Three in a Row: Kraken's Playoff Window Is Slamming Shut Against Blue Jackets
The Seattle Kraken just dropped their third straight game Saturday, losing to the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-2, and folks, the panic button is officially within arm's reach. With only 13 games left in the regular season, Seattle is two points behind the Nashville Predators for that final wild-card spot in the West. Two points doesn't sound like much, but when you're playing like this? It feels like a chasm.
The Collapse Nobody Wanted to See
Here's the brutal reality: the Kraken have won just four of their last 13 games since the Olympic break. All nine of those losses came in regulation, which means no extra points salvaged from overtime or a shootout. Two of their four wins came against the Vancouver Canucks, who are literally 13 points worse than everyone else in the league. This isn't the kind of resume that screams "playoff team" when the finish line is in sight.
Saturday's loss to Columbus was a complete defensive breakdown. By the time Vince Dunn scored on a top-shelf blast with 3:43 left in the first period, Joey Daccord had already been beaten three times. Danton Heinen and Damon Severson built that early 2-0 lead, with Severson firing through a crowd in front. The Kraken bench actually looked like they might challenge on one of those goals for goalie interference but decided against it. Then Mathieu Olivier added insult with a no-look chip backward to make it 3-1. Daccord finished with 23 saves.
One Bright Spot, One Gut Punch
The Kraken showed some fight when Kaapo Kakko (one goal, one assist) tucked one in off a Shane Wright faceoff win to cut it to 3-2. The momentum looked like it was swinging Seattle's way. Jacob Melanson even hit the left post on the game-tying chance. Then Columbus answered back just 1:02 later to make it 4-2, and that was pretty much that. The Kraken managed only 10 shots combined over the final two periods. Cole Sillinger finished things off into an empty net.
One more thing that stung: Jared McCann got hurt in warmups and didn't play, ruled out with a lower-body injury. At least Eeli Tolvanen returned after missing two games to fill the lineup.
Time's Running Out
The good news? The Predators have already beaten Vegas and Nashville, and the San Jose Sharks and L.A. Kings both lost Saturday too. Seattle's still in the conversation. The bad news? The Kraken need to start playing like a playoff team right now. They face the Florida Panthers on Tuesday in Sunrise, a team they've already beaten this season. This is no time to sleepwalk through games. Two points back with 13 to play? That's not a death sentence. But it's close.
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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.