Kraken pull off stunning rally to top Canucks, 5-4 in overtime

Tim Booth, The Seattle Times on Dec 28, 2024

Published in Hockey

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

VANCOUVER, B.C. — Rivalries in sports are built on a foundation of contempt.

Proximity helps, as does frequency. But ultimately creating the kind of passionate conflicts that start with players and coaches and trickle down through a fan base starts with playing meaningful games with something on the line.

Someday, that’ll happen for the Kraken and the team that’s tailor made to be their rival, the Canucks. At least, that’s the hope when two teams in the same region are separated by just a couple of hours and the border.

The Kraken tried to provide a little spark to the rivalry on Saturday, putting together a rally in the final 5 minutes of regulation that left the home crowd stunned and snapped Seattle’s five-game losing streak with a 5-4 overtime win over the Canucks.

Jaden Schwartz and Vince Dunn combined for three goals in the final 4:45 of regulation as the Kraken erased a three-goal deficit. Schwartz’s second goal with 48 seconds left capped the rally and sent the game to overtime.

In the extra session, Dunn collected a turnover and broke free on a breakaway and beat Thatcher Dekmo 2:15 into overtime to give Seattle the two points and a stunning comeback.

It may not be the kind of game and result that lights a fire under what’s been an underwhelming rivalry between to the two neighbors to date. That will come when the day arrives that they are meeting in the Stanley Cup playoffs or at the very least fighting for a postseason spot.

But it’s a little something at a time the Kraken desperately needed a result to go their way.

The Kraken (19-29-3-2) pulled within eight points of the Canucks in the Western Conference standings where Vancouver holds one of the two wild-card playoff spots.