On Saturday, March 28, the Seattle Kraken took on the Buffalo Sabres for the two teams’ second and final matchup of the 2025-26 season. The Sabres already beat the Kraken earlier in the season in Seattle, 3-1.
The Kraken took an early lead with a goal in the first period and followed it up with another goal in the second. The Sabres scored their first goal two minutes after the Kraken got on the board. Buffalo tied it up in the third period, and with no other change in score, each team picked up a point and headed to overtime to decide the winner.
No goals were scored in the five minutes of 3-on-3, but after Buffalo scored both goals in the shootout and Seattle scored none, the Sabres left the game with a 3-2 win. Buffalo also completed the season series sweep.
McMann Made Kraken History
Once again, Bobby McMann is one of the focal pieces for the takeaways from the game. He continues to excel with his new club, and he made Kraken history in this game.
Twelve minutes into the first period, McMann gloved the puck down to keep it in Seattle’s zone. He passed it to Kaapo Kakko, who skated the puck towards the net. He passed it down to Chandler Stephenson, and he immediately took a shot, which bounced off the crossbar and into the net to open the scoring for Seattle.
With his assist on Stephenson’s goal, McMann became the fastest player to 10 points in Kraken history. The record was previously held by both Jared McCann and Matty Beniers, who both recorded 10 points in 11 games. However, McMann wasn’t done there, and he scored the Kraken’s second goal of the night to reach 11 points with his new franchise.
During the trade deadline, the Kraken stated they wanted to add a depth scorer to their team. Their only new addition was McMann, but he has proven he is a valuable asset to the team and exactly what Seattle was looking for.
Injury Bug Keeps Biting Kraken
It appears a fully healthy Kraken team is not in the cards for this season. Seattle just got McCann back after he missed three games with a lower-body injury. He returned to the lineup in this game, which was huge because Seattle needed him back.
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However, in the first period, Shane Wright went down after a heavy hit from Logan Stanley. He was slow to get up, requiring help from a trainer. The team later announced he would not return to this game. Wright only played for 3:36.
The Kraken have faced adversity throughout this season, but nothing quite like this. The consistent injuries will make their continuous push for the second wildcard spot even more difficult.
Kraken Fought Hard
Although they lost, there is no denying that the Kraken tried their hardest in this game. They took an early lead with their two goals, but unfortunately, the Sabres tied up the game. They didn’t allow Buffalo to score again in regulation time or in overtime, keeping their defensive play strong. However, since the game went to a shootout, the Kraken couldn’t find another scoring chance either.
Seattle has been notoriously bad in a shootout, with a current record of 9-18. They tried their best to get two points, but at least they got one.
Buffalo is currently the best team in the Atlantic Division, sitting in first place with 98 points. The Kraken battled hard and kept the Sabres at bay, but it just wasn’t enough to pull out the win.
Kraken Continue the Road Trip
The Kraken will close out their road trip on Tuesday, March 31, when they take on the Edmonton Oilers.
