The Seattle Kraken’s six-game homestand came to a sobering close on Thursday night as the Colorado Avalanche rolled into Climate Pledge Arena and made a powerful statement, dispatching the Kraken 5-1 in front of a frustrated home crowd. This clash, which many had circled as a pivotal moment in Seattle’s playoff race, instead underscored the growing gulf between a league-leading powerhouse and a team now teetering on the edge of postseason elimination.
Coming into the night, the stakes couldn’t have been higher for the Kraken. After a string of disappointing performances—including a particularly bitter loss to the Nashville Predators and a three-game losing streak—Seattle found itself clinging to the Western Conference’s final wild-card spot. But with the San Jose Sharks notching a win earlier in the evening, the Kraken were bumped out of playoff position, setting the stage for a must-win scenario against the top-ranked Avalanche.
The Avalanche, meanwhile, arrived in Seattle looking to bounce back from a 4-3 defeat to the Edmonton Oilers just two nights prior. Despite that setback—and the loss of key forward Ross Colton to injury, plus Nathan MacKinnon’s ejection for goaltender interference—Colorado’s confidence was undimmed. With a dazzling record of 43-11-9 and a roster stacked with offensive firepower, the Avs were widely considered the favorites not just for the night, but for the Stanley Cup itself.
From the opening puck drop, Colorado’s dominance was palpable. Martin Necas wasted no time, opening the scoring just 3:45 into the first period after a slick cross-slot pass from MacKinnon. The Kraken’s defense, already under siege, soon buckled again. MacKinnon, the NHL’s leading goal scorer, tallied his 44th of the season in bizarre fashion—his intended pass for Nazem Kadri instead ricocheted off Seattle defenseman Adam Larsson’s skate and slid past goaltender Joey Daccord.
It didn’t get any easier for Daccord, who was under relentless pressure from a Colorado offense that averages 34 shots and nearly four goals per game. The Avalanche’s third goal came on the power play with just over a minute left in the opening frame. Brock Nelson’s effort in the high slot fluttered to Nicolas Roy, who jammed home his second goal in four games since being acquired from Toronto. By the end of the first period, the Kraken were down 3-0 and Daccord had been pulled after allowing three goals on 15 shots, replaced by Philipp Grubauer in a bid to shake things up.
“It was not any reflection on Joey tonight,” Kraken coach Lane Lambert said postgame. “Our team needed a wake-up call.”
Seattle responded with a burst of energy in the second period, outshooting Colorado 8-0 more than ten minutes in. Their persistence finally paid off at 13:36, when Chandler Stephenson intercepted a pass at center ice and set up Ryker Evans for a short-handed goal. Evans’ wrister into the top corner offered a glimmer of hope for the Kraken faithful, but the Avalanche were quick to snuff it out. Less than four minutes later, MacKinnon set up Sam Malinski at the point, whose shot was deftly redirected by Kadri to restore the three-goal margin. It was Kadri’s first goal since being reacquired from Calgary, and a gut punch for Seattle’s comeback hopes.
In the third, Joel Kiviranta capped the scoring for Colorado, tipping in a shot at 12:41 to make it 5-1. By the final buzzer, the Avalanche had outclassed their hosts in nearly every facet, with Scott Wedgewood turning aside 28 shots and the Avs’ defense stifling any sustained Kraken pressure. For Seattle, the loss marked their fourth straight defeat and sixth in eight games since the Olympic break—a brutal stretch that has seen their playoff ambitions fade with each passing night.
The absence of newly acquired winger Bobby McMann, still sidelined by visa issues, loomed large for the Kraken. “It’s extremely disappointing right now, the uncertainty,” Lambert lamented before the game. “We traded for him for a reason, to help our hockey club. Having him not be available to help our hockey team hurts our hockey team.” Kraken general manager Jason Botterill added, “It’s a little bit out of our hands,” noting that government agency closures and processing delays had hampered McMann’s ability to join the lineup. Thursday’s game marked McMann’s third straight absence since arriving from Toronto at the trade deadline.
Seattle’s struggles were further highlighted by their lack of offensive firepower. Only captain Jordan Eberle has reached the 20-goal mark this season, a stark contrast to the Avalanche’s arsenal. MacKinnon’s four-point night (one goal, three assists) moved him further ahead atop the NHL scoring charts, while Necas notched his 30th goal of the campaign. Kadri and Roy both continued to make an impact since joining the Avs, and Kiviranta’s late tally was the exclamation point on a comprehensive team effort.
Despite the lopsided score, the Kraken did find a silver lining in their penalty kill, which had been perfect since February 28 and managed to notch a rare short-handed goal against a Colorado team that, for all its strengths, leads the league in short-handed goals allowed. Still, as Lambert bluntly put it: “You can’t spot that team that many goals. We’ve gotta wake up. We’re doing things that are absolutely mind-boggling to me. It’s gotta stop.”
With 18 games remaining in the regular season, the Kraken’s path to the playoffs is now steeper than ever. The wild-card race remains tight, with the Kings, Sharks, and Predators all hot on Seattle’s heels. Every point is precious, and the margin for error has all but evaporated. “We’re falling out of the playoffs right now, so (we’ve) got to figure it out and hopefully claw our way back,” Stephenson said. “Put some points together.”
As for the Avalanche, Thursday’s win was their sixth in seven games and a clear indication that their sights are set firmly on another deep postseason run. With a blend of star power, depth, and momentum, they look every bit the Stanley Cup favorites their record suggests.
For the Kraken, the immediate focus shifts to snapping their losing streak and reigniting their playoff push. The next chance comes Saturday night against the last-place Vancouver Canucks—a golden opportunity to regroup and restore some confidence before time runs out on their postseason hopes.
The crowd at Climate Pledge Arena may have left disappointed, but the message was clear: if Seattle wants to dance with the league’s elite come playoff time, they’ll need to find another gear—and fast.