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John Hayden, Seattle Kraken (Jenn G from Seattle, WA, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons)

3 Takeaways From the Kraken’s 6-4 Win Over the Sabres

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers | By Jess Amato | Last updated Jan 21, 2025 11:20 AM ET

The Seattle Kraken hosted the Buffalo Sabres on Jan. 20. This matchup came just ten days after their first of the season, where the Kraken defeated the Sabres 6-2. Once again, the Kraken came out on top, this time beating the Sabres 6-4.

John Hayden Earned First Goal of the Season

Six different players earned a goal for the Kraken yesterday. John Hayden kicked them off with the first goal of the game, as well as his first of the season.

Mitchell Stephens had the puck behind the net, while two Sabres were on him, also trying to get a hold of it. He was able to send it around the boards, where it found Ryker Evans. He took a shot on the net from where he was, but it bounced off the pad of Devon Levi. Hayden was in the right place at the right time, as he was able to capture the rebound from where he was in front of the net. He sent a shot to the back of the net to tie the game for the Kraken directly after the Sabres scored their first goal of the game.

Hayden has only played in five games for the Kraken so far this season. This goal gave him his first point. He has spent a lot of time with the Coachella Valley Firebirds. Due to Jordan Eberle and Yanni Gourde still being out, the Kraken have been trying to find another forward that fits in with the rest of the team. Hayden seems to be finding his footing with the Kraken.

Jared McCann’s 3-Point Game Puts Him on Top

Recently, Jared McCann has been in a scoring slump. His last goal was on Dec. 30. In the nine games between now and then, he has racked up five assists. Finally, against the Sabres, that streak ended. He earned two assists, one off of Jamie Oleksiak’s goal and the other off of Adam Larsson’s. He also was able to score an empty net goal after the Sabres pulled their goalie towards the end of the game.

McCann has been a consistent force for the Kraken this season but has taken a step back lately. Jordan Eberle was always on the same line as him. With him being out on long-term injured reserve (LTIR), McCann has not played the same. On the third line last night with Shane Wright and Eeli Tolvanen, it appears he is beginning to find his footing once more.

McCann continues to lead the Kraken in overall points with 36. For a while, he also led in goals and assists. He has since been passed in goals by Jaden Schwartz, who has 16 to McCann’s 14. The hat trick Schwartz earned against the Los Angeles Kings put him over the edge. In assists, Chandler Stephenson has passed him with a total of 25, compared to his 22. Both also have a total of 33 points each, edging ever so closely to McCann’s top leaderboard spot.

Every Point Matters

When it comes to the Western Conference wild card race, the Kraken are in the middle of the pack at sixth. They are currently tied with the Utah Hockey Club at 45 points. Spots three and four are taken by the Vancouver Canucks and the St. Louis Blues. Both teams have 50 points. The Flames currently sit in the number two spot, with the possibility of getting a wild card. They are at 51 points. The Colorado Avalanche are at 57 points and are at the top-most spot on the leaderboard.

Although they are in the middle currently, a lot can change in the next 34 games. It’s not unheard of to make a comeback into a wild card spot. If they are able to keep this momentum up, it’s certainly possible. Let’s not count the Kraken out of playoff contention yet.