SAN JOSE, Calif. (Interstat) — The Seattle Kraken scored three times in the third period to defeat the San Jose Sharks 4-2 in an NHL game Saturday at SAP Pavilion. After a scoreless first, Eeli Tolvanen gave Seattle a lead at 12:52 of the second. San Jose’s Adam Gaudette tied it before the intermission. Collin Graf put the Sharks ahead 36 seconds into the third, but the Kraken responded with goals from Ryan Lindgren, Ryker Evans and Chandler Stephenson to secure the win. Stephenson, with a goal and an assist, was the top star. Joey Daccord made 35 saves for Seattle. The Kraken improved to 13-20, while the Sharks fell to 17-19 before an announced crowd of 17,435.

SAN JOSE, Calif. (Interstat) — The Seattle Kraken erupted for three third-period goals to snap a four-game losing streak, defeating the San Jose Sharks 4-2 on Saturday night at SAP Pavilion. Chandler Stephenson led the charge for Seattle with a goal and an assist, capping the scoring with a late backhand to seal the victory. The Kraken, who had managed just nine goals during their recent skid, found their offense when it mattered most in front of an announced crowd of 17,435. The game was a goaltending duel for the first 40 minutes. Seattle’s Joey Daccord, a native of Boston, turned aside all 14 shots he faced in a scoreless first period. His counterpart, San Jose’s Yaroslav Askarov from Omsk, Russia, was equally sharp, stopping all 13 Seattle attempts. The deadlock was broken at 12:52 of the second period. Seattle’s Eeli Tolvanen, a right wing from Vihti, Finland, collected a loose puck and fired a wrist shot past Askarov for an unassisted goal, his fifth of the season, to give the Kraken a 1-0 lead. The Sharks responded just over nine minutes later on the power play. After Seattle defenseman Ryan Lindgren was called for slashing against Collin Graf, San Jose capitalized. Rookie center Macklin Celebrini, the first overall pick in the 2024 draft, won an offensive zone faceoff. The puck made its way to Russian left wing Igor Chernyshov, whose shot created a rebound. Adam Gaudette pounced on it, slipping a backhand past Daccord at 22:22 to tie the game. Chernyshov and Celebrini were credited with assists. San Jose carried that momentum into the third period, taking the lead just 36 seconds in. Graf, a right wing from Lincoln, Massachusetts, poked a puck free from a Seattle defender in the slot and quickly snapped it past Daccord for his ninth goal of the year, putting the Sharks ahead 2-1. The Kraken, however, showed resilience. They drew even at 12:27 of the final frame. Stephenson, the center from Saskatoon, Canada, won a puck battle along the boards and fed Frederick Gaudreau. Gaudreau, a center from Granby, Canada, sent a pass to the point where defenseman Ryan Lindgren stepped into a wrist shot that beat Askarov cleanly for his first goal of the season. Less than five minutes later, Seattle took the lead for good. Defenseman Ryker Evans, a towering 6-foot-11 native of Calgary, Canada, joined the rush and took a pass in the high slot. His wrist shot found its way through traffic and into the net at 15:15, putting the Kraken up 3-2. San Jose pressed for the equalizer, pulling Askarov for an extra attacker with just over two minutes remaining. The move backfired when Stephenson intercepted a clearing attempt by Daccord, who earned a rare assist, and fired the puck the length of the ice into the empty net with 5:24 remaining to clinch the 4-2 victory. Daccord was stellar in net for Seattle, finishing with 35 saves on 37 shots to earn the win. Askarov took the loss for San Jose, making 28 saves on 31 Seattle shots. The game was a physical affair, with Seattle committing four of the game’s five penalties. The Sharks converted on one of their three power-play opportunities, while the Kraken failed to score on their lone chance. The victory improved Seattle’s record to 13-20, while San Jose fell to 17-19. The Kraken have now won both meetings between the Pacific Division rivals this season, having also defeated the Sharks 4-1 in Seattle on Nov. 15. Seattle’s road trip continues with a back-to-back in Southern California, facing the Anaheim Ducks on Monday and the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday. San Jose heads to Las Vegas to take on the Golden Knights on Tuesday before a three-game road trip through Western Canada. The result defied the pregame betting line, which had installed San Jose as a 1.5-goal favorite, and the total of six goals went over the projected line of 5.5. It also ran counter to the projection from National Statistical’s game simulator, which had predicted a 3-1 San Jose victory, though the service’s ELO rating system gave Seattle a 56.6% probability to win.

Preview: Kraken Seek to Snap Skid Against Surging Sharks SAN JOSE, Calif. (Interstat) — Two Pacific Division teams on divergent paths will meet Saturday when the struggling Seattle Kraken visit the surging San Jose Sharks at SAP Pavilion. The Sharks (17-17-0) enter the contest riding a wave of momentum, having won three straight games and five of their last seven. Their offense has ignited, scoring 15 goals in the past three victories. Rookie center Macklin Celebrini is the catalyst, coming off a dominant four-point performance (two goals, two assists) in Tuesday’s 6-3 win over Calgary. Celebrini has recorded 11 points (four goals, seven assists) in his last seven games. Conversely, the Kraken (12-19-0) are mired in a deep slump, having lost seven consecutive games and 10 of their last 11. Their most recent outing was a 5-3 home loss to Colorado on Tuesday. While young center Shane Wright scored a goal in that defeat, Seattle’s defensive structure has faltered, allowing 4.4 goals per game during the seven-game skid. The season series between the clubs is split 1-1, with each team winning on the road. The Sharks dominated with a 6-1 victory in Seattle on Nov. 5, but the Kraken responded with a 4-1 win in the rematch on Nov. 15. For Seattle to reverse its fortunes, it must contain Celebrini and a Sharks power play that has found its rhythm. The Kraken will also need more secondary scoring behind Wright, who has points in two of his last three games but only three goals on the season. Goaltending, which has been inconsistent for both sides, will be critical. San Jose aims to continue its climb toward .500 and solidify its position in the Western Conference wild-card race. Beyond Celebrini, veterans like Barclay Goodrow, who had two goals and an assist against Calgary, provide crucial support. The game kicks off a crucial three-game California road trip for the Kraken, who will visit Anaheim and Los Angeles next week. The Sharks will head to Vegas for a back-to-back set starting Tuesday. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. PST.