The Seattle Kraken pulled off a masterclass in thrlling comebacks Saturday, beating Vancouver 5-4 in overtime. And here are three key takeaways from the Kraken's win.

The Seattle Kraken began their post-holiday-break Saturday with a showdown in Vancouver against the Canucks, who currently occupy the Western Conference’s first wild card berth. And while it looked for much of the game that Seattle was about to lose its sixth game in a row, the Kraken put on a masterclass in stunning turnarounds, scoring three goals in the third period – including two goals in the final 1:12 of regulation time with the goaltender pulled – to turn what looked like a sure loss into a 5-4 overtime victory. 

The rest of the regular sesaon is still going to be an uphill battle for the Kraken, who now have a 16-19-2 record and sit seven standings points behind the Dallas Stars for the second and final Western Conference wild card berth. Optimists will say that’s basically only a three-game win streak away from a playoff spot, but realists will counter that there are also four teams between where Seattle is now in the standings and where they need to be to play post-season hockey.

But for the moment, at least, defenseman Vince Dunn’s late-game heroics and the Kraken’s tenacity gave Seattle fans every reason to hope that the Kraken will be making a meaningfly push to get back in the thick of the mix in the West. 

Here are three takeaways from the Kraken’s win:

1. Dunn’s Time To Shine

Veteran defenseman Vince Dunn was the hero of the Kraken’s thrilling third-period comeback, getting the primary assist on Seattle’s second goal of the game, then scoring two of the Kraken’s next three goals, including the overtime-winner where he picked up the puck just inside Seattle’s blueline and subsequently broke in on a breakaway that he finished perfectly, beating Vancouver goalie Thatcher Demko for his seventh goal of the season.

Dunn’s three-point game gives him 14 points in 17 games this season, with the latter stat affected by his early-season injury. 

If he keeps his current scoring pace up, Dunn could match or improve on his current career high of 14 goals, which he posted in 2022-23. And if the Kraken are to land a playoff berth, Dunn will need to contribute offense, so Saturday’s game was encouraging for the 28-year-old. Dunn doesn’t have to do all the heavy lifting, but when he does get on the scoresheet, Seattle has a much better chance at winning.

2. Schwartz Also Steps Up, Reaches Major Career Plateau

Winger Jaden Schwartz was another big force for the Kraken, as he had two goals in the game, including the second goal and the game-tying marker with 50 seconds remaining in the third period. And that game-tying goal was Schwartz’s 500th-career-point.

The 32-year-old Schwartz now has 11 goals and 22 points in 37 games this season. He’s produced almost as much offense as the 13 goals and 30 points he had in 62 games last year, and he’s on pace to get back to the 21 goals and 40 points he generated in 2022-23. In any case, without his offense Saturday, the Kraken lose this game. As is true with Dunn, Schwartz deserves much of the credit for the win.

3. Kraken’s Shot Totals Skyrocket In Third, Help Them Win Game

The Kraken currently average 26.8 shots per game – the sixth-worst total in the NHL in that department. And through the first two periods, Seattle had managed only 15 shots against Demko. But – as if they flipped a switch – the Kraken put up a comparatively-whopping 12 shots in the third frame, and three of them got past Demko.

Sometimes, a team can throw everything it has at the opposition and come away stymied and in the loss column. But there was a reason why Kraken coach Dan Bylsma pulled goalie Philipp Grubauer – the momentum was clearly in Seattle’s favor, and the Kraken found a way to win. This was as exciting a game as the Kraken have played this season, so full marks to everyone involved, including Bylsma, Dunn and Schwartz.