The Seattle Kraken and Boston Bruins faced off in a pivotal NHL clash on Tuesday night at the raucous Climate Pledge Arena, with both squads eyeing crucial points as the midseason playoff race heats up. The Bruins, entering with a 22-18-2 record and sitting 11th in the Eastern Conference, squared off against a surging Kraken team (19-14-7), who had climbed to sixth in the Western Conference standings. With just a point separating the two clubs—Boston at 46, Seattle at 45—the stakes couldn’t have been higher as fans packed the stands and millions tuned in on ESPN+ and Fubo.
Boston’s lineup saw a significant shakeup as defenseman Henri Jokiharju returned after missing over a month due to a lower-body injury sustained in late November. Head coach Marco Sturm, speaking after Monday’s practice in Seattle, sounded optimistic: “Jokiharju looked pretty good,” he remarked, and the Finnish blueliner was officially activated Tuesday. With Jokiharju back, the Bruins could finally balance their defensive pairs, sliding righties and lefties into natural positions. Before his injury, Jokiharju had chipped in six assists, blocked 19 shots, and laid 13 hits across 25 games, mostly in a third-pairing role.
However, the Bruins’ blue line also took a hit, as Hampus Lindholm landed on injured reserve. The move was expected, given Sturm’s candid update: “It’s not going to be a day-to-day thing. Hopefully it’s not too long, but he’s definitely going to be out for a little bit. We’ll have to do more testing when we’re back in Boston so we can go from there.” Lindholm’s absence, at least a week, left the Bruins shuffling their defensive depth yet again—a familiar theme this season for a squad that has battled injuries up and down the roster.
Boston’s injury woes extended beyond the blue line. The latest report listed Jordan Harris out with an ankle issue, Tanner Jeannot as day-to-day, and Jokiharju still technically day-to-day despite his anticipated return. For the Kraken, Jaden Schwartz (lower body), Matt Murray (lower body), and Brandon Montour (hand) were all unavailable, thinning Seattle’s depth but not their determination.
Both teams arrived riding impressive streaks. Boston had clawed back from a six-game losing skid by rattling off two straight wins in Edmonton and Vancouver, salvaging a road trip that threatened to derail their postseason hopes. The Bruins were also on a three-game point streak, having captured five of a possible eight points out west. Their opponent, meanwhile, was even hotter: Seattle entered the night boasting an eight-game point streak (7-0-1), their best run of the campaign, and had just dismantled Calgary 5-1 the night before.
Much of Seattle’s success hinged on stellar goaltending. Philipp Grubauer had posted a .920 save percentage for the season, ramping up to a sizzling .938 over his last seven games and an almost unthinkable .970 during his previous three—allowing just one goal per outing. Backup Joey Daccord was no slouch either, with a .925 save percentage over his last seven and a career .957 mark against his hometown Bruins. “He’s also stopped 67 of 70 shots in two lifetime games against his hometown Bruins, a team he grew up a fan of,” noted local coverage, underscoring the emotional stakes for Daccord.
Seattle’s offense had steadily improved, now 27th in the league after their recent outburst, but it was their defense—ranked ninth—that really set them apart. Morgan Geekie, already with 25 goals and 41 points, led the charge up front, while Jordan Eberle contributed 14 goals and 13 assists. The projected Kraken lines featured a balanced attack: Kakko-Beniers-Eberle, Tolvanen-Stephenson-Gaudreau, Catton-Wright-McCann, and Winterton-Meyers-Melanson, with Dunn-Larsson, Lindgren-Fleury, Evans-Oleksiak on defense and Daccord between the pipes.
Boston’s firepower centered on David Pastrnak, who had racked up 45 points (17 goals, 28 assists) in 37 games—a testament to his consistency and star power. Jeremy Swayman, the Bruins’ netminder, entered with a 2.8 goals-against average and a .905 save percentage, but notably had a .910 save percentage and a shutout in his last meeting with Seattle. The Bruins’ ability to rebound from adversity was on full display, as they sought to extend their point streak and solidify their playoff hopes.
Historically, matchups between these two teams at Climate Pledge Arena have been tight. Of their four meetings in Seattle, three were decided by a single goal, with the lone exception a 5-1 Kraken blowout. The Kraken held a 2-1-1 all-time home record against Boston, and 4-3-1 overall—a surprising stat given Boston’s perennial status as one of the NHL’s top teams. As one local columnist quipped, “It doesn’t make much sense, as the Bruins have had some of the NHL’s top records since the Kraken came into existence. But for whatever reason, the Kraken play them well.”
Betting odds reflected the razor-thin margin between the clubs: Boston was a narrow favorite at -115, with Seattle at -105. The puck line favored the Kraken at +1.5 (-250), while the over/under was set at six goals, suggesting an expectation of offense despite both teams’ defensive strengths.
The atmosphere was electric as puck drop approached, with fans eager to see if the Kraken could finally win the second leg of a back-to-back at home—a feat they hadn’t accomplished since November 16, 2023, in a shootout win over the Islanders. With five more such back-to-backs looming on their schedule, every point was precious for Seattle as they chased their first-ever Pacific Division lead this late in a season.
As the game unfolded, both teams leaned on their strengths: Boston’s balanced defense, now bolstered by Jokiharju’s return, and Seattle’s relentless forecheck and hot goaltending. Would Pastrnak break through against Daccord’s wall? Could Geekie add to his goal tally and keep the Kraken’s streak alive? Only time would tell, as the action remained ongoing and the outcome hung in the balance.
With playoff positioning up for grabs and both teams desperate for momentum, Tuesday’s Bruins-Kraken showdown delivered all the drama and intensity hockey fans crave. As the final horn neared, one thing was clear: in the wild race for the postseason, every shift, every save, and every goal mattered that much more.
