Kraken’s special teams shine in battle with Mammoth

The Kraken have shown an ability to respond when games get difficult early in the season. Thursday night against the Utah Mammoth, that resilience helped secure a 5-3 victory. But the way Seattle needed to earn the win also highlighted that protecting the lead is an area they are still struggling with. 

Special teams shaped the game from the opening period, with Seattle’s power play converting twice to help establish a two-goal advantage. Utah’s own man advantage proved just as dangerous, fueling a third-period comeback that erased the Kraken’s lead before Seattle found a late response.

The result extended Seattle’s strong start to the season, but it also reinforced a lesson the team has been learning repeatedly: building a lead and protecting one are two different challenges.

Seattle’s power play provided an early advantage, converting twice on four opportunities. Matty Beniers and Brandon Montour were both able to find the back of the net, while both units were able to consistently generate offensive-zone possession and scoring chances.

The production was especially encouraging after an earlier power play created pressure without finding the net. Seattle maintained possession and kept Utah’s penalty killers working, eventually translating that pressure into goals.

However, the Mammoth demonstrated why special teams can quickly change a game’s direction. Utah’s first-in-the-league power play converted twice on three power-play opportunities, taking advantage of Seattle’s penalty kill and making the Kraken work to preserve their lead.

Head coach Lane Lambert acknowledged the difficulty of defending against Utah’s man advantage, praising the their ability to move the puck quickly and create shooting opportunities. Rather than dwelling on the penalty kill, Lambert preferred to emphasize Seattle’s offensive response. “It’s hard to say we didn’t kill poorly when we gave up two goals,” Lambert said. “But at the end of the day, our power play really stepped up and I’d rather focus on the positive.”

Seattle’s power play helped establish the advantage, and the team’s ability to generate offense late ultimately gave it a way to recover when Utah’s man advantage shifted the momentum.

The Kraken’s ability to recover after surrendering a lead has become a recurring theme. Thursday’s game marked the third time in roughly 10 days that Seattle had carried a multi-goal lead into the third period only to see it disappear.

The team has managed to win those games, but Beniers recognized that the pattern cannot continue indefinitely. “We got to learn from it,” Beniers said. “We have to get better playing with leads and shutting teams down and not letting them push back.”

That distinction is important for a Seattle team that has otherwise shown encouraging signs. Beniers accurately described the group as connected, with players competing for the puck, making plays and playing with confidence throughout the lineup.

The Kraken’s resilience was evident again against Utah. Rather than allowing the Mammoth’s comeback to dictate the result, Seattle found a way to regain momentum and take control late.

Beniers acknowledged that surrendering a lead can give an opponent confidence, particularly when it begins to feel as though the momentum has completely shifted. But he also pointed to the importance of responding after the game becomes tied, and the significant difference, they can make. 

Bobby McMann and Mackie Samoskevich combined for a crucial late goal, with McMann recognizing Samoskevich in the developing play rather than forcing a shot himself. The sequence helped Seattle regain the lead and put the Kraken in position to finish the game.

Samoskevich credited his teammate for making the play happen, “It was a bit chaotic,” Samoskevich said. “The puck was bouncing everywhere, and then it came to Bobby, and he kind of just made the perfect play to me. I didn’t have to do much there, so credit to him.”

The play reflected a broader quality Seattle needed after Utah’s comeback which is the ability to stay composed when the game becomes unpredictable.

McMann also pointed to the energy the team gained from the crowd after an apparent Utah goal was overturned following a successful coach’s challenge. Those moments can help reinforce a team’s belief that its approach is working, even when the scoreboard becomes less favorable. This belief was able to translate into a late offensive push that helped the Kraken secure the win. 

Lambert was encouraged by Seattle’s response to Utah’s third-period surge, particularly compared with the team’s approach in its previous game against Detroit. He felt the Kraken had become too passive while protecting their lead against the Red Wings, whereas they pushed back more effectively against the Mammoth.

Still, he acknowledged that learning to manage leads is an ongoing process, “We’ve got to continue to play the game the same way with the lead,” Lambert said. “And that comes up a little bit of experience, a little bit of time.”

Lambert also praised Philipp Grubauer, who made 33 saves on 36 shots, for keeping Seattle in a position to win throughout the contest. 

The Kraken left Thursday with their seventh win of the season, powered by their ability to convert on the power play and respond when Utah threatened to take over. Their resilience has been a strength during the early season, but the repeated third-period comebacks offer a reminder that closing out games remains an important part of their development.