SEATTLE — The Seattle Kraken took down the Pittsburgh Penguins with a final score of 4-1 on Saturday night, thanks in part to a pivotal goal from Vince Dunn late in the second period. Dunn’s goal, scored during a 5-on-3 power play, shifted the momentum after the game was tied at 1-1.
The match began without any goals in the first period, but that changed early in the second when Oliver Bjorkstrand found the net just over two minutes in, giving the Kraken a 1-0 lead. However, the Penguins quickly countered with Sidney Crosby scoring his 14th goal of the season less than three minutes later, bringing the game level once again.
Seattle’s offense was aided by Chandler Stephenson and Jared McCann, each contributing two assists, while Joey Daccord stood tall in goal with 28 saves. For the Penguins, Kris Letang and Rickard Rakell provided one assist each, and goalie Joel Blomqvist stopped 21 shots but could not keep the team in the game. A significant blow for Pittsburgh came when Evgeni Malkin exited with a lower-body injury, removing a key element from their offensive lineup.
The Penguins have struggled recently, sitting at 0-7-3 in their last 10 matches, with their scoring woes evident as they have failed to exceed five goals in that span. In contrast, the Kraken have demonstrated their scoring potential, having won 11 consecutive games when they score four or more goals in a match.
A critical moment in the game was the exit of Malkin, who had a collision with Stephenson. Although he attempted to return for a brief period, he ultimately left the game for good with just under three minutes remaining in the first period. Prior to this game, Malkin had accumulated 25 assists, ranking third on the team, and had a total of 34 points, which placed him fourth.
Despite being outshot 13-6 in the third period and 29-25 overall in the game, the Kraken demonstrated efficiency as they capitalized on their chances.
Looking ahead, the Penguins are set to face the San Jose Sharks on Monday while the Kraken will take on the Edmonton Oilers in their upcoming matchup.
