Canucks spoil Kraken’s home debut

Memo to anyone planning a party over the next few months – don’t invite the Vancouver Canucks. The hockey team from the North proved to be the ultimate party poopers last night spoiling the festivities for every Seattle sports fan.

Everything seemed to be going the Seattle Kraken’s way in their first home game at the refurbished Climate Pledge Arena but then the Canucks became the annoying guests that wouldn’t leave quietly, scoring three goals on their last four shots to post a 4-2 victory. Vancouver (3-2-1) and Seattle (1-4-1) both played their previous five games on the road.

Before a sellout crowd of 17,151 sprinkled with city sports icons like Sue Bird of the Seattle Storm, Gary Payton from the Sonics and Seahawks’ Russell Wilson, Bobby Wagner and DK Metcalf (along with the non-athletic but still iconic Macklemore), the Kraken took leads of 1-0 and 2-1 and looked to be in control as the game progressed.

“It was electric in there, then we got the lead in the third, and it stings,” said Krakens’ captain Marc Giordano summarizing the feelings of the team and the region. “There’s no other way to put it right now. It stinks to lose the way we did.”

After Seattle’s own Ann Wilson of Heart – and Sarah Palin’s favorite singer – began things with a stirring rendition of the National Anthem, the two teams went through a feeling-out period. The Seattle offense came alive on a power play and then dominated the final minutes of the opening period.

Vince Dunn, the Kraken’s most offensive-minded defenseman, scored the first home goal in Seattle history with only four seconds left in the first period. Dunn took a pass from defensive partner Adam Larsson and fired a wrister home from the left circle.

Vancouver captain Bo Horvat tied the game at 11:09 of the second period but the Kraken almost retook the lead a few minutes later. Mason Appleton just missed his first goal of the season. His shot slithered through the pads of Vancouver goalie Thatcher Demko. But the netminder reached behind him and slapped the puck away before it crossed the goal line.

Giordano did give Seattle the lead at 5:09 of the third. Pinching in from the defense, the 38-year old captain one-timed a shot into the net off Jared McCann’s pass. Alex Wennberg also assisted on the goal.

“That was probably our best 60 [minute game] of the year,” said Seattle coach Dave Hakstol. “We played the way we wanted [on offense] in the third period

“We had in my mind probably three or four Grade-A chances after it was 2-1, so I like that mentality out of our group,” Hakstol said. “It didn’t work out tonight, but we’re not going to do anything other than look at the things we can fix and keep pushing on the areas that we were pretty darn good in.”

Yanni Gourde hit the crossbar with a partially open net again preventing Seattle from taking a two-goal lead. Then Vancouver got the only power play of the third period on a `borderline’ penalty to Kraken defensemen Carson Soucy. The Canucks tied the game on some excellent passing. Horvat scored his second goal of the contest pouncing on the rebound of defensemen Quinn Hughes’ shot.

The game-winning goal came at 15:58. Garland beat Dunn to a lose puck at the left point and took off down the ice on a breakway which culminated in Garland going five-hole on Seattle goalie Philipp Grubauer. Hakstol absolved Dunn of any blame in his post-game press conference. Grubauer was pulled in the final 1:30 and Vancouver’s Justin Dowling added an easy empty netter to conclude the scoring.

Hakstol praised the fans, who were often loud.  “It was an amazing atmosphere. We wanted to reward the fans with a win. It leaves a sour taste. They were awesome.”

The Kraken continue their homestand on Tuesday night when they host the Montreal Canadiens. One of the NHL’s iconic teams, Les Canadiens were a surprise team last season going all the way to the Stanley Cup finals. Montreal won its first game of the season last night against Detroit after five losses.

GAME NOTES

• Kraken CEO Tod Leiweke announced before the game that the No. 32 was being retired by the team in honor of becoming the NHL’s 32nd franchise and the 32,000 season ticket deposits received in early 2018 that helped lead to the awarding of the franchise.
• As longtime Seattleites know, the Kraken’s home arena was built in 1962 as the Seattle Coliseum, coinciding with the World’s Fair. The building was refurbished in 1994 and became Key Arena. The area has been rebuilt (with private money) and the arena floor is much lower than the old Key Arena. Climate Pledge is the first zero carbon arena and 12,000 plants and trees were planted around the building. “The building has an unbelievable feel,” said Hakstol. “Then you go out for the morning skate and see the open light coming in [via windows on the north end].”
• While the Kraken, like the Seahawks, should have a big home advantage, most of the players on the team had never been to Climate Pledge Arena until they took a tour on Thursday afternoon. The Kraken, who have been training at their practice facility in the Northgate Mall since September, took to the ice at Climate Pledge for the first time – a quick morning skate yesterday.
• Ryan Gibbons, one of the linesmen in last night’s game, played for the Seattle Thunderbirds of the Western Hockey League in the early 2000’s when that team skated at Key Arena. He told ESPN’s Emily Kaplan that the building looks `entirely different’ today.
• ESPN also reported with a $601 price tag on the highest ticket last night’s game boasted the most expensive ticket in Seattle sports history, beating out a couple of Seahawks’ NFC championship games.
• While he didn’t get on the scoresheet last night, Yanni Gourde looks like he’ll be a special player for the Kraken. In his second game of the season after shoulder surgery, Gourde had several scoring opportunities including a breakaway in the first minute of the game. Calle Jarnkrok played in his first game of the season last night after being sidelined due to COVID. Jarnkork said he `didn’t feel that sick’ and was anxious to return. He missed the Kraken game at Nashville last week. He was the Predators second-leading scorer a year ago. Colin Blackwell, the Kraken’s expansion pick from the New York Rangers, who was expected to make the team, has begun practicing. Blackwell missed all of training camp with hockey’s mysterious `upper-body injury.’ Traditionally, NHL teams don’t like to be too specific about injuries fearing that would make players targeted by other teams.

GAME SUMMARY

1^st Period

S – Vince Dunn (Adam Larsson, Joonas Donskoi) 19:56.

2^nd Period

V – Bo Horvat (Conor Garland) 11:09.

3^rd Period

S – Marc Giordano (Jared McCann, Alexander Wennberg) 5:09.

V – Horvat (Quinn Hughes, J.T. Miller) PP, 12:52.

V – Conor Garland (unassisted) 15:58.

V – Justin Dowling (Miller, Brock Boeser) 19:00.

Goals/Saves – V: Thatcher Demko 2-31. S: Philipp Grubauer 3-25

Penalties – Vancouver 2-4. Seattle 2-4

Referees – Kelly Sutherland, Ian Walsh. Linesmen – Ryan Gibbons, Vaughan Roddy.

Attendance – 17,151.