On Sunday, March 15, the Seattle Kraken hosted the Florida Panthers for the two teams’ first meeting of the 2025-26 season. The Kraken had just played against the Vancouver Canucks the day prior and beat them 5-2.
The game started out in the Kraken’s favor, as they scored two goals in the first half of the period. The Panthers got on the board shortly after the Kraken’s second goal, but a third in the first 20 minutes ensured their two-goal lead. The final two periods saw three more goals for Seattle. The Panthers scored a late goal with just two seconds to spare, but their comeback was too late. The Kraken took the win, 6-2.
Fourth Line Kicked Seattle Off
Just five minutes into the game, Florida tried to clear the puck, but Ryker Evans kept it in Seattle’s zone, passing it to Frederick Gaudreau. He took a shot, which was directed off of Ryan Winterton’s stick, and Ben Meyers was in front to tip it in for the first goal.
Related: 3 Takeaways From Kraken’s Strong 5-2 Win Over Canucks
Later in the same period, Winterton gained control of the puck in the defensive zone and began driving towards their offensive zone. He had Brandon Montour and Meyers with him, and he passed the puck to Montour as they got to the net. He passed the puck to Meyers, who took a shot that rang off the post. Winterton was in front of the net to collect the rebound and batted it into the net.
Both Meyers and Winterton had an excellent two-point night with a goal and an assist each. Gaudreau also had a great night, recording the third-most ice time with 17:22, just under Bobby McMann and Eeli Tolvanen. These three players, Meyers, Winterton, and Gaudreau, might just be playing on the fourth line, but don’t count them out just yet. They have found great scoring chances and have eaten away at a large part of the clock when other players need rest.
McMann Continues to Excel
The Kraken’s game on Saturday marked Bobby McMann’s first game as a member of the team. He had a great night, recording three points from two goals and an assist. This game against the Panthers was McMann’s first home game in Seattle, and once again, he was stellar on the ice.
McMann scored his third goal in a Kraken sweater, his second on the power play. On top of that, he also recorded an assist on Jamie Oleksiak’s goal just four minutes after his own.
The Kraken picked up McMann in the hopes of adding scoring depth, and he has done just that in two games. He has five points in two games, a career high for him. This is just a small sample size of what McMann can do for Seattle, but already it seems like he is paying off greatly for the team.
Kraken Are Back in a Playoff Spot
Since the San Jose Sharks lost in regulation and the Kraken won in regulation, Seattle is now back in the second wild card spot. They have eked out the Sharks by one point, sitting with 71, while San Jose has 70. The Utah Mammoth sits in the first wild card spot with 74 points.
The race is tight, with the three teams in a playoff spot having 77, 76, and 75 points. In the Western Conference, it is truly anyone’s game as to who will make the postseason, and it is a month out from the end of the regular season. If Seattle can keep playing how they did in these past two games, they might have a chance at hanging on to their postseason lifeline.
Kraken Have One More at Home
The Kraken will play their last game before embarking on a six-game road trip on Tuesday, March 17, when they host the Tampa Bay Lightning.
