Three Takeaways From Kraken's 2-1 Loss To The Florida Panthers

The Seattle Kraken were coming off a 7-5 win over the New York Rangers Sunday in Manhattan, but their offense suddenly dried up and resulted in a 2-1 defeat at the hands of the Florida Panthers in Seattle Tuesday. Here are three takeaways from Tuesday's loss:

1. Kraken out-shot, out-performed in loss to defending Stanley Cup-champion Panthers.

For the fourth straight game, Seattle was out-shot by their opponents. In Sunday's tilt against the Rangers, the Kraken were outshot 37-22, and yet they found a way to win that game. However, against the far better Panthers, Seattle did not have what it took to emerge with the victory.

Goaltender Joey Daccord was back between the pipes Tuesday after missing the Rangers game due to illness, but while he stopped 32 of 33 shots against Florida, the Kraken's offense couldn't generate more than a single goal on only 18 shots in regulation and the overtime, and that came back to haunt Seattle in the shootout, which was won by the Panthers thanks to goals from Aleksander Barkov (more on him below) and Sam Reinhart.

In six of their past seven losses, Seattle has posted two goals or fewer. That's not going to cut in in a league where three goals-for is the basic amount of offense needed to pull out wins. Daccord gave his Kraken team a chance to win the game, but Seattle coach Dan Bylsma has to figure out a way to jump-start his team's offense, or there are going to be many more losses against teams that can clamp down on the Kraken's offense.

2. Panthers' best player was better than Kraken's best player.

Florida captain Aleksander Barkov led his team to victory Tuesday, scoring the Panthers' only regulation-time goal, then adding a shootout marker to help put his team over the top. Barkov is once again having a terrific season at both ends of the ice -- he's now got nine goals and 29 points in just 21 games this year -- and Florida needed his play at both ends of the ice to pull out this win over Seattle.

Barkov's $10-million-per-season salary still feels like a bargain for the Panthers, but make no mistake -- Florida would not be in first place in the Atlantic Division without him. He's a difference-maker on offense and defense, and he's the Panthers' emotional leader once again this season. So long as he's on the ice, the Panthers have a chance to win any game they play. And the Kraken were unable to stop him from imposing his will on this games.

Related: Daccord An Overnight Kraken Sensation - Eight Years After Being Drafted

3. Games only getting tougher from here in this next stretch of home games.

Playing the defending Stanley Cup-champion Panthers set a high bar for Kraken opponents this season, but there won't be much drop-off in terms of competition, as the Kraken now are set to face Boston, Tampa Bay and Ottawa in the remainder of their current home stretch.

The Kraken are now 7-6-2 at home this season -- slightly better than their road record of 7-8-0 -- but they need to capitalize on that improved home record if they're going to climb up the Pacific Division. If they falter, a playoff spot may seem more and more like a bridge too far for Seattle.