to a 2–1 victory and leaving Seattle with only the sting of missed chances.
“I thought we generated chances early on. We’ve got to find a way to score,” coach Lane Lambert said. “When you have opportunities, and we had opportunities, we got to bury them. That’s just the bottom line.”
Even with the loss, the Kraken have earned points in seven of their past nine games. They will lace up the skates again against the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday, December 13th, at the Climate Pledge Arena. The Bluejackets will welcome the Edmonton Oilers to Columbus on Thursday. These teams will meet again on the 21st of March, as part of the Kraken’s five-game road trip in March of 2026.
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