The Sharks wrapped up their 3-game road trip on Saturday in Seattle with a better effort than what they exhibited in Calgary 48 hours earlier. The outcome was the same however, as San Jose tripped on their chances and let the host Kraken take a 4-1 decision at Climate Pledge Arena in Washington State.

After a hot start to the month, the Sharks suddenly find themselves incapable of finishing their offensive chances and playing mediocre defense. All of those things resulted in a second consecutive defeat.

Now the Sharks return home for 4 games, but which team the San Jose faithful will get is anyone's guess. Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky warned of let downs when asked earlier in the week if he felt the playoffs were a reality for the upstarts from the South Bay.

While the Sharks are playing better than the start of their season, but the outcomes the last two games are what matter. They weren't clean enough in just about every facet of the game.

Philipp Kurashev got everyone's attention in the first 2 minutes of the game when he his shot attempt rang off the right post, before flipping over to hit the left post. Macklin Celebrini tried to sweep the rebound home but Seattle had two defenders in position to sweep it clear.

The Kraken helped improve their league worst -9 goal differential in the 1st period by scoring at 8:14. Jaden Schwartz redirected a Chandler Stephenson pass through the slot past Alex Nedeljkovic for the first score of the game. Stephenson busted in on net from the right side before sliding his setup feed to Schwartz on the off wing.

Ryan Lindgren was called for hooking Macklin Celebrini with 50 seconds left in the period. The Sharks unveiled a new look to their power play with Will Smith being moved to the bumper position and William Eklund taking over the left point.

The change paid instant dividends when Alexander Wennberg redirected a Celebrini feed from the doorstep at 19:42 to knot the game up at 1-1. Celebrini was sitting right on top of the right dot when he spotted Wennberg lurking near the left post. Celebrini put the puck right on Wennberg's tape for the easy tap in.

Starting goaltender Matt Murray aggravated something on the play and skated straight to the locker room after the play. Philipp Grubauer replaced Murray in net for the remainder of the game.

The two teams traded penalties 1:08 apart to setup brief power play chances for each team. Neither side would do much with their opportunity to keep the game tied.

A lengthy reviewed followed a play in which Will Smith's breakaway chance ended up in the Kraken net after Grubauer made the initial stop, but the puck would be directed into the net by the Shark forward's skate. The play was ruled no goal because of a "distinct kicking motion" by Smith. Given all the inconsistencies in the way the NHL defines distinct kicking, it was just another head scratching call.

Seattle would then pounce on the momentum shift. Adam Larsson threw a puck on net that Nick Leddy failed to block, allowing it to slip past a screened Nedeljkovic to put the Kraken on top 2-1.

Eeli Tolvanen made it a 2-goal lead just 38 seconds later. Shakir Mukhamadullin pinched on a play and missed, allowing Stephenson to carry the puck up the left wing. He would push the puck over to Tolvanen on the right side for a one-time chance that beat Nedeljkovic for his 3rd tally of the season.

Tye Kartye setup the Sharks to claw back into the game early in the 3rd period when he lofted a puck over the glass for a delay of game penalty. San Jose's 4th power play of the night failed to generate any pressure on Grubauer, thereby stifling any chance at a comeback.

Jordan Eberle and Freddy Gaudreau would give the Sharks their 5th and 6th power play chances of the night but it was not to be. The Sharks power play was slow and stagnant most of he night.

Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky elected to pull Nedeljkovic with 30 seconds remaining in Gaudreau's penalty, but the Sharks promptly lost a faceoff and setup a long empty net goal to cap the scoring.

Game Notes:

* Defenseman Nick Leddy returned to the lineup after missing the last 11 games with a lower body issue.

* Jeff SKinner was officially moved to the injured reserve on Friday. The Sharks recalled centerman Zack Ostapchuk to fill his spot.

* Defensemen Timothy Liljegren and Sam Dickinson were both scratched from the game.

* Macklin Celebrini, Will Smith and John Klingberg were all a -3 on the night.

* Smith led the team is shots on goal with 5. San Jose out-shot Seattle 26-24. Every forward recorded a shot except for Philipp Kurashev, whose 1st period attempt rang off both posts.