GAME STORY: Kraken top Oilers on electric night in Everett
The Seattle Kraken will drop the puck on their inaugural NHL season in the newly renovated Climate Pledge Arena on Oct. 23. In the meantime, the team is playing several pre-season games around the region, and that included Friday’s win over the Edmonton Oilers at the Angel of the Winds Arena in Everett. We sent reporter Jake Goldstein-Street to capture the scene both outside and inside the arena, while reporter Nick Patterson watched and reported on the game from home.
Kraken win. There will be an exhibition shootout but this reporter is going home. pic.twitter.com/Q9aDIQq0vg— Jake Goldstein-Street (@GoldsteinStreet) October 2, 2021
The Kraken score with just under a minute left in regulation. The crowd loves it. pic.twitter.com/ntrVQphb02— Jake Goldstein-Street (@GoldsteinStreet) October 2, 2021
Members of the under-8 youth Silvertips squad try to score in a shootout on the NHL ice. (Jake Goldstein-Street / The Herald)
8:49 p.m.
Your eyes do not deceive you.
The skaters on the ice are smaller than usual. They are children.
Members of the under-8 youth Silvertips squad, they’re trying to score in a shootout on NHL ice. One of them, Jax Carlson from Lake Stevens, might be a little disappointed at the moment.
“I just want to see Connor McDavid,” Jax told his dad, Jeff, before the game as they stood outside the arena.
Well, McDavid is out of the Oilers lineup tonight, as Nick noted earlier.
The Carlsons say they’ll make the drive to Seattle for Kraken games, but they’re happy to see them a bit closer to home tonight.
And on this night, Jax even scored during a Kraken game. In a way.
– Jake Goldstein-Street
Second period starting now. To my eye, the most energetic moment of the first was a fight between Carsen Twarynski and Brad Malone. pic.twitter.com/dUaOHpThAX— Jake Goldstein-Street (@GoldsteinStreet) October 2, 2021
Seattle Kraken’s Carsen Twarysnki (18) is escorted off the ice as Edmonton Oilers’ Brad Malone (24) is assisted up after the two fought in the first period of a pre-season NHL hockey game Friday in Everett. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
7:09 p.m.
Well, after some booing of the referees, a small light show and the national anthems — both Canadian and American — we have top-flight hockey in Everett!
The microphone cut out about halfway through the Star-Spangled Banner, so the crowd provided their own rendition. They even hit most of the notes.
– Jake Goldstein-Street
Angel of the Winds Arena had a pretty full house for the pre-season game between the Seattle Krakon and the Edmonton Oilers on Friday night. (Jake Goldstein-Street / The Herald)
7:07 p.m.
Canadian rinks are known for the crowd joining in on the singing of the national anthem. But there was an American response tonight.
Michael Sicoly, a Silvertips favorite, was brought in to sing the Canadian and American national anthems — a Silvertips presence was evident when part of the crowd shouted “Love” during O Canada in honor of former Everett player/coach Mitch Love. However, his microphone went out during The Star-Spangled Banner. So the crowd picked up the slack with a loud and boisterous rendition of its own.
– Nick Patterson
The Kraken has arrived. pic.twitter.com/qhmn4aZ49m— Jake Goldstein-Street (@GoldsteinStreet) October 2, 2021
6:33 p.m.
The Kraken have taken the ice. It’s just pregame warm-ups, but the crowd is jazzed.
The crowd members already in their seats, that is. The lines at all the entrances to the arena remain long as fans funnel into Angel of the Winds. And the waits at just about every vendor here are similarly daunting. This includes a large contingent at the alcohol-infused Ice Box at one end of the rink.
This Kraken novice finds it difficult to tell the Seattle team’s players apart as they are all numbered 21 with the team name rather than their last names on the back of their jerseys. That is the extent of this news reporter’s analysis on the early proceedings here.
– Jake Goldstein-Street
Less than a hour until puck drop!
Here's how you can watch, listen & stream tonight's action.
📺: @KING5Seattle
💻: https://t.co/BsMweHdeFy
🎙: @SportsRadioKJR
🏒: #EDMvsSEA pic.twitter.com/UuWLy4AqSc— Seattle Kraken (@SeattleKraken) October 2, 2021
5:40 p.m.
Doors have opened and the fans are starting to stream in. There are a lot of Kraken jerseys, but many teams are represented here tonight.
There are fans of the Flames, Stars, Penguins, Kings, Golden Knights and even the Oilers. One particularly peculiar fan outside had an Oilers jersey and a Kraken hat on. The both-sideism is deafening.
One fan is longtime Port of Everett commissioner Don Hopkins, who is suited up in a Manitoba Moose jersey. The American Hockey League club affiliated with the NHL’s Winnipeg Jets might seem an odd choice. But it’s a Shaun Heshka kit, Hopkins is quick to mention. Heshka played his junior hockey with the Silvertips in the team’s early years.
Hopkins said he has been a Silvertips season holder since Day 1. He’s ready for some NHL action in Everett.
– Jake Goldstein-Street
Doors have opened here for tonight’s Kraken game. Slowly but surely the lines of people, one of which extends on Hewitt from Oakes almost to Broadway, are coming in for the 7 o’clock game. pic.twitter.com/bT1C8p7J0s— Jake Goldstein-Street (@GoldsteinStreet) October 2, 2021
5:15 p.m.
Unofficial lineup information has been posted and dang it, we’re not getting the superstars! Edmonton has two of the world’s best players in Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, but neither are playing in tonight’s game in Everett. That wasn’t the case when the teams played Tuesday in Edmonton, as McDavid posted a goal and two assists and Draisaitl had an assist in a 6-0 Oilers victory. Heck, even secondary stars like Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Darnell Nurse are sitting this one out.
The hope was we’d get a chance to see a once-in-a-generation player like McDavid up close and personal. Unfortunately we’re missing out, as Edmonton is instead playing the guys who are just trying to make the roster. The same thing happened when Angel of the Winds hosted an NHL preseason game between the Phoenix Coyotes and Tampa Bay Lightning in 2009, when both teams scratched their best players.
At least the Kraken are icing some of their top names. Philipp Grubauer is starting in goal, while the likes of Jordan Eberle, Jaden Schwartz and Jared McCann are all in the lineup.
– Nick Patterson
Jeremy Greenia and his sister Nikki Webb are dressed for the occasion outside Angel of the Winds Arena in Everett, where the Seattle Kraken will play the Edmonton Oilers on Friday. (Jake Goldstein-Street / The Herald)
4:40 p.m.
Standing outside the arena in a Kraken jersey and green monster head gear, one could assume Jeremy Greenia is the biggest fan here.
But don’t let that fool you.
He’s a hardcore Detroit Red Wings supporter. He was going to wear his Red Wings jersey, but it still had blood stains on it.
The Camano resident hasn’t been to an NHL game since leaving Detroit in the late 1980s. He and his sister Nikki Webb have gone to Silvertips games, but it’s not quite the same.
Greenia said he found the head covering on Amazon for $10.
And don’t worry: Greenia is wearing a surgical mask underneath it, in line with county policy.
– Jake Goldstein-Street
Over an hour before the doors open here in Everett, some Kraken fans have started to assemble outside Angel of the Winds Arena. pic.twitter.com/PGZwzw5g9Z— Jake Goldstein-Street (@GoldsteinStreet) October 1, 2021
3:35 p.m.
Chris Tillotson and Geoff Olds are the first two fans in line to get into tonight’s game.
And it’s not as if they walked over. They left Boise at 5 a.m. to make the drive west.
They’re excited to get in on the ground floor of a new franchise that, despite being 500 miles away, is still the closest NHL team they have.
“You don’t know how big a hockey foundation you have until you get a team here,” Olds said.
Their expectations aren’t high for this season, however. There is a history of success for expansions teams. The Las Vegas Golden Knights made the Stanley Cup Finals in their inaugural season in 2017-2018.
Olds will be happy just to get a sniff at the playoffs.
– Jake Goldstein-Street
3:10 p.m.
John Forslund isn’t new to this.
The Kraken’s new play-by-play announcer, he’s been calling hockey for decades. He’s not even new to a team arriving in a new city. While Forslund was a commentator with the Hartford Whalers, the franchise moved to North Carolina to become the Hurricanes.
He sees tonight’s game in Everett as a chance to both bring the game to hockey fans as Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle gets ready for the season and educate new fans.
“The reach of this team is going to be huge,” Forslund told The Daily Herald from his booth at center ice.
More than 10,000 fans packed Spokane Arena on Sunday as the Kraken beat the Vancouver Canucks 5-3 in its first preseason action. Forslund said the atmosphere that night was electric and he expects no different at Angel of the Winds tonight.
Kraken fans will be hearing a lot of Forslund on ROOT Sports this season.
– Jake Goldstein-Street
Fans in Kraken-themed knitted hats arrive at the Angel of the Winds Arena in Everett. (Kevin Clark / The Herald)
2:20 p.m.
For most of those attending tonight’s Kraken-Oilers game, the occasion is about getting a first-hand look at the NHL team they’re going to support. For the Everett Silvertips, who are Angel of the Winds Arena’s primary hockey tenants, it’s about getting a first-hand look at what they want to become.
Every player in the WHL, which is one of the world’s premier leagues for players ages 16-20, harbors dreams about one day lacing up their skates in the NHL. In texting with Silvertips general manager and head coach Dennis Williams, I confirmed that the Tips will indeed be attending tonight’s Kraken game. Williams said, “Our guys are pumped.”
They’ll set up shop in the team’s suite, which is at center ice on the main level — and they’ll enjoy being the spectators at Angel of the Winds for a change.
– Nick Patterson
1:55 p.m.
More than three hours before fans can even come in the arena, the screen above center ice is still apparently imploring the dozens of employees working to get ready to get “louder” and “make some noise.”
That includes the occasional flickering of the lights inside.
Operators are setting up their cameras, concession stands are stocked with bags upon bags of popcorn and the merchandise table is getting set up with Kraken gear.
Sweatshirts will run you $75; T-shirts about $35; and jerseys $199.
– Jake Goldstein-Street
The screen above center ice is still apparently imploring the dozens of employees working to get ready to get “louder.” (Jake Goldstein-Street / The Herald)
1:25 p.m.
Nearby restaurants are expecting an influx tonight unlike anything they’ve seen in a long time as thousands of hockey fans descend on the city.
Asked if they’re gearing up for a big crowd, the cashier at Brooklyn Bros. Pizzeria across the street from the arena nods emphatically.
Another employee chimes in: They’re expecting double what they’d get on the night of a Silvertips game. They’re expecting Kraken fever.
The pizzeria is stocking up to make sure it can handle the expected demand.
Up the street, Brandy Wahlstrom, owner of That Chicken Place, said she’s expecting the crowd to start streaming in around 3 p.m. She said it’ll probably be standing-room-only there.
With the added demand and fewer people on staff, the chicken joint will have a limited menu.
“We’re all just doing the best we can,” Wahlstrom said as she raced around the kitchen.
– Jake Goldstein-Street
On Kraken duty today. Game is at 7, doors open at 5. I’ll be in and around the arena all day so if you want to chat, look for the guy with the notebook who looks like he’s writing for his high school paper. pic.twitter.com/cAiYNAQ6JL— Jake Goldstein-Street (@GoldsteinStreet) October 1, 2021
12:55 p.m.
Some 365 minutes before game time, the streets of downtown Everett are quiet.
This extends to the ticket line outside Angel of the Winds Arena, where the Kraken will take on the Edmonton Oilers tonight in preseason action. There are still tickets available upstairs for upwards of $80.
The doors open at 5 p.m. for the 7 o’clock game.
Proof of vaccination against COVID-19 or a negative test result within 72 hours of the game is required for entry. These requirements have opened up some last-minute seats that remain up for grabs.
The game will also be broadcast on KING this evening.
– Jake Goldstein-Street
Here’s our all-day reporting from the @SeattleKraken preseason game at Angel of the Winds Arena, featuring @GoldsteinStreet. The story will be constantly updated, and it also explains my current predicament. @EverettHerald https://t.co/L86rwe4KZ3— Nick Patterson (@NickHPatterson) October 1, 2021
11:25 a.m.
I am stewing in front of my computer at home.
I was all fired up to be part of The Herald’s coverage of the NHL’s Seattle Kraken coming to town for Friday night’s preseason game against the Edmonton Oilers at Angel of the Winds Arena. But wouldn’t you believe it, last night I received a possible COVID exposure notification on my phone. I just got back from getting tested, but it seems unlikely that a negative result will be returned in time for me to get to the game.
I was the Everett Silvertips beat writer for the team’s first 12 seasons of existence, so there’s no doubt I’ve covered more hockey games at Angel of the Winds than any other media member. And yet I’m set to miss out on the biggest hockey event the city’s ever seen.
Sigh.
– Nick Patterson
📸's from morning skate.
See you soon Everett! pic.twitter.com/mGnn1mk7vx— Seattle Kraken (@SeattleKraken) October 1, 2021
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