Kraken Drop Home Tilt Against Stars; Remain in Playoff Spot for Thanksgiving

11/26/2025

SEATTLE, WASH

The Dallas Stars defeated the Seattle Kraken 3-2, thanks going five of five on the penalty kill along with goals from Roope Hintz, Esa Lindell, and Vladislav Kolyachonok. Seattle saw scoring from Brandon Montour and Vince Dunn in the loss.

The Kraken had ended a four game road trip that saw Seattle claim five of an available eight points in the standings. The Stars came into Climate Pledge Arena fresh off an 8-3 drubbing of the Edmonton Oilers the previous night.

Dallas returned forward Mikko Rantanen after he was suspended the previous night for a hit on Calgary Flames forward Matt Coronado last Saturday. The Kraken in the last game before Thanksgiving break turned once again to Joey Daccord (7-3-4). Casey DeSmith (4-1-2) occupied between the pipes for Dallas on the latter end of their back to back.

Seattle Kraken head coach Lane Lambert stressed during the week leading up to Wednesday night, he wanted to see more shot volume from the Kraken. Seattle would benefit from the return of forward Jared McCann who had been out since October 18th with a lower body injury.

Seattle 49 seconds into the game saw Dallas’s Alexander Petrovic high sticked Jared McCann welcoming him back from injury. McCann about his welcome said, “try to battle for a puck and next thing you know, my tooth is in my throat.” The Kraken could not score off two shots on the ensuing double minor power play. Roope Hintz got the scoring started 5:52 into the game off a tip-in from an Alex Petrovic shot from the right point to put the Stars up 1-0. The lead did not last long.

Brandon Montour cranked a blast with Shane Wright in the vicinity of the Dallas net. The carom off the back glass came along the right side of the goal line for Brandon Montour from a tight angle, who scored his fifth goal of the season at 9:06 by sneaking a shot by DeSmith. Shane Wright and Berkeley Catton earned credit for the assists. The first period ended with shots on goal even at 10 apiece and the scoreboard was even also at one apiece after one.

The deadlock remained that way until 6:13 of the second period when Esa Lindell potted his third goal of the season thanks to persistent pressure and being at the right place at the right time. Late in the period, Jaden Schwartz sustained a lower body injury in front of the Dallas net, he did not return to the game. In the middle frame, Dallas not only led the period in shots (10-9) but also on the scoreboard (2-1).

18 seconds into the third period, Vince Dunn barreled right wing and whistled a shot by Casey DeSmith to tie the game. Jared McCann in his game back from injury recorded an assist. Dunn about the goal said, “just put my head down and try to shoot as hard as I could”. The goal from Dunn was his fourth of the year.

With 5:44 left in the game Vladislac Kolyachonok broke the tie for Dallas by pinging a shot off the right post and in. That goal proved to be the difference, Dallas hung on to a 3-2 road victory.

Casey DeSmith accounted for the Dallas win with 26 saves on 28 shots. Joey Daccord was dealt the loss making 18 saves on 21 shots. The loss marks the eighth straight loss for the Kraken against Dallas.

The Kraken power play went 0 of 5 for the evening Head Coach Lane Lambert said about the power play numbers, “Give them credit, they’re a big team they got long guys and big defensemen, I think from a battle standpoint we could have won more battles.”

With Thanksgiving arriving, the Kraken find themselves in a tie for the second playoff spot in the Pacific Division and one point behind division leading Anaheim. Since 2006, 77% of NHL teams in a playoff spot at American Thanksgiving make the playoffs. A point of optimism for the Kraken.

Dallas returns home to host the Utah Mammoth on Friday night, while Seattle welcomes the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday with puck drop scheduled for 1pm from Climate Pledge Arena.

Stay with ESN for continued updates on the Seattle Kraken.