Jordan Eberle LeadsSeattle Kraken to 3-2 Victory Over Edmonton Oilers

The Seattle Kraken continued their impressive franchise-best start to the season with a hard-fought 3-2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers at Climate Pledge Arena on Saturday night. Captain Jordan Eberle starred against his former team, netting two crucial goals that helped Seattle improve to 5-2-2 on the season. The win marked the Kraken’s third consecutive home victory and came just two nights after shutting out the President’s Trophy-winning Winnipeg Jets, demonstrating that Seattle is emerging as a legitimate threat in the Pacific Division.

For the Oilers, the loss extended their struggles to find consistency early in the season. Despite goals from defensemen Evan Bouchard and Darnell Nurse—both recording their first tallies of the campaign—Edmonton couldn’t overcome their defensive lapses on the rush and fell short in their attempts to mount a late comeback. The defeat dropped the Oilers to 4-5-1 on the season as they headed into the second half of a back-to-back set against Vancouver.

Jordan Eberle’s emotional performance powers the Seattle Kraken 3-2 victory over Edmonton Oilers

Jordan Eberle wasted no time making his presence felt against the organization that drafted him 22nd overall in 2008. Just 83 seconds into the opening period, the Kraken captain exploited an early Edmonton defensive breakdown to give Seattle the lead. After a pinch at the blueline went awry for the Oilers, Berkly Catton chipped the puck up the boards, creating a two-on-one rush with Matty Beniers.

Beniers threaded a perfect cross-ice pass to Eberle in the right circle, and the veteran forward lifted a shot over Stuart Skinner’s glove to open the scoring. It was a familiar sight for Oilers fans who watched Eberle score 165 goals during his seven seasons in Edmonton, though this time, his celebration came at their expense.

The early goal set the tone for what would be a challenging night for Edmonton’s defense. The Kraken’s ability to generate dangerous rush chances became a recurring theme, with Seattle capitalizing on the Oilers’ mistakes in transition. Head coach Kris Knoblauch acknowledged after the game, “Whether that’s a bad pinch or the forwards not coming back, we’re just out of sync there. That’s where Seattle had pretty much all their chances off plays like that.”

Eberle’s second goal came in the third period after another failed keep-in at the blueline by Evan Bouchard. Once again, Beniers was the architect, pushing the puck ahead to Eberle, who calmly went back across Skinner for his fourth goal of the season. The two-goal performance was particularly meaningful for Eberle, who had scored just twice in his previous 15 career meetings against his former team since being traded to the New York Islanders in 2017.

Tye Kartye and Joey Daccord deliver in the Seattle Kraken 3-2 victory over Edmonton Oilers

While Eberle grabbed the headlines, Tye Kartye provided crucial secondary scoring for the Kraken. At 6:35 of the second period, Kartye registered his first goal of the season after a slick combination with Ryan Winterton off the rush. Winterton toe-dragged his way out of the Oilers’ zone, maneuvered around Adam Henrique, and found Kartye in the high slot.

Kartye’s wrist shot beat Skinner, who caught an edge in his crease while attempting to make the save. The goal extended Seattle’s lead to 2-0 and came at a critical moment when Edmonton was starting to generate pressure. Kartye’s ability to finish the chance demonstrated the depth scoring that has been instrumental in the Kraken’s strong start to the season.

Between the pipes, Joey Daccord was exceptional, making 31 saves to earn his second win in nine career games against Edmonton. Daccord had carried a shutout streak of 119:59 into the game after blanking Winnipeg on Thursday, and while Bouchard’s power-play blast ended that run, the Seattle netminder remained composed under pressure.

Daccord’s most crucial saves came during several dangerous Oilers rushes, particularly in the third period when Edmonton pressed for the equalizer. His ability to track pucks through traffic and make timely stops proved to be the difference in a one-goal game. The Kraken’s goaltender demonstrated why he’s become a reliable presence for a team that has aspirations of making a deeper playoff run this season.

Edmonton’s defensive struggles doom comeback effort in the Seattle Kraken 3-2 victory over Edmonton Oilers

The Oilers’ defensive issues, particularly in transition, were the story of their downfall. All three Kraken goals came off rush chances created by Edmonton mistakes, a pattern that has plagued the team during their inconsistent start to the season. Darnell Nurse, who scored his first goal of the season in the loss, didn’t mince words about the team’s struggles.

“I thought our process was a little better than the other night, but we forced Stu to make some big saves, especially there off the rush, and probably gave up a few,” Nurse said. “For us, we gotta keep plugging away at our game.” The defenseman’s candid assessment highlighted the frustration within the Edmonton locker room as they continue searching for the cohesion that carried them to the Stanley Cup Final last season.

Despite the defensive lapses, the Oilers showed fight with their special teams. Evan Bouchard’s power-play goal in the second period was Edmonton’s fifth goal with the man advantage in their last three games, showcasing one area where they’ve found consistency. Bouchard stepped into an open slap shot from inside the right circle, finally breaking through for his first goal after starting the season with an eight-game drought.

Leon Draisaitl continued his strong play against Seattle with two assists, extending his point streak against the Kraken to six straight games. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins also registered a helper, stretching his point streak to three games. However, individual performances weren’t enough to overcome the systemic issues plaguing the Oilers’ defensive structure.

The Oilers mounted a late push after Nurse deflected Mattias Ekholm’s chest-high shot past Daccord with 5:25 remaining, cutting Seattle’s lead to 3-2. Edmonton pulled Skinner for an extra attacker in the final minutes, but the Kraken’s defense held firm, protecting their lead and securing two crucial points in the standings. Jack Roslovic came agonizingly close to tying the game in the dying seconds of the second period, hitting the post with a rebound attempt, but it wasn’t to be Edmonton’s night.

What the Seattle Kraken 3-2 victory over Edmonton Oilers means moving forward

This victory represents more than just two points for the Seattle Kraken. Their 5-2-2 start marks the best beginning in franchise history, and consecutive wins over the President’s Trophy winner and Stanley Cup runner-up demonstrate that Seattle has developed into a legitimate contender. The Kraken’s ability to capitalize on transition opportunities and receive timely goaltending from Daccord suggests they have the ingredients for sustained success.

The chemistry between Eberle and Beniers has been particularly noteworthy, with the young center setting up both of his captain’s goals. According to ESPN’s game recap, this dynamic duo is becoming one of the more dangerous combinations in the Western Conference. As Seattle continues to build its identity in only its fourth season of existence, performances like this one signal that the franchise is ahead of schedule in its competitive timeline.

For the Oilers, the loss raises concerns about their defensive structure and overall team cohesion. As noted in the NHL’s official game recap, Edmonton’s struggles in transition defense have become a recurring theme early in the season. With a back-to-back game against Vancouver looming, the Oilers need to find solutions quickly.

Nurse emphasized the importance of the upcoming matchup: “Every time we play Vancouver, it’s a tough match. They’re a team that comes out and plays hard. So for us, it’s that connectedness. We talked about being five players all over the ice, upping our work ethic and winning our battles and those cliché things that allow you to work yourself out of a slump.” The Oilers have the talent to turn their season around, but they’ll need to shore up their defensive play and rediscover the team game that carried them to within two wins of the Stanley Cup last June.

The Kraken will look to extend their home winning streak when they host Montreal on Tuesday, while the Oilers will attempt to bounce back on Sunday in Vancouver. Both teams face important early-season tests that will help define their trajectories for the remainder of the campaign.