Kraken and Penguins Battle to Break Out of Their Slumps

The Seattle Kraken and Pittsburgh Penguins haven’t had the start to 2025 they were hoping for. Both teams are stuck in rough patches, struggling to find wins, and clinging to their playoff hopes. On Tuesday night, they’ll face off in Pittsburgh, and for both teams, this could be the spark they need to turn things around.

Kraken Can’t Escape Slow Starts

Let’s face it, the Kraken’s January has been rough. They’re sitting at 1-4-1 this month, and their last three games have all ended with the same brutal score: 6-2.

Seattle managed a comeback win against Buffalo, but losses to Columbus and Detroit showed the same troubling pattern—slow starts. Against the Red Wings on Sunday, they gave up four goals in less than five minutes in the first period and were down 6-0 before finally getting on the board late.

“We just weren’t ready again,” said Jaden Schwartz, who’s tied for second on the team with 29 points. “It’s unacceptable, and we have no one to blame but ourselves.”

The Kraken’s struggles have dropped them to seventh in the Western Conference wild-card race, nine points behind Vancouver for the final playoff spot. It’s crunch time for Seattle, and they know it.

Penguins Struggling to Seal the Deal

The Penguins’ January isn’t much better. They’re 1-2-3 this month, and while they’ve had flashes of good play, consistency has been hard to come by. After a strong 5-3 win over Edmonton, they dropped back-to-back home games, including a 5-0 blowout loss to Ottawa and a frustrating 5-2 defeat to Tampa Bay.

Sunday’s loss to the Lightning stung because it felt winnable. Pittsburgh tied the game early in the third, but Tampa scored the go-ahead goal with just over three minutes left and added two empty-netters to seal it.

Industry’s Best

Handicapping Membership

Get Free Trial

“We deserved better,” said Sidney Crosby, who leads the team with 48 points. “But you don’t get points for playing well—you’ve got to find a way to win.”

Injuries have also hit the Penguins hard. Evgeni Malkin has missed four games with an upper-body injury, and Michael Bunting sat out Sunday after being involved in a car accident near the arena. Thankfully, he wasn’t seriously hurt, but it was one more challenge for a team already struggling.

Despite the setbacks, Pittsburgh is still in the mix, sitting sixth in the Eastern Conference wild-card race, just two points out of the final spot.

What to Watch

Both teams are in a tough spot, and this game could be a turning point. The Kraken need to fix their slow starts and tighten up defensively, while the Penguins have to find a way to capitalize on their chances and finish games strong.

With playoff hopes on the line, expect both teams to come out with urgency. It’s not just about getting two points—it’s about momentum and keeping their seasons alive.

This one’s going to be a battle. The question is, which team will step up when it matters most?