Kraken’s second-period collapse turns a tied game into a 5–1 loss

Rain City Sports editorial desk | October 25, 2026 | Event completed October 24.

A tied game gets away

Seattle lost 5–1 to the Minnesota Wild at Climate Pledge Arena on Saturday, October 24. Berkly Catton scored the Kraken’s only goal, while Blake Coleman scored twice for Minnesota. The defeat left Seattle at 7–4–1 and ended its two-game winning streak.

The first period offered a response to a poor opening. Kirill Kaprizov scored on a breakaway just 26 seconds after the start, but Catton brought Seattle level at 10:13. Brandon Montour and Kaapo Kakko assisted. The official NHL scoring record lists Catton’s goal at even strength, immediately after a power play expired.

Analysis: Seattle had already demonstrated that the early deficit could be overcome. The harder task was sustaining that response, rather than allowing the next mistake to reopen the same problem.

The middle period decides it

Coleman restored Minnesota’s lead at 2:11 of the second period after leaving the penalty box. Olli Maatta and Joel Eriksson Ek then scored 1:27 apart to make it 4–1. Coleman’s late empty-net finish completed the scoring.

FOX 13 Seattle’s match account describes the Coleman goal as a breakaway following an unsuccessful Seattle power play. Glenn Dreyfuss, writing for Pacific North Hockey on October 24, identified a poorly managed change as part of that sequence. His report also emphasized Minnesota’s 16–1 shot advantage in the second period.

Analysis: the important failure was the connection between an attacking opportunity and the defensive responsibility that followed it. A power play ending does not end the need to account for a player returning to the ice. Giving away a breakaway at that moment allows an opponent to turn a successful penalty kill into immediate offense.

What Seattle’s response needs to address

Joey Daccord made 31 saves. Catton provided the lone finish, but the Kraken never found the second goal that could have made the closing period competitive. Seattle’s early attacking activity did not carry through the middle of the game, leaving the Wild able to defend a substantial advantage.

In the club’s October 25 recap, Vince Dunn emphasized shooting more rather than searching for an ideal pass. Analysis: that is a useful starting point, but shot selection and puck support have to work together. A rushed attempt without support can create another transition against; a possession extended without a shot never asks the goalkeeper a question.

Expectations with McCann absent

Jared McCann was unavailable after being placed on injured reserve. Pacific North Hockey reported that Jani Nyman had been recalled but did not play. There is no basis here to assign a return date or assume how the forward combinations will look in the next game.

Analysis: losing an established attacking option increases the value of simple, repeatable possessions. Seattle needs more shifts that force an opponent to turn and retrieve the puck, followed by support close enough to keep the attack alive. Saturday showed how quickly the game can tilt when those possessions disappear.

Toronto comes next

The Kraken conclude the homestand against Toronto on Wednesday, October 28, at Climate Pledge Arena. The break between games gives Seattle time to review the coverage failures and the stalled attack. The immediate standard is a complete performance: recoveries after an early setback mean little if the next period produces another sequence of avoidable chances against.

Sources

• NHL: official final scoring summary (checked 2026-10-25)
• Seattle Kraken: official recap and Dunn comments (checked 2026-10-25)
• FOX 13 Seattle: October 24 match report (checked 2026-10-25)
• Pacific North Hockey: Glenn Dreyfuss match analysis (checked 2026-10-25)

Analysis and recommendations are the editorial desk’s interpretation. Reporting and attributed perspectives are linked above. Information is current as of the publication date.