Kraken win 4-3 in seven-round shootout over Blues

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SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - APRIL 12: Chandler Stephenson #9 of the Seattle Kraken shoots the puck in the shootout against Jordan Binnington #50 of the St Louis Blues at Climate Pledge Arena on April 12, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. (Liv Lyons / NHLI / Getty Images)

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SEATTLE - Chandler Stephenson's goal in the seventh round of a shootout served as the finishing blow for the Seattle Kraken in a 4-3 win over a St. Louis Blues team still fighting for a playoff spot.

Kaapo Kakko scored in the third round, and Brayden Schenn hit the post to extend the shootout to extra frames. After three rounds of misses from both teams, Stephenson beat Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington under his right pad and Jimmy Snuggerud's response missed the net wide to give the Kraken just their second shootout win of the season.

The win also robbed the Blues of an extra point in the standings that could be critical as they try to grab one of the last two playoff spots in the Western Conference.

"We knew that coming in, and we wanted to play spoiler a little bit," said Shane Wright, who scored the tying goal in the third period.

Head coach Dan Bylsma said he believes that the team's improved play down the stretch can carry over to the new season in the fall.

"I think (the) mindset and the goal of the guys in there is to finish the season strong and kind of prove to each other, prove to everybody watching, that we can be a good team. Yes, I think that does provide hope for the future," Bylsma said.

After a pretty quiet first 40 minutes, the two teams combined for five goals in the first 10 minutes of the third period, including three goals just 50 seconds apart. Seattle had a 1-0 lead at the end of the second period on Jaden Schwartz's 25th goal of the season before the game broke open early in the third.

An attempted crossing pass by Schwartz bounced straight back to Schwartz off St. Louis defenseman Nick Leddy and caught goaltender Jordan Binnington sliding the wrong direction. Schwartz buried the puck for a 1-0 lead less than four minutes into the second period.

Schwartz's 25th goal of the season is tied for the second-most in a single season in his career. He had 25 goals with St. Louis in 2013-14 and set a career-high with 28 goals in 2014-15.

"We're approaching each day with the right mindset," Schwartz said of the team's play recently. "That's a big part of it right now, and we're showing up to win games, and we're taking advantage of these days and playing hard for one another and battling and doing everything we can. So I think it's important, even though we're out of it, it's important to have the right mindset and still be working on things."

Neither team managed to convert on their lone power play chance in the frame and Seattle took a 1-0 lead into the third period.

Radek Faksa tied the game at 1-1 just 66 seconds into the third with the help of a friendly bounce. Leddy's shot from the blue line caromed off Nathan Walker in front of Seattle's net and directly to Faksa on Philipp Grubauer's flank. A backhanded finish slipped through Grubauer to bring the game back level.

Three goals were then scored in 50 seconds that put St. Louis on top.

Mikey Eyssimont buried a rebound by Binnington as a Tye Kartye shot fell directly to Eyssimont for his ninth goal of the season and fourth with the Kraken.

Just 37 seconds later, the Blues scored on a transition rush with Robert Thomas perfectly delivering a pass to Colton Parayko in front of Grubauer that he slipped through to bring the game level again at 2-2.

Then 13 seconds after that, a Leddy slap shot from the high slot through traffic breezed by Grubauer into the back of the net to give St. Louis a 3-2 lead.

It was then Seattle's turn to find a tying goal on a rush in transition. Eyssimont found a driving Jamie Oleksiak at the blue line and his pass to the front of the net deflected off the left skate of Wright and into the net to tie the game at 3-3.

The goal was reviewed to see if Wright kicked the puck into the net, but it was ruled there was no distinct kicking motion and the tally stood for Seattle.

"I was confident until I saw the replay," Wright said. "It looked like I kind of moved my foot a little bit forward, but I know I didn't try to kick at it. And, yeah, was able to just get the bounce there.

"Everyone's looking at like the screens behind the bench there seeing if we did or not, but yeah, definitely a little anxious moments for sure."

Both teams had a few chances to take the lead in the closing minutes, but the game would head to overtime. Seattle had the only two shots on goal in the extra period before the game went to a shootout.

The Kraken's only shootout win this season came in the second game of the year against the Minnesota Wild. Their second win came in the second-to-last game of the year after three straight shootout losses.

Grubauer made 20 saves on 23 shots and turned away the final five chances he saw in the shootout to earn the win in net for Seattle.

"We want to fight hard and win this game, you know, for Grubi as well. And yeah, really happy with how we fought back. And nice to get the win, Wright said.

It's a victory that may end up being Grubauer's last with the Kraken as the team could elect to buy his contract out after the year following a disappointing season that saw him placed on waivers and sent to AHL Coachella Valley at the end of January.

"Really good," Bylsma said. "And, you know, Grubi didn't feel so great going into tonight's game. He was sick in Utah and still recovering, I'll say. And you know, he was exhausted at the end. But I think the starts that he's had since he's come back have been, you know, really the goaltender he can be. Tonight, he was really solid. He gave us a chance early on, made the big save on the (penalty kill) again, the save on Schenn in the third was massive, and you know, good for him getting the shootout win."

Eeli Tolvanen beat Binnington with an impressive move in the first round of the shootout only to have Jake Neighbors immediately answer for the Blues. After Jordan Eberle was stopped by Binnington, Thomas' shot went off the left post and then rebounded off the back side of Grubauer and into the goal for a 2-1 advantage.

Kakko scoring in the third round extended the shootout until Stephenson was able to deliver the winner.

The Source: Original reporting by FOX 13 Seattle.