Release the Kraken!

SEATTLE, Wash. – The EHE’s newest franchise made their on-ice debut on Saturday night and they gave the home crowd a lot to be happy for.

A moment that’s been in the making for years finally came to fruition when Seattle Kraken center, Claude Giroux, won a ceremonial first puck drop from the San Jose Sharks captain, Andy Greene. Both players would stay on the ice as part of their respective team’s starting lineup, but Giroux was unable to win the real first puck drop in Kraken history as Alex Wennberg beat him cleanly.

The first period went much like the opening faceoff with the Sharks controlling the play before getting on the board first at 5:30 and then doubling their lead to 2-0 at 19:22. The Sharks not only held a 2-0 lead in the game but also held a 9-2 shot advantage as well as getting 4 minutes of power play time to Seattle’s 2 minutes.

During the 1^st intermission, Kraken forward Chandler Stephenson told the broadcasting crew that the team was shaky to start the game but he expected them to look much better in the following periods. And look much better they did as Stephenson himself would win a faceoff in the Sharks zone, cycle the puck around and then he followed up his own shot that was blocked to score the first goal in Seattle Kraken history at 6:26 of the 2^nd period. The Kraken would battle the Sharks pretty evenly the rest of the 2^nd period but weren’t able to get the tying goal.

The Kraken came out ready to even the game in the 3^rd period and were able to get the Sharks to take a double minor roughing penalty to setup their power play attack. After the first 2 minutes of the double minor penalty expired with little pressure, Teddy Blueger stole an outlet pass from the Sharks captain and fed it to Nick Cousins whose shot missed the net but caromed around to Ryan Hartman who shot it on net and beat Sharks goaltender, Sergei Bobrovsky, to tie the game at 2 goals apiece. Seattle would keep the pressure up on San Jose with 12 shots in the 3^rd period, but regulation would end 2-2 and the Kraken were at least assured of getting a point in their first ever game in the EHE.

The 3^rd period moment would carry over for the Kraken and after dominating the 3 on 3 overtime play, the Kraken’s first ever goal scorer would become their first ever multi-goal scorer when Chandler Stephen deflected a Claude Giroux shot past Bobrovsky to send the home crowd into a frenzy and end the game 3-2 in Seattle’s favor.

“What an amazing moment for me and the team” said the game winning scorer and it’s #1 star of the game, Chandler Stephenson. Who then followed up, “When I was selected back in August to come here, I didn’t really know what to expect? I don’t know that any of us did, but what a way to start the season. The crowd was really into the game as we thought they’d be and to get down early, especially a couple of goals, they never stopped cheering and really helped us stay in the game and get back into it in the 2^nd period.”

Later in the night, coach John Hynes addressed the team and gave out a couple of game pucks. The first went to Chandler Stephenson for how instrumental he was in getting the Kraken their first win and the second went to GM Brandyn Errickson who said he would accept the puck on behalf of all the Seattle fans and to expect it to be out on display in Climate Pledge Arena for the rest of the season.

During the after game press conference, GM Errickson vaguely addressed the rumors that the team was fined before even playing their first game as well as Seattle's upcoming game against his former team. "That's not something I'm comfortable discussing. Some mistakes were made and I'll leave it at that." said the GM. He finished, "I'm just happy with how the team played tonight and to get the first win under their belt is a huge first step. I'm also excited for our next game. I'll be happy to see some of the guys that were there while I was there and see how they're doing now, but that's it. I've moved on from LA and I'm they have moved on from me as well."