The Seattle Kraken entered the NHL during the 2021-22 season as the league’s 32nd team. Thus far, they have proven to be a difficult opponent for the Florida Panthers, who have only managed one win against the Pacific Division denizens in four attempts.
Florida had built a 14-3-3 record when the 6-13-1 Kraken arrived in Sunrise fresh off a 3-0 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning for the first meeting between the two clubs on November 27, 2021. The Panthers lost Chris Driedger to the Kraken in the expansion draft and he ended up making 33 saves to backstop Seattle to the 4-1 victory. Jordan Eberle scored twice and Ryan Donato and Jamie Oleksiak also added goals. Patric Hornqvist had the only Panther goal and Spencer Knight took the loss in what was Seattle’s second road win of its existence.
The Panthers first visit to Climate Pledge Arena on January 23, 2022 was an unpleasant one. Jonathan Huberdeau had a hand in all three of Florida’s scores with a goal and two assists, but it wasn’t enough as Mason Appleton snapped a 3-3 tie 26 seconds into the third period and Seattle clinched it thanks to Calle Jarnkrok’s late empty-netter. This time it was Philipp Grubauer who got the best of the Cats with 28 saves to earn First Star honors. Marcus Johannson, Yanni Gourde and Colin Blackwood scored the other Kraken goals while Anthony Duclair and Aleksander Barkov tallied for Florida. Sergei Bobrovsky made 24 saves and had his five-game win streak halted.
Coming in the midst of a five-game road trip, Florida’s second stop in Seattle produced the first-ever victory against the second-year club on December 3, 2022. Carter Verhaeghe lit the lamp twice in a 26-second span in the first period and the Cats added three more goals after former Panther Jared McCann halved the deficit early in the second. Matthew Tkachuk power-play marker 3:58 after McCann’s put the Panthers up by two and Aleksi Heponiemi and Gustav Forsling tacked on third period tallies. Sam Bennett collected three assists and Spencer Knight stopped 36 of 37 shots to assist in ending the Kraken’s seven-game winning streak.
The last time the teams met came eight days later at FLA Live Arena. Florida looked sluggish after being beaten in Tampa the night before and the Seattle skated to 5-2 win. Andre Burakovsky scored the go-ahead goal midway through the game and Matty Beniers, Eberle, Daniel Sprong and Gourde also scored to help the Kraken snap a three-game losing streak. Eric Staal notched his first goal as a Panther and Chris Tierney completed the scoring. Bobrovsky suffered his second loss against Seattle, finishing with 27 saves on 31 shots.
Florida comes into tomorrow’s tilt winners of three of its last four. Hopefully, Sam Bennett will make his first appearance of the 2023-24 season and Aleksander Barkov is well enough to play. Bobrovsky is expected to get the start and will be looking to post his first win against the Kraken to get his team back above the .500 mark.