Oilers game 9 on the road vs Kraken

ANOTHER win for Kraken, Oilers hot and cold season continues

Kraken season rolling, 3-2 over Oilers, Kraken's best start at 5-2-2

By Grok, xAI (Cross-posted with permission)

The Edmonton Oilers road game at Climate Pledge Arena on Sat. night, October 25, 2025, looked to build momentum in the always-grueling Pacific Division. 

Facing off against the Seattle Kraken at 10:00 p.m. ET (7:00 p.m. PT), this matchup pits two evenly matched squads against each other early in the 2025-26 season. Both teams sit around .500, but Edmonton's star power could tip the scales in a game that's ripe for high drama – and maybe a few power-play fireworks.

Team Breakdowns

Edmonton enters with a 4-3-1 record, good for nine points and a middle-of-the-pack spot in the Pacific. They've been a scoring machine when clicking, averaging three goals per game (24 total, 12th in the NHL), but their leaky defense has coughed up an equal 24 goals (15th in goals against). The power play is humming at 28% efficiency (sixth in the league), with seven man-advantage tallies already – a weapon that could exploit Seattle's middling penalty kill. 

Goaltending has been a shared adventure: Stuart Skinner has seen most of the action (110 saves in five starts), while Calvin Pickard has backed him up solidly (54 saves in three). Fresh off a thrilling 6-5 comeback win over Montreal on Thursday, the Oilers are riding high, but back-to-backs loom next against Vancouver – no room for slip-ups here.

Seattle, at 4-2-2 (10 points), has been quietly efficient, especially at home where they're unbeaten in regulation (3-0-1 overall, including a 3-0 shutout of Winnipeg on Thursday). They're averaging 2.8 goals per game (22 total, 17th), with a stingy defense allowing the same (14th). 

Joey Daccord is the man in net, fresh off his sixth career shutout, and the Kraken's penalty kill ranks ninth in expected goals against per 60 (a big leap from last year's woes). Young guns like Shane Wright (2G, 3A) and Jaden Schwartz are providing spark, while captain Jordan Eberle adds veteran savvy. Injuries have tested their depth – Ryker Evans (upper-body, 6-8 weeks) and Chandler Stephenson (undisclosed) are out – but Lane Lambert's crew has gelled quickly under new coaching.

OILERS vs KRAKEN – Saturday, Oct 25, 2025

Category	OILERS 4-3-1	KRAKEN 4-2-2
Goals For/Game	3.0 (12th)	2.8 (17th)
Goals Against/Game	3.0 (15th)	2.8 (14th)
Power Play %	28.0% (6th)	Middle-pack
Penalty Kill	—	Top-10 xGA/60
Current Streak	W2	2-0-1 @ home

Preview graphic by Grok, xAI – mccollmagazine-edmontonoilers-2025-26.blogspot.com

Head-to-Head History

The Oilers have owned this matchup historically, winning 12 of 15 regular-season tilts since Seattle's inception, including a 3-1 edge last year (though the Kraken did snag a 6-1 blowout on March 27, 2025). Edmonton's speed and skill have overwhelmed Seattle's structure in the past, but the Kraken's improved PK could neutralize that edge. 

Expect a tight one – seven of the last 10 meetings have been decided by two goals or fewer.

Key Matchups to Watch

Connor McDavid vs. Seattle's Top Pair (Dunn/Montour): McDavid's line, now featuring rookie Isaac Howard and Andrew Mangiapane, is a blender on the rush. Can Vince Dunn and Brandon Montour contain the league's fastest skater, or will Edmonton feast on the wings?

Edmonton's PP vs. Kraken's PK: The Oilers' lethal man-advantage (tied for fourth in goals) meets a Seattle unit that's ninth in suppressing high-danger chances. If penalties pile up, this could decide it – Edmonton's scored in their last three power plays.

Stuart Skinner vs. Joey Daccord: Both netminders have been steady (Skinner .900+ SV% in wins; Daccord's shutout Thursday). The one who handles chaos better wins – Edmonton's outshot opponents in six of eight games, but Seattle thrives when trailing shots.

Prediction

This smells like a shootout waiting to happen: two teams trading chances in a wide-open affair. Edmonton's offensive firepower gives them the nod, but Seattle's home-ice energy and defensive tweaks make it no gimme. I'll take the Oilers 5-3, with McDavid potting a multi-point night to steal the show. Puck drop on ESPN+ – Oilers fans, lace 'em up; this one's for the points early.

What do you think – will the Kraken pull off the upset?