Kraken Blow 3-Goal Lead, Lose Heartbreaker in Shootout to Panthers
The Seattle Kraken had this one. They really did. But a catastrophic third period collapse handed the Florida Panthers a 5-4 shootout win on Tuesday night in Sunrise, and honestly, it's the kind of loss that stings for days.
The Kraken were cruising with a 4-1 lead late in the third period with 7:39 to play. Then everything fell apart. Matty Beniers cut it to 4-2 with 5:43 remaining, sneaking one past Sergei Bobrovsky on a poke check. Captain Jordan Eberle forced a turnover just 2 minutes later and buried the response to make it 4-3. Fourteen seconds after that, Bobby McMann tied the game at 4-4 on the rush, and suddenly the whole game flipped on its head. The Panthers punched their ticket to overtime, and we all knew where this was headed.
The Collapse Nobody Saw Coming
That 2:21 span of chaos was brutal to watch. Eberle and McMann scored just 14 seconds apart, which tells you everything about how fast this thing unraveled. Joey Daccord made 20 saves and did everything he could, but the defense and the skaters in front of him just couldn't hold the line when it mattered most.
Meanwhile, the Panthers got contributions all over the lineup. Noah Gregor, called up from the AHL's Charlotte Checkers, set the tone early by feeding Nolan Foote in the second period. Then in the third, Gregor added the dagger when his shot from the wall ricocheted off Adam Larsson and past Daccord to make it 4-1. Eetu Luostarinen and Carter Verhaeghe also found the back of the net for Florida. Bobrovsky stopped 22 shots and stood tall when it mattered most, including shutting down the Kraken in the shootout when Vinnie Hinostroza buried the winner.
Treading Water in the Playoff Race
This loss hits different because Seattle has now dropped eight of its last 10 games. The Kraken haven't won since a 6-2 victory over these same Panthers at home on March 15. At 31-29-10, they're clinging to a playoff spot at 72 points, but the margin for error is razor thin in the Pacific Division.
On the bright side, Larsson just played his 1,000th NHL game, which is the kind of milestone that shows the veteran leadership still around this locker room. But leadership doesn't win games when the third period discipline isn't there.
The Kraken head to Tampa Bay on Thursday night to face the Lightning. They need to find their footing fast or this season spirals in a hurry.
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This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.