Top Kraken Takeaways From Seattle’s Home Win Over Boston, January 6th, 2026
Berk and Kakko put on a clinic
By Jayd Serdy, edited by Charles Hamaker
Seattle, WA - The Kraken didn’t just beat the Boston Bruins in the second half of a back-to-back in “cursed” jerseys; they dominated them. In a 7–4 win that felt loud, strong, and encouraging, fans turned Climate Pledge Arena into an arena-wide celebration of offense, milestones, and momentum. From a long-overdue scoring explosion to a pair of multi-goal performances and steady special teams, this was one of those nights where nearly everything went Seattle’s way, and they looked dangerous doing it. Here are some top takeaways from the Seattle Kraken home win over the Boston Bruins on Tuesday, January 6th, 2026.
1. A Long Overdue Offensive Outburst
Seven goals at home against a team like Boston and goaltender Jeremy Swayman doesn’t happen by accident, so this was easily one of Seattle’s most complete offensive performances of the season so far. The Kraken scored in waves and never really let the Bruins settle into the game defensively. The puck was getting to the net, rebounds were there to be finished, and Seattle capitalized on mistakes instead of letting them slide by and dictate the game. Even when Boston pushed back, the Kraken had an answer, which is something that’s been missing too often this year. As the team seemingly nears a return to full health and with some areas of the forward lines finding their groove, there’s hope that Seattle can make their current form at least somewhat sustainable.
Seattle Kraken forward Berkly Catton celebrates his first NHL goal during the team’s 7-4 victory over the Boston Bruins on Tuesday, January 6th, 2026, at Climate Pledge Arena. (Photos by Aaron Benson for Circling Seattle Sports)
2. A Night to Remember for Berkly Catton and Kaapo Kakko
If there was a moment that captured the joy radiating from Climate Pledge Arena, it was Berkly Catton scoring not just his first NHL goal, but his second as well, and doing it with confidence. He didn’t look out of place, and his finishing touches added to an already rolling offense. Of course, you can attribute the goals to his number change, back to number 27 like he’s worn previously, but I think it’s safer to say that his linemates were a big part of this long-standing feat. Having another young, creative forward like Shane Wright on a line with Catton is a thrilling prospect for the future of the franchise if those two can continue to build their games and chemistry with each other, and adding a veteran goal scorer like Jared McCann to mentor those two and finish chances they set up makes it all the more exciting.
On the other end of the milestone spectrum, Kaapo Kakko delivered one of his own with two goals and his 100th NHL assist, efficiently being an anchor in Seattle’s attack. This game was a reminder of what Kakko can be when he’s assertive and net-front, and a glimpse of what Catton has the ability to grow into. Matty Beniers and Jordan Eberle have benefitted from having Kaapo on their line, so it’s nice to see Kakko earn some of the benefit as well after helping out his two linemates.
Seattle Kraken forward Kaapo Kakko scores an empty net goal during the team’s 7-4 victory over the Boston Bruins on Tuesday, January 6th, 2026, at Climate Pledge Arena. (Photos by Aaron Benson for Circling Seattle Sports)
3. More Than Effective Special Teams
Seattle’s special teams were a legitimate advantage in this game. The power play went 3/4 and converted when given opportunities, furthering the distance against a Bruins team that has plenty of firepower despite being a bit more cooled off than in their strong stretches this year. Both power play units looked sure and decisive rather than hesitant, while the penalty kill, which went 1/3, limited Boston’s chance to sway the momentum back in their favor. Against a Bruins team that can punish mistakes, the Kraken stayed disciplined and organized, turning special teams into a stabilizing force rather than a stress point. That’s a winning formula, especially in games that start to open up.
Seattle Kraken goaltender Joey Daccord during the team’s 7-4 victory over the Boston Bruins on Tuesday, January 6th, 2026, at Climate Pledge Arena. (Photos by Aaron Benson for Circling Seattle Sports)
4. Fourth line, although changed, still performs
With Eeli Tolvanen out of the lineup for this game due to an illness announced during warmups, the Kraken saw Tye Kartye return to game action and slot into Ryan Winterton’s spot on the fourth line, while Winterton moved into where Tolvanen was on the second line. It was fair to wonder whether that fourth line would see a change in its production, but with Kartye playing a strong game throughout the season, the Seattle fourth line did not waiver and continues to impress, scoring a goal in this game against the Bruins. Kartye fit like a glove in his return to the lineup, something Lane Lambert said might happen when we asked him about Tye and his situation earlier in the week.
“His situation is fine. I thought prior to him coming out of the lineup, he was playing well. Anaheim, he played well. LA, he’s doing his job. And when you have extra players, that’s the luxury of having them, is creating competition. I think since Winterton has gone in for him, he’s played well. I expect when Kartye comes back into the lineup for whoever, he’ll play well as well. So, it’s a good problem to have. ”
Winterton has been slotted into a top-six role before with the Kraken, so we figured that made sense to do if you had to choose between him and Kartye. While it didn’t net him any points in this contest against Boston, “Wints” did a fine job slotting in with Chandler Stephenson and Freddy Gaudreau while picking up two blocked shots and a takeaway. Given his playmaking ability, which has been a bit more on display in recent games, if he’s forced to stay in that spot. Kartye had one of the plays of the night, doing basically all of the work to make sure that Ben Meyers’ goal could even become reality. Tye battled hard to win back a puck behind the Bruins' goal, and his pass to Meyers, who charged down towards the goal, saw Kartye do so, allowing Seattle to take a 3-2 lead late in the second period.
It’s difficult to see Kartye scratch given his strong play throughout the season, but it’s also hard to break up a fourth line that has been a driving force for the Kraken and remains incredibly hot amidst this strong stretch for Seattle. Tough decisions have to be made, which is a good problem to have. We’ll have to revisit the “tough decisions” line when Eeli Tolvanen is back from whatever illness he’s dealing with and when Jaden Schwartz is back to full health, which could be very soon with how he’s been practicing.
“I liked Tye tonight. The hard decision [to scratch Kartye] came [a week] ago. I thought he played really well in Anaheim, I thought he played well in LA, and then we had some numbers, so he came out of the lineup. It wasn’t like he was playing poorly. And him and Meyers and Melanson were playing well in those games too, so I put that line back together. I just thought Winterton was a better fit to go up there with [Chandler] Stephenson and playing sort of a top-six role that plays against the Pastrnak line.”
5. Matching The Win To Fan Energy
This felt like one of those nights where the crowd fed the team and the team fed the crowd right back. From early goals to milestone moments, Seattle kept the entire building engaged and never let the game go quiet. For a group that’s been searching for consistency, this was the kind of high-energy, high-reward performance that shows what’s possible when everything clicks at once. Hopefully, the fans and the team are able to continue pushing each other towards winning nights, because this was a game like no other. Games like this, where the energy is high, from both the fans and the players on the ice, are a reminder of how great sports can be at building and maintaining community. It’s why sports are so much more than the results on the playing surface.
What’s next?
Following tonight’s big victory over the Boston Bruins, while wearing their all-black “Abyss” third jerseys, the Seattle Kraken will have the day off tomorrow before returning to game action with their Pride Night on Thursday. That game on January 8th, 2026, will be against the Minnesota Wild, with a 7 PM PST puck drop at Climate Pledge Arena, and will be broadcast live on the Kraken Hockey Network (Amazon Prime Video) and KONG. The Kraken will be celebrating this Pride Night, presented by Symetra, the third “Kraken Common Thread” night of the season for Seattle here in the 2025-26 campaign. Since a seven-game win streak, which actually started with a victory over the Kraken, the Wild have lost five of their last eight games but three of those defeats have come after regulation. The Rainbow City of Performing Arts Color Guard will be performing as part of the pre-game entertainment in the atrium, fans will be able to pose with your crew for a photoshoot in front of the giant PRIDE letters located in the atrium, Mickey Preseton-Toogood, a singer with the Seattle Men's Chorus, sings the Star-Spangled Banner, and DJ Orion will be hyping the crowd during pre-game and intermissions from the Toyota Top Deck!
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