Top Kraken Takeaways From Seattle’s Home Win Over Philadelphia, December 28th, 2025
Kraken Find Their Finnish in 4–1 Win Over Flyers
By Jayd Serdy, edited by Charles Hamaker
Seattle, WA - The Seattle Kraken didn’t have to dominate the ice to control the outcome of this win in the first leg of a back-to-back. Strong goaltending from Philipp Grubauer, paired with timely scoring and a noticeable jump in offensive intent, carried the Kraken to a 4–1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on the last Sunday night game of 2025. Here are some top takeaways from the Seattle win.
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)
Philipp Grubauer Holds the Line Under Pressure
The Flyers brought a strong level of compete, especially at five-on-five. Philipp Grubauer was a large part of the stabilizing force behind it all, as he stopped 32 shots against a Philadelphia team that consistently sent pucks to the net and looked for second chances on rebounds. His workload wasn’t light, but Grubauer stayed composed. He tracked traffic well and prevented the game from tilting when Seattle’s defensive structure got shaky. It was the kind of performance that let the Kraken play with a lead instead of chasing one.
“The numbers are always a reflection of how the team plays. 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 work back into our zone as a five-man unit. Without that, it wouldn’t be possible. It’s all of those guys, not just me.”
A Much-Needed Jump in Offensive Purpose
This wasn’t just about goals for the Kraken – it was about intent. Seattle played with noticeably more pace through the neutral zone and far more conviction once set up in the offensive end. Pucks were getting to the net quicker, and the Kraken looked more decisive about shooting rather than over-handling like they tend to do. That aggressiveness translated directly to results and made the game harder on a Flyers team that tends to do well when opponents hesitate.
Photos from goals 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)
Veterans Lead the Scoring
Jordan Eberle and Chandler Stephenson delivered the timely offense this Kraken lineup needs from its veteran forwards. Eberle’s finish rewarded sustained pressure in the O-Zone off a quality pass from Kaapo Kakko, while Stephenson’s goal reflected Seattle’s ability to attack off movement rather than little-moving possession off a strong pass from Eeli Tolvanen. Towards the end of the game, Tolvanen sealed the victory with two empty-net goals, a nice change of pace after recent games, and how hard the team played throughout this game.
Game Management Looked Sharper
One of the quieter, but equally as encouraging takeaways: Seattle managed this game well. When Philadelphia pushed, the Kraken didn’t unravel. When the lead was there, they didn’t sit back entirely, hoping to just casually hang onto it. The structure wasn’t perfect, but it was disciplined enough, and paired with goaltending, that was the difference. This was a game Seattle closed out with confidence rather than relief.
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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