Kraken vs Kings tonight as Seattle looks to maintain momentum with shocking holiday streak

The Kraken vs Kings battle headlines tonight’s holiday action at Crypto.com Arena. Seattle seeks revenge after their recent OT victory sparked a two-game winning streak. Los Angeles looks to end a brutal stretch before the winter break ends their season.

Kraken’s Momentum and Three-Game Stretch

The Kraken arrive in Los Angeles with genuine momentum for the first time in weeks. After snapping a six-game losing streak on December 10 with that thrilling overtime victory against the Kings, Seattle has built on that foundation. On Saturday they defeated the Sharks 4-2, then just 24 hours later they grinded out a 3-1 win at Anaheim to extend their streak. Head Coach Lane Lambert emphasized the importance of small details and belief after the Ducks game.

The Crease Kakko-Beniers-Eberle line continues to be Seattle’s engine room, with Jordan Eberle noting that “the belief is a magical thing.” Despite losing key pieces to injury, the Kraken have remained competitive. This back-to-back scenario presents a challenging test, as goaltender Joey Daccord draws the start after Philipp Grubauer played Monday. Questionable for tonight is defenseman Vince Dunn, who was hit by Ducks forward Ross Johnston and left the game early.

Kings Face Desperation Situation Before Holiday Break

Los Angeles finds itself in crisis mode heading into the winter break. After dropping 4 of 5 games and falling 3 points behind Edmonton for third in the Pacific, the Kings’ season suddenly feels like it’s slipping away before the calendar flips. The 3-1 loss to Columbus on Monday demonstrated their offensive struggles have become a season-defining problem.

The Kings are averaging just 2 goals per game, ranking 30th in the NHL. Even more concerning is that Adrian Kempe (13 goals) and Kevin Fiala (12 goals) are carrying the entire offensive load. Quinton Byfield continues to be unproductive in December with 0 points and a 0 plus/minus despite averaging nearly 18 minutes per game. Head Coach Jim Hiller must find a way to ignite secondary scoring or face a holiday break in a deepening hole.

Matchup Preview: Recent History and Key Storylines

Category	Kraken	Kings
Record	14-14-6	15-11-9
Last Matchup	Won 3-2 OT (Dec 10)	Lost 2-3 OT (Dec 10)
Recent Form	2-0 current trip	3-5-2 last 10
Key Scorer	J. Eberle (19 pts)	A. Kempe (30 pts)

The December 10 matchup still stings for the Kings, who held a late lead before the Kraken rallied in the final frame. Matty Beniers tied the game with a power-play goal with 25 seconds left, and then Dunn pounced in overtime for the overtime winner. That memory will likely fuel Seattle tonight, especially with their two-game streak building confidence. The Kraken have shown they can win tight games when it matters most.

Can Los Angeles Generate the Offense It Desperately Needs?

Everything for the Kings comes down to whether they can finally generate sustained offense. A back-to-back after yesterday’s loss to Columbus is a physical burden, but LA cannot use that as an excuse. Joel Edmundson and the Kings’ defense have been respectable, allowing just 3 or 4 goals in most games, but that defensive discipline means nothing without goals at the other end.

If the Kings can get contributions from Fiala, Aramia, or Turcotte beyond just Kempe carrying the load, they have a chance. But if Byfield and the secondary forwards continue to struggle, the Kraken’s momentum will be too much to overcome heading into the holiday break. The sports betting public favors the Kings at -233 moneyline, implying a 70% winning probability, but standings position and recent performance suggest this will be a tightly contested battle.

“We are just finding ways to win. Obviously, we’ve had a stretch here that hasn’t been our best. But we feel like we’ve been in a lot of games. We feel like we’ve had a chance to win a lot of these games.”

— Shane Wright, Seattle Kraken Forward

Will Seattle’s Holiday Spirit Continue Against LA?

The Seattle Kraken have discovered something special in their current streak: resilience and belief. Two consecutive games won on late scores show a team that refuses to quit. Now facing the Los Angeles Kings in a back-to-back scenario that tests everyone’s legs and focus, can the Kraken maintain their magic? Lane Lambert’s squad proved against Anaheim that they don’t need perfect hockey to win, just commitment in the third period and timely execution.

For the Kings, this game represents a must-win before the holiday break. Heading into December off, this franchise cannot afford to carry the weight of another loss into family time. The pressure is entirely on LA to respond, while Seattle can play free and easy as they pursue a three-game winning streak. In playoff-caliber games like this, momentum often proves more valuable than preseason expectations.

Sources

• NHL.com – Official game preview and team statistics
• The Hockey News – Game analysis and projected lineups
• ESPN – Live score tracking and game information