Kraken's free fall continues against Flames

Kate Shefte, The Seattle Times on Dec 19, 2025

Published in Hockey

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The Kraken have one win in their past 11 games after they failed to dispatch the Calgary Flames on Thursday night. Floundering Seattle opened a four-game road trip with a 4-2 loss at the Scotiabank Saddledome.

Flames goals leader Matt Coronato scored the winner with less than nine minutes to go in the third period. Pulling goaltender Joey Daccord for the extra attacker did no good. The Kraken surrendered an empty-net goal to Mikael Backlund and fell to 12-14-6 on the season.

Heading into the game, the Kraken were in a three-way tie for the second-lowest point total in the 32-team NHL. The Flames were part of that tie. Calgary’s season failed to launch, as Seattle’s Pacific Division rival won just two of their first 13 games.

The idle Vancouver Canucks were just one point behind Calgary, Seattle and the Nashville Predators in last place heading into Thursday’s slate. For one more night at least, the Kraken — who were third in the Pacific Division just three weeks ago — will avoid the very worst point total in the league.

Though he didn’t pick up an assist, the Kraken’s first goal doesn’t happen without defenseman Jamie Oleksiak, who stole the puck in the neutral zone and sent it back toward the Calgary net. Teammates Eeli Tolvanen and Freddy Gaudreau passed it along to Chandler Stephenson, who cut across the crease to beat Flames goaltender Dustin Wolf with his backhand.

Despite the Kraken’s prolonged struggles, veteran center Stephenson has points in seven straight games (four goals, three assists) and goals in three straight.

Calgary’s Backlund evened the score at 1. During a late-period Kraken power play — their only one of the night — winger Kaapo Kakko scored his second goal of an injury-interrupted season. He tipped Ryker Evans’ shot into the net.

Kakko signed a three-year, $14.25 million contract extension with the Kraken in July. Due to two separate injury stints, he’s appeared in only 16 games, or half of Seattle’s slate.

Flames center Nazem Kadri scored a power-play goal to tie the game 2-all midway through the third period. It was actually a fine night for the Kraken’s last-place penalty kill, at least by its standards. Seattle killed four of five Calgary chances.

Kadri was allowed to pepper Daccord (42 saves) on that shift, however. Kadri scored on his third shot on goal in 22 seconds.