Game Recap: New Jersey Devils Fall to Seattle Kraken

The New Jersey Devils faced a tough loss on Sunday as they fell 4-2 to the Seattle Kraken at Climate Pledge Arena. This defeat marks the end of their Pacific Northwest road trip, which concluded with a record of 3-1-0.

New Jersey started strong with an early goal from Dougie Hamilton, but the game quickly shifted in favor of the Kraken. Ryker Evans, Matty Beniers, and Berkly Catton each found the back of the net, helping Seattle secure the victory. Jack Hughes managed to break a 16-game scoring drought with a powerplay goal in the third period, but it was not enough to change the outcome of the game. Jordan Eberle added an empty-net goal to seal the win for the Kraken.

Jacob Markstrom was the starting goaltender for the Devils, earning his first win in Vancouver two nights prior. With this loss, he now has a record of 14-12-1 on the season. Joey Daccord was the starter for the Kraken, who secured his first-ever victory against New Jersey in his third career attempt. His record now stands at 13-12-5 for the 2025-26 season.

The Devils’ lineup remained unchanged from their previous game, with Luke Hughes, Stefan Noesen, and Zack MacEwen sidelined due to injuries. On the other side, the Kraken were without center Ben Myers and goaltender Matt Murray.

First Period Highlights

The first period began with both teams struggling to find their rhythm. New Jersey’s first real chance came at the five-minute mark when Timo Meier passed to Jack Hughes, who tipped the puck wide off his backhand. The Kraken started to gain momentum at 13:34 when Jaden Schwartz tried to get past Markstrom but was denied.

At 13:09, the Devils had their first powerplay opportunity after Shane Wright was called for a high-stick on Cody Glass. New Jersey capitalized on the advantage when Hughes set up Hamilton for a one-timer that beat Daccord at 11:49. Since being part of trade talks earlier this month and being a healthy scratch on January 11, Hamilton has been on a hot streak, collecting points in eight consecutive games.

A brief fight broke out at 9:34 when Ryan Lindgren checked Ondrej Palat, leading to Dawson Mercer stepping in. Both players received five minutes for fighting, and Mercer was given an additional two-and-ten for instigating, causing him to miss the rest of the period. Despite the penalty, the Devils managed to kill it off successfully.

The period ended with even shots at 9-9, though New Jersey faced an additional 56 seconds of penalty time in the second period.

Second Period Breakdown

The second period saw the Devils take the first shot at 1:00 when Paul Cotter had a breakaway but was denied by Daccord. The best chance of the game so far for the Kraken came at 14:45 when Chandler Stephenson had an open shot but couldn’t beat Markstrom.

At 12:23, the Kraken tied the game when Ryker Evans scored after a deflection off Jonathan Kovacevic’s stick. The Devils had another powerplay opportunity at 8:30, but they were unable to regain the lead despite several chances.

Meier had a clear look at 3:34, but Daccord made the save. Shortly after, Brett Pesce suffered a facial laceration and did not return until the third period.

The game was tied 1-1 heading into the third period, with New Jersey leading 7-5 in shots during the second frame and 16-14 through 40 minutes.

Third Period Developments

The third period began with the Devils taking another penalty, as Beniers was hooked by Palat at 18:20. The Devils’ penalty kill was strong again, recording their 13th straight kill and 27th of their last 30 (90%).

At 15:01, Dadonov and Arseny Gritsyuk nearly scored on a scramble in front of the net but couldn’t find the puck. At 12:56, the Kraken took the lead when Beniers scored on a backhand following a defensive zone giveaway. Just 18 seconds later, Catton doubled the lead with a rebound goal.

New Jersey responded quickly, with Glass drawing a penalty from Brandon Montour at 12:12. Hughes then scored his twelfth goal of the season, bringing the Devils within one at 11:46. The game saw three goals scored between 1:10 as the ice continued to shift back and forth.

With just under three minutes left, Markstrom vacated the net, giving the Devils an extra skater. However, a bad bounce allowed Eberle to score an empty-net goal, sealing the 4-2 victory for the Kraken.

New Jersey outshot Seattle 14-5 in the final frame, holding a 30–19 shots advantage through the contest.

Final Thoughts

Despite the loss, there were positives to take from the game and the road trip. The “Diner line” of Gritsyuk, Glass, and Lenni Hämeenaho showed promise, and the special teams continued to provide energy. Hughes and Hamilton both contributed offensively, and the team collected six of a possible eight points.

Defensively, the Devils limited Seattle to just 19 shots but were affected by a few bad bounces. On the offensive side, they struggled to beat Daccord at five-on-five despite having several dangerous chances.

The Devils finish their Pacific Northwest road trip in sixth place in the Metropolitan Division, three points behind the New York Islanders in third place. They will return home for their next game on Tuesday night, January 27, against the Winnipeg Jets.