The Seattle Kraken came away with another point in a shootout loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets. Normally, I’m happy taking a point and moving on to the next game, but this one felt deflating. Columbus was playing the second leg of a back-to-back and had lost to Edmonton on Monday night. The Blue Jackets were about a minute away from victory when the Oilers tied the game with a shorthanded goal. To make matters worse for them, the Blue Jackets have been battling a flu bug, and it’s suspected that Jet Greaves started both games due to the illness circulating through the team.
This was a tired opponent and a good opportunity for Seattle to grab two points. The Kraken played a solid game and did everything right, except score more than one goal. Ryan Winterton opened the scoring in the first period, and the Kraken held a 1-0 lead until late in the second when Columbus earned a two-man advantage. Adam Fantilli capitalized on the 5-on-3 to tie it 1-1. Columbus stayed disciplined, taking only two penalties, while Seattle’s power play again came up empty. The game went to a shootout, where the Kraken fell in the fourth round on a goal by Charlie Coyle.
Statistics provided by moneypuck.
Takeway #1 – Murray looks solid
Matt Murray started his second straight game and looked even better than he did against Dallas, stopping 33 of 34 shots for a .971 save percentage. He looked calm and composed throughout, with his positioning spot on. It took a two-man advantage for Columbus to beat him, a scramble in front that ended with Fantilli burying a cross-ice pass into an open net. Even then, Murray nearly made the stop, getting a glove on it before it trickled in.
Lambert had two things to talk about in the post game presser.
Lack of scoring – “We’ve got to find a way to score. Like, when we have opportunities, we’ve got to bury them.”
Matt Murray – “Yeah, he’s really good. Just a big body who plays his angles very well, and I thought he… pic.twitter.com/REIsUkiL7g
— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) November 12, 2025
As head coach Lane Lambert described: Murray played his angles well and used his size effectively, making it tough for Columbus to score. He saved 2.98 goals above expected, an impressive mark for the goaltender.
Takeaway #2 – Kartye, Meyers and Winterton
The fourth line generated the most offensive pressure. While listed as the fourth unit, they logged more even-strength minutes than the Berkly Catton, Shane Wright, and Eeli Tolvanen line. Their goal came off a slick backhand pass from Ben Meyers to Winterton, who snapped it home.
Every time they hit the ice, they generated offense and kept pressure on the Blue Jackets. According to MoneyPuck.com, they had 10 shots on goal, the most of any Kraken line. They were fun to watch and kept the home crowd engaged.
With Freddie Gaudreau now skating again, decisions will need to be made if Meyers continues to perform like this.
Takeaway #3 – Lack of scoring
For the second straight game, the Kraken scored just one goal. The good news: even with limited offense, the game was tied and they earned a point. That highlights how strong their defensive structure has been, no matter who’s in net.
Jaden Schwartz, Matty Beniers, and Kaapo Kakko led all forward lines in ice time, but the results weren’t there. They posted the lowest expected goals (0.143) and the highest expected goals against (1.129) of any Kraken line, far from ideal for a top unit.
Kakko, meanwhile, has yet to register a single point through six games. To be fair, Lambert has shuffled him around the top nine to find chemistry, but nothing has clicked yet. He hasn’t stayed on a line long enough to build consistency, but Seattle needs him to start producing for sustained success.
Wrapping up
I started this piece slightly deflated, but by the end the Kraken’s effort reminded me there’s still plenty to build on. They still earned a point, and now it’s time to move forward with optimism. The Winnipeg Jets visit on Thursday, Nov. 13. Seattle shutout the Jets in their first meeting this season, so expect Winnipeg to come motivated.
nhl.com standings
The Kraken currently sit third in the Pacific Division, ahead of both the Vegas Golden Knights and Edmonton Oilers. The standings are tightening up, with the Anaheim Ducks, Seattle Kraken, and San Jose Sharks outperforming preseason expectations and adding a fun twist to the Pacific Division race as new faces mix in at the top.
Blaiz Grubic
Blaiz Grubic is a contributor at Sound Of Hockey. A passionate hockey fan and player for over 30 years, Blaiz grew up in the Pacific Northwest and is an alumni of Washington State University (Go Cougs!). When he’s not playing, watching, or writing about hockey, he enjoys quality time with his wife and daughter or getting out on a golf course for a quick round. Follow @blaizg on BlueSky or X.