Kraken Conquer Capitals at Capital One Arena in Goal Glut
The Washington Capitals, with a record of 10-4, faced off against the Seattle Kraken, who held a 7-6 tally before the game. The final score read 4-1 in favor of the visiting team.
In an eventful matchup at Capital One Arena, the Washington Capitals were unable to capitalize on their home ice advantage against the Seattle Kraken. Despite a valiant effort and a higher shot count of 26 compared to the Kraken's 23, the Capitals found themselves outscored and outmaneuvered. The Kraken's offense was relentless from the start, netting two goals in the first period and adding another one in each subsequent period.
The Capitals' lone goal came during the second period, which briefly ignited hopes among fans for a comeback that ultimately did not materialize. The team's shooting accuracy was notably lower than their opponents', with only about four percent of shots finding their way past Seattle's goaltender who saved all but one shot for an impressive save percentage rounding up to one hundred percent.
Washington struggled with giveaways throughout the game, recording fourteen instances compared to Seattle's six. This discrepancy likely contributed to their minus fifteen plus-minus rating by game end—a stark contrast to Seattle’s plus fifteen rating.
On special teams play, both sides had limited opportunities with just one powerplay each; neither team managed to score during these chances. However, it is worth noting that while both teams had equal faceoff wins overall at fifty-three attempts apiece; it was Washington who edged out slightly better in this area with twenty-eight wins.
Defensively speaking, both teams blocked numerous shots—sixteen for Washington and twelve for Seattle—but it wasn't enough for Washington as they allowed four even-strength goals while only managing one themselves.
Looking ahead after this tough loss on home ice, fans can catch their next chance at victory when they host New York Rangers at Capital One Arena on January 13th. This upcoming contest is scheduled for 1:00 PM Eastern Time and will be broadcast nationally on ABC as well as streamed online via ESPN+.