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# Outplayed for Two Periods, Kraken Storm Back for 4-3 Shootout Preseason Win vs. Flames
- URL: https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/seattle-kraken-outplayed-win-preseason-calgary-flames-phillipp-grubauer/
- Published: 2026-09-25T04:46:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-08T06:10:13.000Z
- Author: Josh Frojelin
- Tags: Analysis, Kraken, Matty Beniers, Philipp Grubauer, Ville Ottavainen, Ryker Evans, Lane Lambert

Final score notwithstanding, the Seattle Kraken were largely outplayed by the Calgary Flames’ AHL roster in their third preseason game on Thursday night. But a third period comeback allowed the home team to squeak out a 4-3 victory.

Even in a win, the Kraken were comfortably outshot 35-26 and had two players ejected. In total, there was 69 penalty minutes assessed in the game, but hockey can be a weird sport and despite the shot discrepancy not going in their favor, they finished on a strong note to erase a 3-1 deficit.

As opposed to the Flames, who more resembled the Calgary Wranglers, the Kraken iced their likely opening night roster. The only difference would be the fourth line of Curtis Douglas, Oscar Fisker-Mølgaard, and Ben Meyers making way for Jacob Melanson, Frederick Gadureau, and Ryan Winterton. The top-nine featured Matty Beniers with Jared McCann and Mackie Samoskevich, Chandler Stephenson alongside Jordan Eberle and Bobby McMann, and Berkly Catton centering Shane Wright and Kaapo Kakko. The defense was as expected.

“A lot of our guys haven’t played a game in quite a while, and it showed,” head coach Lane Lambert said. “A lot of the stuff we’ve been talking about in training camp, about playing with speed and putting on pressure, we didn’t establish that tonight.”

In the first period, the Kraken looked outmatched. They were outshot 14-6\. A bad defensive shift from Ryker Evans and Catton’s line allowed Jonathan Castagna to score unmarked from the slot. McMann tied the game later in the period.

“We didn’t have our best first, but it’s good to get a little bit of physicality in there, the speed of the game back,” Beniers said postgame.

Early in the second period, the Catton-led line allowed a goal on virtually the same sequence, with no one covering the open man in the slot.

The second period included two multiple-fight sequences. The physicality largely stemmed from a clean but emphatic hit on Samoskevich, who dangled his way into the slot on the power play but [paid the price](https://x.com/DavyJonesLR/status/2103317502138761274?s=20&ref=emeraldcityspectrum.com). Kakko stood up for his teammate but earned a minor penalty as a result.

One sequence featured defenseman Ville Ottavainen taking exception to a hit and [punching a defenseless](https://x.com/EmeraldCityHky/status/2103319199716454852?s=20&ref=emeraldcityspectrum.com) Brandon Othmann. Ottavainen and Douglas both earned game misconducts on that sequence. Calgary extended its lead to 3-1 on the ensuing power play.

“I didn’t mind it,” Lambert said. '“Othmann ran \[Ottavainen\] in Calgary [with a high hit](https://x.com/hockeyfights/status/2101846055344320593?s=20&ref=emeraldcityspectrum.com) and got kicked out of the game. Really good job by \[Ottavainen\] to respond to that. I don’t have a problem with that at all… You can only take a run at a guy so many times before he’s going to respond.”

“We’re close and guys are gonna stick up for each other,” Evans said. “That’s what we need in our game: holding each other accountable and especially the other team. Not gonna allow them them push us around.”

In the third period, shot attempts were dead even at 9-9 and the Kraken defense started joining the play. Brandon Montour, who had a goal disallowed earlier, and Evans both scored on assists from Beniers. Phillipp Grubauer was tested throughout the game, and stopped 32-of-35 in his final preseason tune-up.

“\[Grubauer\] was huge,” Evans said. “Made some big saves, and some timely ones when we needed it.”

“He was our best player by far,” Lambert added.

The goalie stopped two more shots in the shootout and Seattle, despite two poor periods, won its final home preseason game. The Kraken conclude their preseason in Vancouver on Saturday. Puck drop is at 4 PM PT and Lambert’s squad should once again play more regulars in the last tuneup before the regular season begins.