On a night when Seattle total just 20 shots on goal, the focus is more on comparison of preseason debuts for veteran goalies. Both made some quality saves and both gave up goals.
The Kraken played the first of back-to-back road games Tuesday night, this time in Calgary. It marked the first opportunity for goalies Philipp Grubauer and Matt Murray to make a case for being in uniform on the Oct. 9 opening night of the 2025-26 regular season. The night ended in a 4-1 victory for Calgary, following an empty net goal, and no conclusive advantage to either Seattle goaltender.
Both veterans played half the game with Grubauer facing three Flames power plays in the first 30 minutes and making 17 saves on 19 shots on goal. Murray stopped all seven shots he faced in the back half of Period 2 but allowed an early third period score by young forward Matt Coronato, who tallied 24 goals last season.
Kraken defenseman Cale Fleury got tripped up with Murray sliding over toward Coronato after a cross-ice pass from CGY center Morgan Frost. Murray fell forward, not leaving much position to stop the puck. The two-time Stanley Cup winner in 2016 and 2017 is looking to return to form after a double-hip surgery wiped out most of his 2023-24 season.
Murray kept his score sheet clean after the first-minute goal in the final frame.
The Kraken managed just 14 shots on goal by mid-third period and finished with 20 for the game, not providing much offense to counter Calgary, which finished. An early-game Seattle power play and mid-third period man-advantage didn’t yield much production, and, in fact, Murray faced the most dangerous scoring attempt on the later power play.
First Line Disrupts Early
The Kraken forwards creating the most disruption for Seattle in the first period was the night’s first line of Chandler Stephenson centering newcomer Mason Marchment and re-signed winger Eeli Tolvanen. They generated a number of scoring chances and looked nearly midseason form passing among themselves on several shifts.
Tolvanen started the Kraken’s first scoring play here at the Scotia Saddledome, which is due to be replaced by an $800 million arena to be ready by 2027 at a location nearby. From behind the goal line in the left corner, Tolvanen blind-rimmed the puck along the boards to Marchment in the right corner. The former Dallas Star gathered the puck and sent a laser-accurate feed to NHL-tested Mitchell Stephens, who had just subbed in for Stephenson. Stephens received the puck on his forehand, then spun to a nifty backhand move to send the puck past current Calgary and former WHL Everett star goalie Dustin Wolf.
SEA@CGY: Stephens scores goal against Dustin Wolf
Marchment was acquired by trade in large part because of his physical play in all zones and especially his willingness to battle net-front. But none of us should underrate his playmaking skills and scoring touch (22 goals in each of the last two NHL regular seasons). He said as much in a pre-camp conversation.
“Since I got into the league, my game has evolved,” said Marchment. “I have enjoyed playing more free, but still play physical, hard-nosed, in-your-face hockey at the same time. I like to use my body to protect pucks and use my skill and vision. I like to think I’m a pretty good passer and shooter. I want to bring all the tools, but always play hard and heavy.”
Stephens, who played 28 games for the Kraken last season and was a valued veteran for AHL affiliate Coachella Valley, is one of several forwards in camp looking to make the opening night roster and/or be on the radar of Kraken brass for NHL call-ups as needed. His goal at 9:14 of the first period qualifies as a response goal as Seattle evened the game at 1-1 after Flames center Yegor Sharangovich redirected a puck past Kraken starter Philipp Grubauer seven minutes and 40 seconds into the first period.
It’s unclear if Grubauer could track the right-point shot by defense Hunter Brzustewicz with several bodies crossing in front of his crease. The Kraken goaltender finished the first 20 minutes with nine saves and fought a late power play push to keep matters knotted at first intermission. Grubauer surrendered a power play goal early second period, facing 19 Calgary shots on goal when replaced as planned by free agent signee Matt Murray at the halfway mark of the game.
Shorthanded Story
The Kraken were whistled off for three penalties within less than seven minutes, spanning the final 62 seconds of the first period and 5:44 of the middle frame. Seattle penalty killers doused the first and third Flames power plays but couldn’t stave off the one in between when the puck slipped past AHL regular D-man Ville Ottavainen to Calgary center Rory Kerins for an open near-net chance that he zipped past Grubauer.
The bright side of the trio of penalties was extended work for first-unit killers this night, new acquisition Freddy Gaudreau paired up front with Tye Kartye and Ottavainen alongside Josh Mahura. The downside is it robs aspiring forwards of even-strength time to make their case for a roster spot or top-of-mind candidate for some NHL games this season. Speaking of short, the Flames nearly doubled the Kraken’s shots on goal by the second intermission. The home squad finished with 25 SOV, including 15 in the second stanza. Ottavainen (3:36) and Mahura (3:24) both logged three-plus minutes while Gadreau and Kartye carried some two-and-a-half minutes in five-and-a-half minutes of penalty-killing time.
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