All the numbers favored the Seattle Kraken in their Wednesday matchup with the San Jose Sharks at Climate Pledge Arena, the finale of a five-game homestand.

Through six games, Seattle was unbeaten in regulation at home. San Jose was 29th on the penalty kill and 31st in allowing goals. A win would have vaulted the Kraken into first place in the Pacific Division.

But the detail-oriented work ethic that had propelled the Kraken to points in 10 of their first 12 games abandoned them against the Sharks, who profited with a 6-1 beatdown.

Seattle recorded a grand total of one shot total on their first three power plays, and went 0-6 with the man advantage – while surrendering a shorthanded goal, one of three scores in a 2:54 span of the 3rd period to break the game open.

The good news consisted solely of Ryan Winterton’s first NHL goal, a 2nd period snipe. But while the contest was still competitive, Seattle reverted to the “only a perfect shot will do” mentality that doomed them in an overtime loss to the Rangers last Saturday. Assistant coach Chris Taylor summed it up in an intermission interview. “We were trying to be too fancy.”

1st Period

@Jennthulhu_Photos

Happy 23rd birthday to Matty Beniers (photo at left), the first-ever Seattle Kraken draft choice. Beniers was selected out of the University of Michigan with the 2nd overall pick in 2021.

Speaking of high draft picks, note to Kraken defenders: try not to leave uber-talented Sharks teen Macklin Celebrini open between the hashes. Failing to heed that advice cost Seattle a 1-0 deficit 68 seconds into the game.

2024’s top overall pick took a pass from Tyler Toffoli and wired a shot past Kraken goalie Joey Daccord’s right elbow. Celebrini, early in his 14th game of the year, is up to eight goals and 19 points.

On a Kraken power play, Sharks goalie Yaroslav Askarov gobbles up Vince Dunn’s wrister and stops Jordan Eberle, digging away for the rebound out front.

The Kraken have talented youngsters, too, including 2021 3rd round pick Ryan Winterton. In his 34th game, Winterton scores his first NHL goal by refusing to be denied. The native of suburban Toronto collects a loose puck in the neutral zone with speed, driving all the way to the net. His initial shot is denied by Askarov, but later in the sequence, the 22-year-old corrals the puck between the circles and makes his second chance count at 16:30.

Ex-Kraken Alex Wennberg helps San Jose regain the lead at 18:42. Wennberg’s cross-ice pass finds Ethan Cardwell, who fills the empty cage before Daccord can slide to the weak side.

“My, you check IDs with such proficiency and skill!”
“Thank you. I Cardwell.”

Former Kraken Alex Wennberg with the traitorous primary assist

Such a handsome primary assist#SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/mgMbsVdrez

— 𝘿𝙖𝙫𝙮 𝙅𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙨’ 𝙇𝙤𝙘𝙠𝙚𝙧 𝙍𝙤𝙤𝙢 (@DavyJonesLR) November 6, 2025

Moments prior to the go-ahead score, Seattle’s Tye Kartye was stoned by Askarov’s right pad after sneaking behind the San Jose defense. The Kraken outshot the Sharks, 10-6.

2nd Period

Seattle has an enormous statistical edge in goals-allowed per game, 2.67 (6th overall) to San Jose’s 4.00 (31st). The next 40 minutes will reveal whether that means anything.

More numbers: Seattle’s 10th ranked power play gets a second opportunity against the Sharks’ #29 PK. Unfortunately, a misguided pass and a misguided shot result in two Kraken self-clears. 33 seconds after Caldwell’s minor ends, Seattle’s Kartye takes one. The Sharks don’t score.

If the Kraken rally, remember these two defensive gems. First, Jeff Skinner trickles the puck over Daccord and onto the goal line. Just before the final millimeter of the biscuit crosses that line, defenseman Josh Mahura sweeps it away. Second, defenseman Sam Dickinson gets free in close, but Daccord out-waits him to make the save.

However, 18 seconds after Jani Nyman goes off for interference, John Klingberg’s shot from distance finds the mark behind a screened Daccord. 3-1 Sharks at 11:21.

Self-inflicted wounds sabotage another Kraken power play. Beniers’ off-target blast rims around the boards and out, and Chandler Stephenson’s zone entry becomes a zone exit because of a drop pass into the neutral zone. Neither one of their last two man advantages even resulted in a SOG.

The refuse-to-shoot blues have once again infected the home team, who only managed five in the middle period (to the Sharks’ 11), and have been outshot 17-15 after 40.

3rd Period

For the second time in three periods, a San Jose youngster stings Seattle in the second minute. This time, it’s 20-year-old Will Smith. The 2023 4th overall pick picks his spot, low into the far corner of the net from the right circle at 1:02 for a 4-1 lead. Celebrini recorded his second assist for a three-point night.

An inexcusable shorthanded goal extends the Sharks advantage to 5-1. Inexcusable, because Daccord actually makes a fine save on Collin Graf’s breakaway. But Kraken skaters fail to retrieve the puck with sufficient urgency, leaving Ty Dellandrea to pocket the loose change at 3:24.

At least Daccord was on the bench when the Sharks scored again 30 seconds later. Toffoli beats replacement Kraken netminder Matt Murray on another breakaway and the rout is on.

Don’t be fooled by the Kraken 14-7 shot advantage in the 3rd period (although Sharks goalie Askarov was outstanding). This effort by the home team was no effort.

Up Next

The Kraken don’t play again until a Midwest weekend, Saturday at St. Louis and Sunday at Dallas. Seattle then returns to CPA for games Nov. 11 against Columbus, Nov. 13 against Winnipeg, and a Nov. 15 rematch against San Jose.