Kraken Dominate Capitals As McCann Shines In Seattle Rout

The Seattle Kraken delivered a dominant performance at Climate Pledge Arena on January 27, 2026, cruising to a 5-1 victory over the Washington Capitals. The game, which marked the penultimate contest of the Capitals’ six-game road trip and their final stop outside the Eastern time zone, was anything but kind to the visitors. Seattle’s Jared McCann emerged as the star of the night, notching two goals and two assists, while Matty Beniers and Jordan Eberle each chipped in with a goal and an assist. The Capitals, meanwhile, struggled to find their footing, both offensively and defensively, and now find themselves in a worrying stretch with only two wins in their last seven outings.

From the opening puck drop, the Kraken set the tone. Seattle outshot Washington 13-4 in the first period, a clear sign of their early dominance. Yet, despite the lopsided shot count, both teams went into the first intermission scoreless. The Capitals managed five high-danger chances in the opening frame but couldn’t convert. It’s a familiar refrain for Washington fans this season—plenty of opportunities, but a chronic inability to finish.

Seattle’s breakthrough came early in the second period, thanks to a power play carried over from a late first-period penalty against Ethen Frank. McCann, left alone in the left circle, unleashed a one-timer that sailed past Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson to put the Kraken on the board. That goal seemed to open the floodgates. Midway through the period, McCann pounced on a rebound from a Beniers shot, doubling the lead and giving the home crowd plenty to cheer about.

Just when it looked like McCann might complete his hat trick, fate—and the officials—had other plans. After a hard wrist shot from McCann rang off the post and rebounded to Eberle, who finished for Seattle’s third goal, McCann found himself with a chance for a third tally in the third period. Hats rained down as he finished a breakaway, but a video review revealed that Beniers had high-sticked Justin Sourdif nearly 45 seconds earlier, drawing blood. The goal came off the board, and instead, the Capitals were awarded a four-minute power play.

Washington finally got on the board during that extended man advantage. Ryan Leonard set up Alex Ovechkin on the back side of Kraken netminder Philipp Grubauer, and Ovechkin buried his 22nd goal of the season—and the 919th of his storied NHL career. It was a brief reprieve for the Capitals, cutting Seattle’s lead to 3-1 and momentarily shifting momentum.

But the Kraken weren’t about to let their grip slip. Seattle’s penalty kill, which had faltered once, locked down on Beniers’ second minor, and the home side quickly regained control. With just under seven minutes left, Ryker Evans sent a centering pass that deflected off Tom Wilson’s skate and into the net for a 4-1 Kraken lead. It was the sort of bounce that goes your way when you’re firing on all cylinders—a point not lost on Capitals observers, who lamented, “you tend to get ‘lucky’ in the NHL if you shoot the puck towards the goal.”

Seattle capped off their night with Beniers scoring on a breakaway, assisted by none other than McCann, who finished his night with four points. Beniers’ tally pushed his January totals to an impressive nine goals and six assists in 15 games, underscoring his growing importance to the Kraken’s attack. The final horn sounded with Seattle firmly in command, and the Capitals left to ponder another missed opportunity on their difficult road swing.

For Washington, the loss highlighted several ongoing issues. The team’s offense sputtered, managing just four shots in the opening period and a paltry 11 through 40 minutes. Injuries didn’t help matters—Matt Roy and Rasmus Sandin both missed the game with lower-body injuries, forcing head coach Spencer Carbery to shuffle his defensive pairings. The penalty kill, once a strength, now ranks 25th in the league after allowing another power-play goal. As one Capitals analyst put it, “the power play gets deserved criticism and complaining all the time, but the penalty kill probably deserves just as much.”

There’s also growing chatter about potential roster changes. With the NHL trade deadline approaching and the Capitals sliding out of playoff contention, insiders have floated names like Jordan Kyrou as possible trade targets. “Not having a great season, but perhaps a great change-of-scenery candidate?” mused one observer. Still, the consensus seems to be that the Capitals are unlikely to become full-fledged sellers, regardless of how the final stretch plays out.

On the Kraken side, the win couldn’t have come at a better time. With the NHL’s Winter Olympics break looming, Seattle will host the Toronto Maple Leafs in their final home game before embarking on a swing through Vegas, Anaheim, and Los Angeles. The resounding victory over Washington not only gave the Kraken a boost in the standings but also showcased the depth and resilience of their roster. McCann’s near-historic night—he would have become the first Kraken player with multiple hat tricks for the franchise—was just the latest example of Seattle’s emerging offensive firepower.

“We just stuck to our game plan and played with confidence,” McCann said after the game, according to FOX 13 Seattle. “Everyone contributed, and it was a big win for us heading into the break.”

As for the Capitals, the road trip wraps up with a visit to Detroit to take on the Red Wings on January 29. With only two wins in their last seven games and mounting questions about the roster and coaching staff, the pressure is on to right the ship before it’s too late. The second period against Seattle may well be remembered as a turning point—one that either sparks a late-season rally or signals the end of their playoff hopes.

For now, the Kraken are riding high, and the Capitals are left searching for answers as the NHL season barrels toward its decisive stretch.