The Seattle Kraken fell to the Boston Bruins by a score of 4-2 on Thursday, January 15, following a 7-4 victory over the same team just nine days prior. The loss, which occurred after the Bruins raised Zdeno Chara's No. 33 to the rafters, marks the Kraken's fourth defeat in their last five games. Here are two takeaways from the game:

1. A Sluggish Start Proves Costly

The Bruins wasted no time establishing their dominance, scoring twice within the opening four minutes of the game. Marat Khusnutdinov and Viktor Arvidsson both found the back of the net early, giving Boston a lead that they would not relinquish. Arvidsson's goal came just under four minutes into the game when his attempted pass deflected off Seattle's Jordan Eberle and into the net. The Kraken called a timeout early in the game after falling behind by two goals. While Seattle was able to mount a response later in the game, this early deficit ultimately proved too much to overcome. As Brandon Montour said, the Kraken need to clean up their starts.

2. Montour's Return Provides a Spark

Defenseman Brandon Montour made his return to the ice after missing a month of games due to a hand injury. Despite not being fully healed, Montour made an immediate impact, drawing a slashing penalty from Nikita Zadorov in the second period. Although his shot went wide, Eeli Tolvanen capitalized on the rebound, narrowing the score. Montour's presence was a welcome addition to the Kraken lineup, providing a boost on both ends of the ice.

Ultimately, Boston held on to win 4-2. Mark Kastelic contributed a short-handed goal in the second period for the Bruins. Chandler Stephenson and Eeli Tolvanen scored for the Kraken. Jeremy Swayman made 26 saves for Boston. Joey Daccord stopped 20 shots for Seattle. The Bruins extended their winning streak to seven out of eight games. The Kraken will visit Utah on Saturday. The Bruins visit Chicago on Saturday.