The Kraken won back-to-back games for the first time since Nov. 20-22, making Jordan Eberle’s third-period goal stand up for the final 10 minutes of a 3-1 victory over the Anaheim Ducks. Eberle added the empty-net goal as well.

Philipp Grubauer was sturdy in net for Seattle, stopping 38 shots Monday night.

“He bailed us out a number of times,” forward Shane Wright said.

The Kraken (14-14-6) are assured of an even record at worst on this four-game road trip leading up to the NHL’s Christmas break.

Freddy Gaudreau, 32, was brought in last summer to center the fourth line and kill penalties. Few have seen their profile rise higher as the Kraken struggled with injuries and mounting losses. He’s not just on the PK, averaging more than two minutes per game in that scenario, but the power play, and among the top six forwards to boot. On this Kraken team, the top line isn’t clearly defined. But as Chandler Stephenson is their hottest forward, his could certainly be it.

During a second-period power play, Kaapo Kakko, Gaudreau and Wright took turns batting at a rebound. Gaudreau barely settled a spinning puck and sent it high over sprawled Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal for a 1-0 lead.

“Love Freddy. Nice to see him get one there,” Wright said. “Kind of a funny goal – Kap tried to put it on net, went right to me. I tried to throw it on net, hit the goalie. Right to Freddy and he put it in.”

It was Gaudreau’s second goal in 21 Kraken games this season. He missed almost a month with an upper-body injury.

He has points in three straight games (one goal, two assists). Stephenson’s eight-game point streak (five goals, four assists) ended Monday.

Mikael Granlund countered for Anaheim before the second period ended. He tipped a Jacob Trouba shot past Grubauer.

The Ducks had more chances to pull ahead among those 39 shots. Troy Terry hit the crossbar and Mason McTavish went down to one knee on a two-on-two, sending his hard shot directly at Grubauer’s glove.

But even as Anaheim ran up the shot clock, Seattle pulled ahead on the Eberle goal. Kakko sent the puck to linemate Matty Beniers, who found wide-open Eberle coming up the side. Eberle put a slick snap shot on Dostal.

During his second shift of the third period, Seattle defenseman Vince Dunn was leveled by Anaheim’s Ross Johnston with a hit so hard, Dunn slammed into the ice and his legs flew up over his head. Play was whistled dead and Dunn lingered a while, looking upset. There was no penalty called on the play.

For some reason — anger at the missed call, or knowing he was injured, or being pulled from the game by a concussion spotter perhaps — Dunn yelled down the Kraken bench, then smashed his stick into kindling. He spun around and nearly struck backup goaltender and innocent bystander Joey Daccord with the stick remnants. He then marched down the tunnel and a dark, large object in his path went flying. He did not return to the game.

Seattle’s fourth line of Ben Meyers, Jacob Melanson and particularly Tye Kartye ensured the last 17 minutes of the game remained hot-tempered. Kartye was either the one doing the roughing or getting roughed on three minor penalties, then he and Johnston got the gate with 24 seconds left in the game. They both earned 10-minute misconducts.

The Kraken announced Monday that Brandon Montour would miss approximately four weeks after undergoing surgery on his hand. If Dunn is also injured, Seattle will be without their top two offensive defensemen as it tries to get back on track. Before consecutive wins against the San Jose Sharks and the Ducks, the Kraken dropped 10 of 11 games. They’ve crept out of the Western Conference basement, but as of Monday, one regulation loss would put them right back into a tie for last again.

“It hasn’t been easy. We haven’t found a way, and things haven’t gone for us,” Eberle said. “Last couple of games, they have. Belief is a magical thing. You’ve gotta just believe.

“Adversity’s gonna hit – we have it right now. Not just on the ice, but we’ve lost guys, key pieces, and we’ve still found a way.

“We’re still in this thing. We have another chance to do it tomorrow.”

To Eberle’s point, they’re also five points behind the two wild-card teams in the West with at least a game in hand on both.

The Kraken’s road trip concludes with a quick stop in Los Angeles to face the Kings on Tuesday night.