Seattle Kraken topple St. Louis Blues in shootout

Kate Shefte, The Seattle Times on Apr 13, 2025

Published in Hockey

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

SEATTLE — Kraken 4, Blues 3, SO at Climate Pledge Arena

Notable: There were plusses and negatives on Saturday night, but the fans went home happy. In their second-to-last game of the season, the Kraken picked up a pair of standings points that could hurt their draft placement and prevailed in a seven-round shootout.

The Kraken’s Finnish forwards, Eeli Tolvanen and Kaapo Kakko, scored in the shootout. Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington stopped Jordan Eberle, Matty Beniers, Shane Wright and Jared McCann.

Chandler Stephenson won it after three straight Seattle misses.

The Blues have dropped three straight after winning a franchise-record 12 in a row, which hurled them into a wild-card spot. They haven’t secured a postseason berth, however, and the lost standings point will make for a tense finish. The Kraken narrowly avoided a season sweep.

Seattle’s goal nearly four minutes into the second period started with a Philipp Grubauer save, one of 19 in regulation against the Blues. The goalie elbowed away a Justin Faulk slap shot. Kraken captain Eberle corralled the rebound and sent winger Jaden Schwartz up the boards with it. Schwartz tried to fire it toward either Stephenson or the net, had it blocked and took care of the rebound himself.

St. Louis tied the game in the third period, then came three goals in 50 seconds — two for the Blues, one for the Kraken. Seattle fourth-liner Tye Kartye set up Mikey Eyssimont for the latter’s fourth goal since he was picked up at the trade deadline, 19 games ago.

While that goal was being announced, the Blues tied it up again at 2. Robert Thomas fed teammate Colton Parayko on a give-and-go through Kraken defenseman Adam Larsson’s legs.

Just 13 seconds after that one, Nick Leddy beat Grubauer with a slap shot. The Kraken goalie was frozen in place and likely screened to some degree.

Wright’s 19th goal of the season controversially tied the game at 3. Big Kraken defenseman Jamie Oleksiak unveiled a move few in the arena could have called and dangled St. Louis’ Ryan Suter. Wright kept his skates at just the correct, sly angle while pushing the puck into the net and the goal survived a review for a distinct kicking motion.

Quotable:“We faced a desperate team. On the score sheet, it’s a low-event game. I think the scoring chances were eight to seven. But the game wasn’t low-event. It was hard-fought.” – Kraken coach Dan Bylsma

Goal of the game: It won’t go down as an official goal, but Stephenson “kept it simple” and finished off the shootout with his usual move. He slowed in front of Binnington and beat him with a low shot.

Player of the game: Kartye (two assists)

On tap: The Kraken’s final game of the 2024-25 season is Tuesday at Climate Pledge Arena, where they will host the L.A. Kings.