Kraken Defeat Flyers 4-1, Hit Season High Four Game Winning Streak
Our Seattle Kraken may have lost seven of their eight last games at home, but after a refreshing holiday break, turned things around at Climate Pledge Arena on Sunday
By Miracle Lucketti, edited by Charles Hamaker
Seattle, WA - The Kraken delivered a late Christmas gift Sunday, beating the Philadelphia Flyers 4-1. Goaltender Philipp Grubauer stopped 31 of 32 shots, allowing just one goal late in the third period. This win was Grubauer’s second straight, following a season-high 40 saves in the Kraken’s 3 - 1 win over Anaheim on December 22nd.
“[Goalie] numbers are always a reflection of how the team plays. So, without the team in front of us, we couldn’t do this. The way we play, the way we block shots, box out, let us see the puck. The way we worked back in our zone as a five-man unit, without that, it wouldn’t be possible.”
Photos of goaltender Philipp Grubauer during the Seattle Kraken’s 4-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday, December 28th, 2025, at Climate Pledge Arena. (Photos by Bryant Garduque for Circling Seattle Sports)
Like in their last ten games, Seattle ended the first scoreless. They regrouped in the second, with Captain Jordan Eberle scoring at 3:48 - his fourteenth this season. Kaapo Kaako assisted.
“We don’t really have the option to not play well,” Eberle said after the game. “I mean, the standings are what they are. We’ve got to find a way to climb, and we’ve done that of late, and we’ve got another chance tomorrow. It’s pretty tight, so we’ve got to keep going.”
Getting Jared McCann back in the Kraken lineup has helped. “He adds an element that we need,” Coach Lane Lambert told the media. “I thought he did a lot of good things. He was good on the walls, made some heads-up plays, and had some opportunities. He’s a key player for us.”
Eberle's goal set the Kraken in motion. After their penalty kill stopped all three Flyers power plays, Seattle struck again just 5:49 into the third, as Chandler Stephenson scored to put them up 2 - 0. Tolvanen assisted on the goal, extending his point streak to six games.
Photos from goals by Jordan Eberle and Chandler Stephenson during the Seattle Kraken’s 4-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday, December 28th, 2025, at Climate Pledge Arena. (Photos by Bryant Garduque for Circling Seattle Sports)
Not content with just an assist, Tolvanen scored a goal of his own at 17:31. After Carl Grundstrom snuck one past Grubauer with 1:57 remaining in the third, Tolvanen answered with an empty netter to end the period and pad the Kraken’s 4 - 1 win.
Coach Lambert was pleased. Reflecting on the game, he said, “Overall, I liked our team game. I like the way we’re playing for each other. And I thought that our structure, for the most part, was pretty good.”
Photos from Eeli Tolvanen’s two empty net goals to help close out the Seattle Kraken’s 4-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday, December 28th, 2025, at Climate Pledge Arena. (Photos by Bryant Garduque for Circling Seattle Sports)
Quick Kraken notes, from Kraken PR
Seattle won its fourth straight game tonight and split the season series with the Philadelphia Flyers.
Kraken forward Eeli Tolvanen tallied three points (2g/1a) in tonight's game and now leads the Kraken in points (25). This marked his sixth multi-goal game with the Kraken, surpassing Oliver Bjorkstrand (5) for the fourth most in franchise history.
Tolvanen matched his career high six-game point streak tonight, recording 10 points (3g/7a) in that span.
His six-game point streak is the second longest from any Kraken skater this season (Stephenson - eight games).
Kraken captain and forward Jordan Eberle scored his 15th game-opening goal with Seattle to extend his scoring streak to three consecutive games (4g).
Kraken forward Chandler Stephenson tallied two points (1g/1a) and now has 12 points (6g/6a) in his past 11 games.
Stephenson went 75% in the faceoff dot tonight (12-for-16), setting a new season high.
Kraken forward Matty Beniers is riding a three-game point streak, having recorded an assist in each of his past three contests (3a).
Kraken goaltender Philipp Grubauer saved 31-of-32 shots tonight, marking his third highest save total this season and second highest save percentage (.969) when facing 32 or more shots.
What’s Next
The Kraken finish their back-to-back tomorrow, December 29th, at home against Vancouver. The homestand continues through the New Year, with Nashville visiting on January 1st.
Seattle is currently one point behind both San Jose and Utah for the final Western Conference playoff spot, and we’ve officially reached the point of the season where we all say, “Every point counts.”
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