KRAKEN THIS MORNING: A thriller of Halloween costumes, and the impact of Vince Dunn's injury (10/22)
October 22, 2024 • 34 mins
Mike Benton sets up the Oct. 22 matchup at Climate Pledge Arena, 5:30pm PT, bewteen the Seattle Kraken and Colorado Avalanche with a conversation from the dressing room with Shane Wright, and insights with play by play voice Everett Fitzhugh.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:02):
Welcome to Cracking this morning, a presentation of the Kraken
Audio Network, Ken Sports Radio ninety three point three KJRFM.
Here's Mike Benton, Game three of the homestand on the horizon.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
We welcome you to Kracking this morning on a Tuesday,
October twenty second. Mike Benton with you tonight, local broadcast
coverage only on your home for the Kraken on the
radio side, Sports Radio ninety three point three KJRFM and
the Emeral Queen Casino Crack and Audio Network.
Speaker 3 (00:33):
Because National TVs.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Got the game a special five thirty pm start time
Pacific time for the Kraken and the Colorado Avalanche once again,
a matchup renewed, perhaps a budding rivalry that could take
one more step this evening, after the two teams, of course,
met in the opening round at the Stanley Cup Playoffs
two seasons ago. Been a while since these two teams
(00:56):
last met. That was on November thirteenth, back at Climate
Pledge Arena, the Kraken winning one of three against the
Avalanche this last season, after beating Colorado, of course, in
that famed seven game upset back in spring of twenty
twenty three. Will however, it fits you along in just
a little bit, plus a conversation we have for the
(01:17):
dressing room with Crack and Ford, Shane Wright diving into
the fun of Halloween costumes. Plus a budding line he's
generating offense with which includes leading goals scorer Jordan Beverley
five goals in six games, and Jared mccannon right now
the team's leading point getter. He's got eight points in
six games. So Shane Wright and ever it fits you,
coming along in just a little bit, and before we
(01:40):
get to them, your highlights from a very tight affair
on Saturday with the Kraken battling a young but confident
four and zero Calgary Flames squad and needing a touch
of patience to get their first goal in period two.
Speaker 4 (01:55):
Real surveys the seam bottom of an air circle slides
it across stevenson shirts in a one time or that
one fought off by Damn Fadar, a loose puck behind
the gagery net Schwartz will save him back to Stephenson
near side.
Speaker 5 (02:08):
McCann, Stevenson, you're time, Welcome to Seattle. Taylor Stevenson his first.
Speaker 4 (02:22):
Goal as a member of the Kraken on the power play.
We're tied at one.
Speaker 5 (02:27):
Seven point thirty five left in the second well Montour.
Speaker 6 (02:30):
And Stephenson got up top on that power play. Montour
got the puck. He knew Stevens at the left hand
shot on the right side. He's on his off wing.
He slaped up puck over to him and Stevenson wasted
no time beating fladar Low on the ice.
Speaker 4 (02:42):
One one clap up rush off the bench in for
Kevin ball left side. That shot sales wide rebound collected
here by Shane Wright. Here comes right in for everly
left circle backhand and thought to Shane right he got
tripped up. We're gonna play going a tire behind the net,
back to the line, shot long range, turned away off
(03:05):
the stick of Tyson Berry. Now cadre in front, fought
off fives a torn and he'll dive out of the
door mouth and cover her up for the whistle. Three
point thirty three left in the third one one we're tired.
Speaker 3 (03:17):
Oh the joey chancer going now.
Speaker 6 (03:19):
As he made a couple of big seams there, and
when he got up he looked at all the blue
sweaters around and gave him tasks on to a.
Speaker 4 (03:25):
Right side down the wing. He'll walk Anderson seals him off.
Montour carries behind the net and the Calgary Flames will
take it away. Cadre turns it over.
Speaker 5 (03:33):
Montour in front, turned aside, getting his back.
Speaker 7 (03:36):
Heaverly stoo turn it Everly.
Speaker 4 (03:47):
Win's it it over time two on four twelve left
in the extra session.
Speaker 5 (03:54):
All the turnover by Calgary defenseman.
Speaker 6 (03:56):
In his old zone. There Montor found that Buck got
the first shot of going for Darbs surprise that not
even happened. He mishandled the replay months We're gonna back
fed Everly for the game winning goal.
Speaker 4 (04:09):
Shortan Everly snaps the Calgary Flames four game season opening
win streak. The Kraken have won three in a row.
They now had to four and two on the young season.
They won back to back games on this five game.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
Home stands, so a two to one win over Calgary
gave the krake In their first win over the Flames
on home ice and franchise history. The Flames had beaten
them in the previous six matchups and climbed the Pledge arena.
That also put the Krack in one point out of
first place. In the Pacific. Yes, it's early, but the
Cracking right now enjoying a four and two record, their
best starts so far through six games in their young
(04:49):
franchise history. What's ahead here for Colorado a date against
Nathan McKinnon, Miko Rantinen and Cale mccarr and ahead of
the game, we cut up with Shane right in the
crack and dressing room after practice on Monday.
Speaker 8 (05:02):
But before I get to the hard hitting stuff, I
got a first ask the burning question around here.
Speaker 3 (05:06):
That was a party on Sunday.
Speaker 7 (05:08):
It was fun. It was fun. It was a good night. Yeah,
the boys dressed up, we showed up and had a
good had a good night and definitely a lot of
fun for sure.
Speaker 3 (05:16):
Where'd you go as me?
Speaker 7 (05:19):
Me Carts, Reichs and Joey Win as the funt Tropics
from Semi Pro there So we had the short shorts,
the uh, the the jerseys and the jackets, high socks, headband,
all the the whole the whole fit going. So it
was it was fun.
Speaker 3 (05:33):
Who had the funniest cost uh?
Speaker 7 (05:35):
Funniest? I mean there are a lot of good costumes.
I think rig had the best costume. He was like
Austin Powers with like the felt suit and the whole
set up, like the cuffs and everything.
Speaker 9 (05:46):
It was.
Speaker 7 (05:46):
It was a really good even had like a fake
little water gun too, It was. It was a really
good costume.
Speaker 8 (05:51):
All right, Now on to the hard hitting stuff here.
Tell me so far what's working for this offense?
Speaker 7 (05:55):
Yeah, I think just it's by committee. Uh, you know,
what's the depth scoring? You know, everyone's kind of chipping,
everyone's contributing, and I think that's, uh, you know, how
how good teams win. That's how you win games in
this league especially. I think just everyone chipping in, everyone's scoring,
and you know, not kind of one line that's that's
doing all the work. You know, all four lines are
(06:16):
contributing to that. So yeah, I think it's been great
so far that way.
Speaker 3 (06:20):
Mccanna his compliments.
Speaker 8 (06:21):
How is he and Jordan Embley helping make you be
the best that you can be?
Speaker 7 (06:26):
Yeah, I mean those of those guys are great, obviously,
super talented, smart guys and really really easy to play with.
And you know, I'm just trying to learn from them,
just trying to talk to them as much as I
can and then just bounce ideas off them, and yeah,
you know, just try to help them out and support
and you know, try to help you get in the
pucks sometimes as well.
Speaker 8 (06:45):
But finally, I we we discussed this topic with Dan
last week about optional skates, especially this early in the season,
where with Max Effort, he believes in that rest can
be a weapon, especially the morning of I think familiar
from your time in Coachella Valley and how that can
work to your advantage as well.
Speaker 7 (07:04):
Yeah, I think, you know, we usually you know, try
to have a couple you know, off days, after after
days a game or after games like the next day.
But I think just yeah, I know, it's eighty two
game season. No, it's a long season, and you know
you're working your body quite a bit. So being able
to get that rest and you know, recover your body
and you'll heal up and just just rest the legs,
(07:25):
I think is always really important. But at the same time,
you know, we like be on the ice, we like skating,
but I think over the course of the long season, no,
rest is.
Speaker 10 (07:32):
Really really important.
Speaker 8 (07:33):
What are you looking forward to with defending who's on
their side here with Colorado especially with them.
Speaker 7 (07:37):
Again, yeah, I mean obviously one of the best players
in the league, and you know, one of the best
teams in the league as well. So it's it'll be
a fun game, should be fast, quick, exciting and looking
forward to the challenge.
Speaker 2 (07:48):
All Right, the good feelings, the good vibes continue here
into this Tuesday matchup. National TV's got the game. So
as far as local broadcast coverage, you are talking to
your some of your closest friends right here, everetfits you
played by a play voice Extraordinariy on the Emerald, Queen Casino,
Crack and Audio Network, joining me Alconiski with him, me
(08:08):
also with them for the five pm airtime for the
Crack and Colorado Avalanche coming up tonight. Everett, you were
in the room with me. First off, thank you for
doing this. And yesterday the discussion of Halloween costumes, and
we heard a bunch of them all the way from
Harry Potter to then Ty Cartier, Shane Wright, Joey Decord,
(08:32):
Riiker Evans suiting up as the Flint Tropics, Adam Sami
cro what's the craziest Halloween costume that you've ever had?
Speaker 9 (08:43):
Oh my goodness, I gotta go back aways. I honestly,
I've not done a whole lot of Halloween in my
adult life, just you know, going back to my college
days with hockey and everything. Yeah, you know, we always
had games on Halloween. Rika, so you know, pretty much
my junior senior, my fifth year in school, and then
(09:06):
every year after that, I didn't really participate in Halloween.
And then you know, you move around for various jobs.
You only have time to put your head down on
your pillow for a year top. So I really have
never been a big Halloween guy. I think when I
was oh Lording, when I was in college, probably my
(09:28):
junior year, maybe my senior year, I got off the bus.
We were coming back from a road trip, and I
was wearing a black suit and I found one of
the old coach's earpieces and I went at security and
I just stood next to random people all night long.
And then it wasn't it wasn't Halloween. But I was
(09:50):
a camp counselor one summer and we had a Halloween
week theme and at the end of the week there
was a Halloween a CA I had Halloween party and
I found a Gumby outfit in a storage room somewhere,
so I threw on this, you know, medium sized Gumby outfit.
(10:12):
I think I was probably twenty one to two something
like that. So that's probably the last time ever since then,
every Halloween I'm either leaving a rink, getting off of
a bus, getting ready to get on the bush. This
year we play on Halloween in Toronto, So I think
now it's mostly just what we're gonna dress that up?
(10:34):
My son? What are you gonna do with him? Last
year he was a hobbit. My wife did an amazing
job with the ring and the case.
Speaker 2 (10:42):
I was just gonna say, wait until West gets older,
because I've already been there.
Speaker 9 (10:47):
Yeah, this year we're gonna dress him up as a firefighter.
And so he's two, he's two and a half, and
we asked him, we were like, hey, Wes, what do
you what do you want to be for Halloween? And
he was like, I want to be bookstore. I want
to be a bookstore. And he loves going to Barbs
and Noble get the croissant over by kCi. So I'm
thinking one year when he's older and maybe he dress
(11:10):
him up as one of those little libraries that you
see around town and you know, you know, paper mache
some books or have some books from there. So there's
a long winded answer about the history of Halloween and myself.
Speaker 2 (11:23):
Now, college for me is where you can get wild
and crazy. But I found that I didn't really tap
into the wild side until I had kids. And we're
still trying to figure it out here. But my youngest
son already has a full blown head to toe Yoshi
costume from Super Mario Brothers Ready to Go. It's in
his closet. And as for me, I think the picture
(11:45):
might be out there somewhere. I'm not sure, but if
you recall the kids show PJ Masks, there is an
actual photo of me and my two boys and Amy
dressed up in PJ Masks costumes and I when is
the Evil Scientist Romeo?
Speaker 9 (12:03):
The family costumes are the best. Again, I'm waiting. I'm
counting down until Wess is, you know, five six years
old and we can he's a little older, stand On
is a little bit more and we can. We can
get them in some of.
Speaker 3 (12:17):
Those Instagram or it didn't happen.
Speaker 2 (12:20):
Well, I mean Saturday, this was a win the crack
and one two to one over Calgary, and overtime a
win of a different kind. Calgary did not give them much.
What did Saturday tell you?
Speaker 9 (12:33):
It told me that this team is capable of winning
in a variety of different ways. You know, the first
five games of the season, I kind of harken back
to year two when the Cracking made the playoffs and
it's been scoring by committee. You had thirteen different players
with points on that Thursday against Philly, and then you
(12:54):
had combined thirteen goals. You know, first time in franchise
history that a team has scored back to back six
plus goal games. Only the eighteenth time since twenty twenty
twenty twenty one that a team. I guess the c
I can lead the NHL since twenty twenty one in
(13:17):
most games with twelve or more point getters at eighteen.
So I think for Dan bilesman team who early on
here it looks like they're gonna be offense. It looks
like they're gonna look to the face, they're really gonna
want to get up and down the ice. It was
very nice and refreshing to see this team buckle down,
(13:37):
not forgetting the defensive side of the puck and winning
a tightly contested two to one game. I mean, I
remember talking to our old friend Dave Tomlinson back in
the year two and he was saying that man, in
order for this team to go anywhere and make any noise,
they're going to have to win the occasional to one game.
Every game that year was four three five four five three,
(13:59):
So the krack and didn't really have a lot of
those tightly contested, low event games, as Dan Biosma called
it yesterday practice. So I think for Seattle it was
the way that they've won it. Four wins on the season,
and they've all come i think, in four pretty different ways,
which is really nice to see.
Speaker 2 (14:18):
And I think also what we spotted, which I thought
was an interesting wrinkle to how Dan Bilsma is putting
his fingerprints on this team night after night, is his
willingness to shorten the bench, especially in a tight game,
rather than just try to roll through line one, line two,
line three to night line four, if you will, and
(14:39):
go to specific players when it's crunch time.
Speaker 3 (14:42):
Here's Biolsma after practice on Monday.
Speaker 10 (14:45):
It's the players play that dictates, you know, those situations,
and you know it come gets into crunch time in
the game or you're you're putting out the guys that
you ever playing the best or the best chance to
have success. In those spots, and you know, a little
(15:07):
bit you think you can't I can't take credit for
you know, like the matchup the pair we used to
start the game in overtime, A little bit has to
do with you know, bumper bruise that someone else might
be having in the game, and so you make an
(15:27):
adjustment at the time in place of the game that
produces ebs and can't Chandler on the ice together that
gives the first goal. So that's that's just that's just
how the games presented, not necessarily a decision that that
I made.
Speaker 2 (15:47):
So here's what was really fun about this. You had
Chandler Stephenson who was prolific at the face off circle.
Brandon Montour is gonna be logging a lot more time
here on this back and we'll get to this in
a bit. But then as well, Jordan Everley, who has
been clutched in crunch time and improve that once again.
Speaker 9 (16:04):
Yeah, I mean, I think for Seattle, your best players,
your leaders, your veterans are stepping up to be your
best players. And for a team that has always been
told there are no difference makers, there are no finishers,
there are no superstars. Right, you look at every team
in the NHL, they at least have one or two
(16:25):
Chucks or McKinnon's or Larkins or you know, Dowdy's or copuitars.
But the crack and don't really have that one guy.
And I think that is what makes this team so
dangerous that you cannot see him on one individual person.
And I think you know you talked about shortening the bench.
If you put all your egos aside and you're all
(16:45):
buying into the same goal, your ice time will come.
If it's not today. You know, you play fifteen minutes today,
you better get ready to play twenty four minutes tomorrow. Right,
That's okay. You're going to get your reps, You're going
to get your ice time. You're going to get your
looks and your touches. And I think you know the
trust that Dan has into this fourth line, the car
tan A gored the fact that the team has been
(17:07):
able to rally around them for what's five in a
row now five games, four games in a row. The
Seams started the game for Seattle, but then in those
big moments, who was called upon to score that game
winning goal? It was Everly who has really taken on
a very big leading by example role since the season started.
(17:28):
I mean he was he wasn't awarded, he wasn't given
the captain c he earned the captaincy, and I feel
like this is his way of showing faith and thanking
his teammates. And the organization is Ron and Dan, you know,
judging by conversations that we've had over the summer, you know,
being being random flies on the wall, it's kind of
(17:50):
like this is a full organization, you know, from Ron down. Vote.
Maybe the players have a little bit more weight their
voices in this vote, but again, it really says a
lot that your captain is now. It seems like getting
back to the Jordan Evely of old. Right. You look
at his what seven years in Edmonton. He let the
(18:13):
team and goals five of those seven years, and I'm
pretty sure he let the team in scoring overall three
of those seven years. So it seems like a little
bit of a flashback to earlier youthful days for the
thirty four year old in its pan off with goals
in three straights and four but five.
Speaker 2 (18:29):
Goals in six games so far, I think they've got
something going. As far as Jared McCann, Shane Wright and
Jordan everly left to right on that line, Joey Decourd
has only faced the Avalanche once in his career. That
was late last or early last season the Krack and loss.
That game, he had twenty six saves on thirty one shots.
(18:51):
Philip Grubauer, who I'm curious to see if they go
to him tonight against his former team, is five to
three to one career in eleven games, never mind the
first round series he had against the Avalanche two years ago.
What do you make so far out of this platoon?
Factoring in what the Cord did back on Saturday.
Speaker 9 (19:15):
You know, I think you've got both goaltenders playing, you know,
at a pretty decent level. I think even though Grubauer
only has one of the full wins, I mean I
wouldn't let the win total really, you know, affects the
view of him. I mean, he has come up with
some big phase. I go back to that Dallas game
(19:36):
with the Kracking, We're pushing in the third period and
he stopped back to back breakaway as a fan of
what twenty five forty odd second to keep that a
two nothing game and to keep Seattle in it the
whole time. And you know, you feel bad because he
hasn't gotten the run sport. You look at the two
quick goals he allowed in the season opener, you look
(19:57):
at the two quick goals he allowed in Dallas, and
then you come back and you get the victory. I mean,
it's stilly the other night, but I think it's You've
got two good goalies right now who are playing really
good hockey, who are giving your team chances to win
every single night. And I feel like there's only a
(20:18):
goalie controversy when both of your goaltenders are playing well.
And I feel like, again, despite Grubauer only has the
one win, I think he's playing well. I'm anxious to see, however,
how long this platoon lasts. You know, you're coming up
on game seven. You've got what three more games left
(20:39):
in this home stands Tonight, Thursday, and Saturday, and then
you're off on the road for five beginning in Montreal.
I wonder if maybe next week, when you're on the road,
you start to see, you know, Dan files Worth testing
a little bit of the longevity. You know, maybe Joey
gets back to back start, maybe Phil. You know, as
of right now, it looks like Bills will play tonight,
(21:01):
and it'll probably play Saturday, depending on the game he
has Saturday against Carolina to throw him back out there
in Montreal on Tuesday and see, hey, you want us one,
I'll go out there and get us another. All of
these things go into these decisions, and you know, Dannis
told us from early on, you know, he's not going
to discuss goaltending with us. So that's just for you
and I and Dan and RJ and Allison and all
(21:23):
the folks in the media crew to pontificate and discuss over.
But listen, the platoon's going well. In today's NHL. Very
few goaltenders I mean by very few, I would probably
rajor guests on five to seven are playing more than
fifty fifty five games. Dacre had a career. I have
(21:44):
fifty last year. I mean, once you start getting into
the fifty five sixty game round, you're looking at a Shashkin,
You're looking at a Helli Buck, You're looking at you know,
guys who who are you know routinely investment contention, you
know Lebronsky players like that.
Speaker 2 (21:58):
So too is that no one has jumped the bar
past seventy since Cam Talbot did that seven years ago, and.
Speaker 9 (22:07):
That's the thing, right, So I think if you're Seattle,
you're happy with the way the play has been going.
You've been in every game you've blown out. You haven't
gotten blown out this year, which I think is good.
So again for me, I'm happy with the team the
way that they've been playing. And both goaltenders have a
lot to do with that.
Speaker 2 (22:26):
Vince douneplaced on l t I R yesterday, sat out
Saturday mid body injury that turned by Dan Bielsma. Cale
Flurry is up aside from the hard Matt that has
to do with the lt I R pool, everything that
goes with that. How do we now define the importance
of Brandon on tour?
Speaker 9 (22:46):
Oh my goodness. I mean he was brought in to
be a complimentary piece to Vince Done. He was brought
in to be you know, Don Larson, and now it's
been Alexiak and Montur this whole season. So you're now
looking at two priests offensive and defensive capable players and
now Monto was stepping into that role. You bring up
(23:06):
cal Furry, who has played in this league. He's an
NHL caliber defenseman. Hasn't you know, been given probably as
much opportunity as he would like here in Seattle, but
win called upon. He's served advurably and he's never once complained.
Dan knows him very well. Ron knows him very well.
Drafted him back in Carolina in the day. So I mean,
(23:28):
next man up, and again we go back to injuries
are always going to happen. You know, last season Vince
Dunn gets taken out by Calgaries Martin Postersil and he's
not been the same since. You know he I don't
have the number from anybody missed you know, ninety percent
of the last I.
Speaker 3 (23:43):
Think it was he missed out injury.
Speaker 9 (23:47):
Yeah, nineteen in his last twenty one. He didn't make
his appearance this year until late in the preseason. He's
only played two games three games so far for Seattle
this year. So again I'm not gonna spec you and
say you know the two are related. Again, this is
the NHL, right, The most descriptive you're ever going to
get is upper lower or now mid body injury from
(24:10):
Dan Biosmas. So I mean, you hope that he gets back.
He's out minimally until November twelfth, and with the the
krack and now being four thousand dollars above the red
line right when it comes to salary cap. I mean,
now you've got seven million on it, lci R. And
again this is just something to look at down the road.
(24:33):
Don't come for fit saying, hey said the cracket are
going to do X, Y and Z. But you hope
it's not long term for Vince done. But if something is,
you know, more the problem than we first thought. There
is options out there for you to bring in a
pretty good caliber player if you need to.
Speaker 2 (24:53):
Don's got to miss p lt IR rules here ten
games and twenty four days in that period here Colorado
coming up. I can't help but think they have got
to be the one of the most surprising teams in
this league based on their start, and it's not a
good one. But anytime you square up and you've seen
(25:14):
number twenty nine across the eyes, you shiver.
Speaker 9 (25:18):
You do you do? I mean Nathan McKinnon is I mean,
I think it was. It was Crosby for a very
long time and minutes, but David and now a lot
of folks feel that, you know, some combination of Nathan McKinnon,
Nikita Kucharov or probably in that Leon Dry Sidle are
in that two, three, three, four or five range in
(25:39):
terms of best players globally. I mean, Nathan McKinnon has
done everything in his career and he's still not done yet.
You know, he's got a long way to go, So
I think that's dangerous. They still are without their captain,
the very funky injury that happened to Gabriel Laniskok. He's
not been back. Their goaltending position is has been what
(26:00):
we'll call an area of opportunity to begin the season.
They did pick up a four to one win a
couple of nights ago in San Jose, but listen for Seattle.
You know, you can't help the schedule, you can't help
who you play, and this is one of those games
that if you can win, because you know they're going
to write the ship at some point. Right, You've got McKinnon,
(26:22):
You've got mccar you've got Taves, you've got lekking In.
All those guys, those Rantman, right, those are the guys
who are are going to right the ship. This Colorado team,
I so expect to be in playoff contention. But now
you have a Colorado team that's not off to a
good start. So you're going to be looking back at
(26:44):
the team that this game in March around the trade deadline.
Hopefully you're pretty comfortable within one of those eight Western
Conference spots. But if you're looking on the outside, looking
in by a couple of points, you don't want to
look back at that Colorado game in the early November.
It's late October, game seven of the season saying, man,
we should have won that game. You know, I think
you and I have talked about last year the krackn
(27:06):
missed the playoff by seventeen points and nineteen overtime losses,
a number of games that you know against teams they
probably shouldn't have lost to. I can probably go back
last year and right now without thinking ten wins that
they should have had last year and not conceded points to.
So you don't want to get off to a bad start.
So you know the rivalry renewed if you will. Every
(27:29):
time these team has played, they haven't forgotten Cale mccallory
in the hit on the can back in the playoffs.
Kra Can finished year as well, ye opening Night exactly exactly.
And I think last year the Kraken finished all of
their three games with Colorado three or four weeks into
(27:49):
the season, and I think Seattle, once again this year,
all three of the AVS games are going to be
done before Christmas. That last game in Colorado is going
to come on the twenty third in Denver before the
long holiday for Christmas. So again, you're getting a tough
team out of the way early who has struggled and
you need to capitalize on that.
Speaker 2 (28:10):
Does this not define how weird Colorado season has been.
They've got McKinnon, they've got mccarr, they've got Ranton in
right now, they're averaging four point eight goals against per game,
that is last in the league, but their power play
thirty eight percent, tied for second in the NHL.
Speaker 9 (28:34):
That and I think look at the player Ross Colton
second six goals in goals. Yeah, I got six goals
right now. So I mean, listen, these type of games
are won on the file play on special seed. I
think you and I and how we've talked both on
the air and off the air about are there any
areas that you see improvement needed? And I feel like,
(28:55):
number one, we're still a little early, I think in
this season to really start picking. But if there is
one area that I think you can look at and say,
all right, let's let's start paying some extra attention. Here
has been the power play at the cracking bottom third
in the league. Again, we're only six games in, so
I start to worry about the power play stats anyway,
(29:17):
your PK stats. You want a good you know, I've
always believed that a good PK is more effective, better
than a good power play. That's just my opinion. So
you want your PK to be good. I start worrying
about the power play looking at trends ten twelve games in,
but it's starting to get a little bit better if
you're Seattle. But you need to capitalize on those opportunities,
and your PK needs to be as strong as ever
(29:39):
against the apps.
Speaker 2 (29:40):
Pretty cool moment that we saw, of course, back on
Saturday with the krack and scoring five on three and
before that previous time out, Jessica Campbell drawing up the
play on the whiteboard for the five on three unit.
Colorado has one back to back games a crack and
trying to halt them in their tracks. Hey, Thursday, this
is gonna be cool. You're tossing down to me. I'll
be in the course of silk receives also.
Speaker 9 (30:02):
Oh man, that's gonna be fun. Where were We got
a couple of things going on this year that we're
very excited about. That's what's one of the big ideas.
You know that you and I and Al pitched around
the kJ R offices in the summertime trying to see
how can we be more engaging doing a pre post
from the course line Silver sipts down there right on
the glass. Maybe you know, if you're sitting down there,
(30:23):
we'll toss the microphone down to you, and you know,
there's just you have an opportunity to be a part
of it right there. I mean, I think that's gonna
be a lot of fun. You you Mike are going
to really get to feel what that game is like.
And I think for you, I mean the Winter Classic.
I mean, I don't want to speak to you, but
the Winter Classic has to be is once in the
lifetime bucket list of that. But I feel like, you know,
(30:49):
you're in the open air stadium, it's a lot of
space behind you, You're tight right you are in the
friendly confines of Grant of Pledgerina. It's going to be
nice and tight and intimate down there. I would I
would probably wear a thorowly suit justicate a couple of course,
like it's come flying over the roads and you know,
get to get the suit therty. But now I'm looking
forward to it. Also, we got a couple of really
(31:12):
cool other ideas that we're pitching for later on this
season about how we can do more of these, you know,
whether it be games in the crowds or finding ways
to bring the crack and Audio network closer to the fans.
So stay tuned for that. But I mean, I'm excited
for you. I'm going to have one eye on you
down there in that corner of the whole game.
Speaker 2 (31:34):
Well, I mean, if if there's anything that you can
think of here from my past experiences, I'm going to
get more friends based on my experience in section twenty
by coming up and asking me, Hey, where's.
Speaker 3 (31:45):
Ever it fence? You and I got on up there.
So there may be some shatowts.
Speaker 9 (31:50):
Hey listen, I'm going to tell you this as well,
our good friend j T. Brown over on the Kracken
Hockey Network. Heats between the benches, bring gloves, hand warmers,
wear warm stocks.
Speaker 11 (32:00):
It will get cold down then. I'm telling you right now, Mike,
wear some foods. You're on radio. Nobody can see your
shoes anyway, so they where the wear the warm shoes,
put some clouds. So on getting some gloves and warmers
and be prepared. Maybe get a look, yeah if you
got one down there and uh and get ready.
Speaker 2 (32:17):
For a They don't call it the super Chill Course
lights silver seats for nothing. Thankfully there are warmers on
those seats down there.
Speaker 3 (32:26):
Looking forward to fans. Thank you so much, Bud, always
a pleasure.
Speaker 9 (32:30):
Bad talk to your food.
Speaker 2 (32:32):
All right, ever it fits you. My man appreciates you
as always. Thank you for joining me. We can't wait
as well for that Thursday matchup against Winnipeg. Our first
set of pregame, intermission and postgame activities. The super Chill
Course Lights, silver seats all along the glass will be
amongst the fans in the lower bowl. Check it in
here for updates and certainly it's gonna be a fun one.
(32:54):
By the way, one of three games that will be
hitting up down there here for this season. We'll have
more coming up as as those announced states here down
the road. Well, matchup number one coming up here against Colorado.
As we said, the Kraken basing a team and is
out to a bumpy star, but the Avalanche winning back
to back games, most recently a four to two win
(33:14):
over the San Jose Sharks on the road. Ross Colton
is their leading goals scorer right now with six No surprise,
Kale mccarr engineering their points on the back end. He
leads them right now with twelve loo could the crack
and see and be up against me to be seen?
Speaker 3 (33:31):
Of course, that.
Speaker 2 (33:31):
Includes a shaky goaltending picture between Alexandri Georghiev and Eustace
anonin Colorado giving up four point eight goals per game. Again,
that is last the entire league. With their power play
with their personnel as threatening as ever thirty eight percent
typher second in the NHL, while they're still generating three
and a half goals per game. Of all four losses
(33:52):
by the Avalanche to begin the season, the winning team
eight goals by Vegas, six goals by the Blue Jackets,
six goals by the Islanders, and five goals as well
by the Boston Bruins. So as far as that pattern,
the Kraken, I've got to make a big push once
again for offense. It's a very threatening Colorado team once
again looking to make noise in the Western Conference here
(34:14):
for this season gonna be a fun one. Hope you
can join us once again. Take note special early start
time they climb the Pledge Arena five thirty pm Pacific
time this evening. Ever at all myself, we're on the
air five pm airtime all across the emeral Quan Casino
Kraken Audio Network as well Talking cracking, taking you up
(34:34):
to an hour after the final horn. We hope that
you can be with us here for the entire evening.
Big thanks once again to Shane Wright and to evere
fits you ever cracking this morning.
Speaker 3 (34:45):
I'm Mike Benton. Happy Tuesday.
Speaker 1 (34:46):
You're home for the Kraken Sports Radio ninety three point
three kjr FM.
Welcome to Cracking this morning, a presentation of the Kraken
Audio Network, Ken Sports Radio ninety three point three KJRFM.
Here's Mike Benton, Game three of the homestand on the horizon.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
We welcome you to Kracking this morning on a Tuesday,
October twenty second. Mike Benton with you tonight, local broadcast
coverage only on your home for the Kraken on the
radio side, Sports Radio ninety three point three KJRFM and
the Emeral Queen Casino Crack and Audio Network.
Speaker 3 (00:33):
Because National TVs.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Got the game a special five thirty pm start time
Pacific time for the Kraken and the Colorado Avalanche once again,
a matchup renewed, perhaps a budding rivalry that could take
one more step this evening, after the two teams, of course,
met in the opening round at the Stanley Cup Playoffs
two seasons ago. Been a while since these two teams
(00:56):
last met. That was on November thirteenth, back at Climate
Pledge Arena, the Kraken winning one of three against the
Avalanche this last season, after beating Colorado, of course, in
that famed seven game upset back in spring of twenty
twenty three. Will however, it fits you along in just
a little bit, plus a conversation we have for the
(01:17):
dressing room with Crack and Ford, Shane Wright diving into
the fun of Halloween costumes. Plus a budding line he's
generating offense with which includes leading goals scorer Jordan Beverley
five goals in six games, and Jared mccannon right now
the team's leading point getter. He's got eight points in
six games. So Shane Wright and ever it fits you,
coming along in just a little bit, and before we
(01:40):
get to them, your highlights from a very tight affair
on Saturday with the Kraken battling a young but confident
four and zero Calgary Flames squad and needing a touch
of patience to get their first goal in period two.
Speaker 4 (01:55):
Real surveys the seam bottom of an air circle slides
it across stevenson shirts in a one time or that
one fought off by Damn Fadar, a loose puck behind
the gagery net Schwartz will save him back to Stephenson
near side.
Speaker 5 (02:08):
McCann, Stevenson, you're time, Welcome to Seattle. Taylor Stevenson his first.
Speaker 4 (02:22):
Goal as a member of the Kraken on the power play.
We're tied at one.
Speaker 5 (02:27):
Seven point thirty five left in the second well Montour.
Speaker 6 (02:30):
And Stephenson got up top on that power play. Montour
got the puck. He knew Stevens at the left hand
shot on the right side. He's on his off wing.
He slaped up puck over to him and Stevenson wasted
no time beating fladar Low on the ice.
Speaker 4 (02:42):
One one clap up rush off the bench in for
Kevin ball left side. That shot sales wide rebound collected
here by Shane Wright. Here comes right in for everly
left circle backhand and thought to Shane right he got
tripped up. We're gonna play going a tire behind the net,
back to the line, shot long range, turned away off
(03:05):
the stick of Tyson Berry. Now cadre in front, fought
off fives a torn and he'll dive out of the
door mouth and cover her up for the whistle. Three
point thirty three left in the third one one we're tired.
Speaker 3 (03:17):
Oh the joey chancer going now.
Speaker 6 (03:19):
As he made a couple of big seams there, and
when he got up he looked at all the blue
sweaters around and gave him tasks on to a.
Speaker 4 (03:25):
Right side down the wing. He'll walk Anderson seals him off.
Montour carries behind the net and the Calgary Flames will
take it away. Cadre turns it over.
Speaker 5 (03:33):
Montour in front, turned aside, getting his back.
Speaker 7 (03:36):
Heaverly stoo turn it Everly.
Speaker 4 (03:47):
Win's it it over time two on four twelve left
in the extra session.
Speaker 5 (03:54):
All the turnover by Calgary defenseman.
Speaker 6 (03:56):
In his old zone. There Montor found that Buck got
the first shot of going for Darbs surprise that not
even happened. He mishandled the replay months We're gonna back
fed Everly for the game winning goal.
Speaker 4 (04:09):
Shortan Everly snaps the Calgary Flames four game season opening
win streak. The Kraken have won three in a row.
They now had to four and two on the young season.
They won back to back games on this five game.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
Home stands, so a two to one win over Calgary
gave the krake In their first win over the Flames
on home ice and franchise history. The Flames had beaten
them in the previous six matchups and climbed the Pledge arena.
That also put the Krack in one point out of
first place. In the Pacific. Yes, it's early, but the
Cracking right now enjoying a four and two record, their
best starts so far through six games in their young
(04:49):
franchise history. What's ahead here for Colorado a date against
Nathan McKinnon, Miko Rantinen and Cale mccarr and ahead of
the game, we cut up with Shane right in the
crack and dressing room after practice on Monday.
Speaker 8 (05:02):
But before I get to the hard hitting stuff, I
got a first ask the burning question around here.
Speaker 3 (05:06):
That was a party on Sunday.
Speaker 7 (05:08):
It was fun. It was fun. It was a good night. Yeah,
the boys dressed up, we showed up and had a
good had a good night and definitely a lot of
fun for sure.
Speaker 3 (05:16):
Where'd you go as me?
Speaker 7 (05:19):
Me Carts, Reichs and Joey Win as the funt Tropics
from Semi Pro there So we had the short shorts,
the uh, the the jerseys and the jackets, high socks, headband,
all the the whole the whole fit going. So it
was it was fun.
Speaker 3 (05:33):
Who had the funniest cost uh?
Speaker 7 (05:35):
Funniest? I mean there are a lot of good costumes.
I think rig had the best costume. He was like
Austin Powers with like the felt suit and the whole
set up, like the cuffs and everything.
Speaker 9 (05:46):
It was.
Speaker 7 (05:46):
It was a really good even had like a fake
little water gun too, It was. It was a really
good costume.
Speaker 8 (05:51):
All right, Now on to the hard hitting stuff here.
Tell me so far what's working for this offense?
Speaker 7 (05:55):
Yeah, I think just it's by committee. Uh, you know,
what's the depth scoring? You know, everyone's kind of chipping,
everyone's contributing, and I think that's, uh, you know, how
how good teams win. That's how you win games in
this league especially. I think just everyone chipping in, everyone's scoring,
and you know, not kind of one line that's that's
doing all the work. You know, all four lines are
(06:16):
contributing to that. So yeah, I think it's been great
so far that way.
Speaker 3 (06:20):
Mccanna his compliments.
Speaker 8 (06:21):
How is he and Jordan Embley helping make you be
the best that you can be?
Speaker 7 (06:26):
Yeah, I mean those of those guys are great, obviously,
super talented, smart guys and really really easy to play with.
And you know, I'm just trying to learn from them,
just trying to talk to them as much as I
can and then just bounce ideas off them, and yeah,
you know, just try to help them out and support
and you know, try to help you get in the
pucks sometimes as well.
Speaker 8 (06:45):
But finally, I we we discussed this topic with Dan
last week about optional skates, especially this early in the season,
where with Max Effort, he believes in that rest can
be a weapon, especially the morning of I think familiar
from your time in Coachella Valley and how that can
work to your advantage as well.
Speaker 7 (07:04):
Yeah, I think, you know, we usually you know, try
to have a couple you know, off days, after after
days a game or after games like the next day.
But I think just yeah, I know, it's eighty two
game season. No, it's a long season, and you know
you're working your body quite a bit. So being able
to get that rest and you know, recover your body
and you'll heal up and just just rest the legs,
(07:25):
I think is always really important. But at the same time,
you know, we like be on the ice, we like skating,
but I think over the course of the long season, no,
rest is.
Speaker 10 (07:32):
Really really important.
Speaker 8 (07:33):
What are you looking forward to with defending who's on
their side here with Colorado especially with them.
Speaker 7 (07:37):
Again, yeah, I mean obviously one of the best players
in the league, and you know, one of the best
teams in the league as well. So it's it'll be
a fun game, should be fast, quick, exciting and looking
forward to the challenge.
Speaker 2 (07:48):
All Right, the good feelings, the good vibes continue here
into this Tuesday matchup. National TV's got the game. So
as far as local broadcast coverage, you are talking to
your some of your closest friends right here, everetfits you
played by a play voice Extraordinariy on the Emerald, Queen Casino,
Crack and Audio Network, joining me Alconiski with him, me
(08:08):
also with them for the five pm airtime for the
Crack and Colorado Avalanche coming up tonight. Everett, you were
in the room with me. First off, thank you for
doing this. And yesterday the discussion of Halloween costumes, and
we heard a bunch of them all the way from
Harry Potter to then Ty Cartier, Shane Wright, Joey Decord,
(08:32):
Riiker Evans suiting up as the Flint Tropics, Adam Sami
cro what's the craziest Halloween costume that you've ever had?
Speaker 9 (08:43):
Oh my goodness, I gotta go back aways. I honestly,
I've not done a whole lot of Halloween in my
adult life, just you know, going back to my college
days with hockey and everything. Yeah, you know, we always
had games on Halloween. Rika, so you know, pretty much
my junior senior, my fifth year in school, and then
(09:06):
every year after that, I didn't really participate in Halloween.
And then you know, you move around for various jobs.
You only have time to put your head down on
your pillow for a year top. So I really have
never been a big Halloween guy. I think when I
was oh Lording, when I was in college, probably my
(09:28):
junior year, maybe my senior year, I got off the bus.
We were coming back from a road trip, and I
was wearing a black suit and I found one of
the old coach's earpieces and I went at security and
I just stood next to random people all night long.
And then it wasn't it wasn't Halloween. But I was
(09:50):
a camp counselor one summer and we had a Halloween
week theme and at the end of the week there
was a Halloween a CA I had Halloween party and
I found a Gumby outfit in a storage room somewhere,
so I threw on this, you know, medium sized Gumby outfit.
(10:12):
I think I was probably twenty one to two something
like that. So that's probably the last time ever since then,
every Halloween I'm either leaving a rink, getting off of
a bus, getting ready to get on the bush. This
year we play on Halloween in Toronto, So I think
now it's mostly just what we're gonna dress that up?
(10:34):
My son? What are you gonna do with him? Last
year he was a hobbit. My wife did an amazing
job with the ring and the case.
Speaker 2 (10:42):
I was just gonna say, wait until West gets older,
because I've already been there.
Speaker 9 (10:47):
Yeah, this year we're gonna dress him up as a firefighter.
And so he's two, he's two and a half, and
we asked him, we were like, hey, Wes, what do
you what do you want to be for Halloween? And
he was like, I want to be bookstore. I want
to be a bookstore. And he loves going to Barbs
and Noble get the croissant over by kCi. So I'm
thinking one year when he's older and maybe he dress
(11:10):
him up as one of those little libraries that you
see around town and you know, you know, paper mache
some books or have some books from there. So there's
a long winded answer about the history of Halloween and myself.
Speaker 2 (11:23):
Now, college for me is where you can get wild
and crazy. But I found that I didn't really tap
into the wild side until I had kids. And we're
still trying to figure it out here. But my youngest
son already has a full blown head to toe Yoshi
costume from Super Mario Brothers Ready to Go. It's in
his closet. And as for me, I think the picture
(11:45):
might be out there somewhere. I'm not sure, but if
you recall the kids show PJ Masks, there is an
actual photo of me and my two boys and Amy
dressed up in PJ Masks costumes and I when is
the Evil Scientist Romeo?
Speaker 9 (12:03):
The family costumes are the best. Again, I'm waiting. I'm
counting down until Wess is, you know, five six years
old and we can he's a little older, stand On
is a little bit more and we can. We can
get them in some of.
Speaker 3 (12:17):
Those Instagram or it didn't happen.
Speaker 2 (12:20):
Well, I mean Saturday, this was a win the crack
and one two to one over Calgary, and overtime a
win of a different kind. Calgary did not give them much.
What did Saturday tell you?
Speaker 9 (12:33):
It told me that this team is capable of winning
in a variety of different ways. You know, the first
five games of the season, I kind of harken back
to year two when the Cracking made the playoffs and
it's been scoring by committee. You had thirteen different players
with points on that Thursday against Philly, and then you
(12:54):
had combined thirteen goals. You know, first time in franchise
history that a team has scored back to back six
plus goal games. Only the eighteenth time since twenty twenty
twenty twenty one that a team. I guess the c
I can lead the NHL since twenty twenty one in
(13:17):
most games with twelve or more point getters at eighteen.
So I think for Dan bilesman team who early on
here it looks like they're gonna be offense. It looks
like they're gonna look to the face, they're really gonna
want to get up and down the ice. It was
very nice and refreshing to see this team buckle down,
(13:37):
not forgetting the defensive side of the puck and winning
a tightly contested two to one game. I mean, I
remember talking to our old friend Dave Tomlinson back in
the year two and he was saying that man, in
order for this team to go anywhere and make any noise,
they're going to have to win the occasional to one game.
Every game that year was four three five four five three,
(13:59):
So the krack and didn't really have a lot of
those tightly contested, low event games, as Dan Biosma called
it yesterday practice. So I think for Seattle it was
the way that they've won it. Four wins on the season,
and they've all come i think, in four pretty different ways,
which is really nice to see.
Speaker 2 (14:18):
And I think also what we spotted, which I thought
was an interesting wrinkle to how Dan Bilsma is putting
his fingerprints on this team night after night, is his
willingness to shorten the bench, especially in a tight game,
rather than just try to roll through line one, line two,
line three to night line four, if you will, and
(14:39):
go to specific players when it's crunch time.
Speaker 3 (14:42):
Here's Biolsma after practice on Monday.
Speaker 10 (14:45):
It's the players play that dictates, you know, those situations,
and you know it come gets into crunch time in
the game or you're you're putting out the guys that
you ever playing the best or the best chance to
have success. In those spots, and you know, a little
(15:07):
bit you think you can't I can't take credit for
you know, like the matchup the pair we used to
start the game in overtime, A little bit has to
do with you know, bumper bruise that someone else might
be having in the game, and so you make an
(15:27):
adjustment at the time in place of the game that
produces ebs and can't Chandler on the ice together that
gives the first goal. So that's that's just that's just
how the games presented, not necessarily a decision that that
I made.
Speaker 2 (15:47):
So here's what was really fun about this. You had
Chandler Stephenson who was prolific at the face off circle.
Brandon Montour is gonna be logging a lot more time
here on this back and we'll get to this in
a bit. But then as well, Jordan Everley, who has
been clutched in crunch time and improve that once again.
Speaker 9 (16:04):
Yeah, I mean, I think for Seattle, your best players,
your leaders, your veterans are stepping up to be your
best players. And for a team that has always been
told there are no difference makers, there are no finishers,
there are no superstars. Right, you look at every team
in the NHL, they at least have one or two
(16:25):
Chucks or McKinnon's or Larkins or you know, Dowdy's or copuitars.
But the crack and don't really have that one guy.
And I think that is what makes this team so
dangerous that you cannot see him on one individual person.
And I think you know you talked about shortening the bench.
If you put all your egos aside and you're all
(16:45):
buying into the same goal, your ice time will come.
If it's not today. You know, you play fifteen minutes today,
you better get ready to play twenty four minutes tomorrow. Right,
That's okay. You're going to get your reps, You're going
to get your ice time. You're going to get your
looks and your touches. And I think you know the
trust that Dan has into this fourth line, the car
tan A gored the fact that the team has been
(17:07):
able to rally around them for what's five in a
row now five games, four games in a row. The
Seams started the game for Seattle, but then in those
big moments, who was called upon to score that game
winning goal? It was Everly who has really taken on
a very big leading by example role since the season started.
(17:28):
I mean he was he wasn't awarded, he wasn't given
the captain c he earned the captaincy, and I feel
like this is his way of showing faith and thanking
his teammates. And the organization is Ron and Dan, you know,
judging by conversations that we've had over the summer, you know,
being being random flies on the wall, it's kind of
(17:50):
like this is a full organization, you know, from Ron down. Vote.
Maybe the players have a little bit more weight their
voices in this vote, but again, it really says a
lot that your captain is now. It seems like getting
back to the Jordan Evely of old. Right. You look
at his what seven years in Edmonton. He let the
(18:13):
team and goals five of those seven years, and I'm
pretty sure he let the team in scoring overall three
of those seven years. So it seems like a little
bit of a flashback to earlier youthful days for the
thirty four year old in its pan off with goals
in three straights and four but five.
Speaker 2 (18:29):
Goals in six games so far, I think they've got
something going. As far as Jared McCann, Shane Wright and
Jordan everly left to right on that line, Joey Decourd
has only faced the Avalanche once in his career. That
was late last or early last season the Krack and loss.
That game, he had twenty six saves on thirty one shots.
(18:51):
Philip Grubauer, who I'm curious to see if they go
to him tonight against his former team, is five to
three to one career in eleven games, never mind the
first round series he had against the Avalanche two years ago.
What do you make so far out of this platoon?
Factoring in what the Cord did back on Saturday.
Speaker 9 (19:15):
You know, I think you've got both goaltenders playing, you know,
at a pretty decent level. I think even though Grubauer
only has one of the full wins, I mean I
wouldn't let the win total really, you know, affects the
view of him. I mean, he has come up with
some big phase. I go back to that Dallas game
(19:36):
with the Kracking, We're pushing in the third period and
he stopped back to back breakaway as a fan of
what twenty five forty odd second to keep that a
two nothing game and to keep Seattle in it the
whole time. And you know, you feel bad because he
hasn't gotten the run sport. You look at the two
quick goals he allowed in the season opener, you look
(19:57):
at the two quick goals he allowed in Dallas, and
then you come back and you get the victory. I mean,
it's stilly the other night, but I think it's You've
got two good goalies right now who are playing really
good hockey, who are giving your team chances to win
every single night. And I feel like there's only a
(20:18):
goalie controversy when both of your goaltenders are playing well.
And I feel like, again, despite Grubauer only has the
one win, I think he's playing well. I'm anxious to see, however,
how long this platoon lasts. You know, you're coming up
on game seven. You've got what three more games left
(20:39):
in this home stands Tonight, Thursday, and Saturday, and then
you're off on the road for five beginning in Montreal.
I wonder if maybe next week, when you're on the road,
you start to see, you know, Dan files Worth testing
a little bit of the longevity. You know, maybe Joey
gets back to back start, maybe Phil. You know, as
of right now, it looks like Bills will play tonight,
(21:01):
and it'll probably play Saturday, depending on the game he
has Saturday against Carolina to throw him back out there
in Montreal on Tuesday and see, hey, you want us one,
I'll go out there and get us another. All of
these things go into these decisions, and you know, Dannis
told us from early on, you know, he's not going
to discuss goaltending with us. So that's just for you
and I and Dan and RJ and Allison and all
(21:23):
the folks in the media crew to pontificate and discuss over.
But listen, the platoon's going well. In today's NHL. Very
few goaltenders I mean by very few, I would probably
rajor guests on five to seven are playing more than
fifty fifty five games. Dacre had a career. I have
(21:44):
fifty last year. I mean, once you start getting into
the fifty five sixty game round, you're looking at a Shashkin,
You're looking at a Helli Buck, You're looking at you know,
guys who who are you know routinely investment contention, you
know Lebronsky players like that.
Speaker 2 (21:58):
So too is that no one has jumped the bar
past seventy since Cam Talbot did that seven years ago, and.
Speaker 9 (22:07):
That's the thing, right, So I think if you're Seattle,
you're happy with the way the play has been going.
You've been in every game you've blown out. You haven't
gotten blown out this year, which I think is good.
So again for me, I'm happy with the team the
way that they've been playing. And both goaltenders have a
lot to do with that.
Speaker 2 (22:26):
Vince douneplaced on l t I R yesterday, sat out
Saturday mid body injury that turned by Dan Bielsma. Cale
Flurry is up aside from the hard Matt that has
to do with the lt I R pool, everything that
goes with that. How do we now define the importance
of Brandon on tour?
Speaker 9 (22:46):
Oh my goodness. I mean he was brought in to
be a complimentary piece to Vince Done. He was brought
in to be you know, Don Larson, and now it's
been Alexiak and Montur this whole season. So you're now
looking at two priests offensive and defensive capable players and
now Monto was stepping into that role. You bring up
(23:06):
cal Furry, who has played in this league. He's an
NHL caliber defenseman. Hasn't you know, been given probably as
much opportunity as he would like here in Seattle, but
win called upon. He's served advurably and he's never once complained.
Dan knows him very well. Ron knows him very well.
Drafted him back in Carolina in the day. So I mean,
(23:28):
next man up, and again we go back to injuries
are always going to happen. You know, last season Vince
Dunn gets taken out by Calgaries Martin Postersil and he's
not been the same since. You know he I don't
have the number from anybody missed you know, ninety percent
of the last I.
Speaker 3 (23:43):
Think it was he missed out injury.
Speaker 9 (23:47):
Yeah, nineteen in his last twenty one. He didn't make
his appearance this year until late in the preseason. He's
only played two games three games so far for Seattle
this year. So again I'm not gonna spec you and
say you know the two are related. Again, this is
the NHL, right, The most descriptive you're ever going to
get is upper lower or now mid body injury from
(24:10):
Dan Biosmas. So I mean, you hope that he gets back.
He's out minimally until November twelfth, and with the the
krack and now being four thousand dollars above the red
line right when it comes to salary cap. I mean,
now you've got seven million on it, lci R. And
again this is just something to look at down the road.
(24:33):
Don't come for fit saying, hey said the cracket are
going to do X, Y and Z. But you hope
it's not long term for Vince done. But if something is,
you know, more the problem than we first thought. There
is options out there for you to bring in a
pretty good caliber player if you need to.
Speaker 2 (24:53):
Don's got to miss p lt IR rules here ten
games and twenty four days in that period here Colorado
coming up. I can't help but think they have got
to be the one of the most surprising teams in
this league based on their start, and it's not a
good one. But anytime you square up and you've seen
(25:14):
number twenty nine across the eyes, you shiver.
Speaker 9 (25:18):
You do you do? I mean Nathan McKinnon is I mean,
I think it was. It was Crosby for a very
long time and minutes, but David and now a lot
of folks feel that, you know, some combination of Nathan McKinnon,
Nikita Kucharov or probably in that Leon Dry Sidle are
in that two, three, three, four or five range in
(25:39):
terms of best players globally. I mean, Nathan McKinnon has
done everything in his career and he's still not done yet.
You know, he's got a long way to go, So
I think that's dangerous. They still are without their captain,
the very funky injury that happened to Gabriel Laniskok. He's
not been back. Their goaltending position is has been what
(26:00):
we'll call an area of opportunity to begin the season.
They did pick up a four to one win a
couple of nights ago in San Jose, but listen for Seattle.
You know, you can't help the schedule, you can't help
who you play, and this is one of those games
that if you can win, because you know they're going
to write the ship at some point. Right, You've got McKinnon,
(26:22):
You've got mccar you've got Taves, you've got lekking In.
All those guys, those Rantman, right, those are the guys
who are are going to right the ship. This Colorado team,
I so expect to be in playoff contention. But now
you have a Colorado team that's not off to a
good start. So you're going to be looking back at
(26:44):
the team that this game in March around the trade deadline.
Hopefully you're pretty comfortable within one of those eight Western
Conference spots. But if you're looking on the outside, looking
in by a couple of points, you don't want to
look back at that Colorado game in the early November.
It's late October, game seven of the season saying, man,
we should have won that game. You know, I think
you and I have talked about last year the krackn
(27:06):
missed the playoff by seventeen points and nineteen overtime losses,
a number of games that you know against teams they
probably shouldn't have lost to. I can probably go back
last year and right now without thinking ten wins that
they should have had last year and not conceded points to.
So you don't want to get off to a bad start.
So you know the rivalry renewed if you will. Every
(27:29):
time these team has played, they haven't forgotten Cale mccallory
in the hit on the can back in the playoffs.
Kra Can finished year as well, ye opening Night exactly exactly.
And I think last year the Kraken finished all of
their three games with Colorado three or four weeks into
(27:49):
the season, and I think Seattle, once again this year,
all three of the AVS games are going to be
done before Christmas. That last game in Colorado is going
to come on the twenty third in Denver before the
long holiday for Christmas. So again, you're getting a tough
team out of the way early who has struggled and
you need to capitalize on that.
Speaker 2 (28:10):
Does this not define how weird Colorado season has been.
They've got McKinnon, they've got mccarr, they've got Ranton in
right now, they're averaging four point eight goals against per game,
that is last in the league, but their power play
thirty eight percent, tied for second in the NHL.
Speaker 9 (28:34):
That and I think look at the player Ross Colton
second six goals in goals. Yeah, I got six goals
right now. So I mean, listen, these type of games
are won on the file play on special seed. I
think you and I and how we've talked both on
the air and off the air about are there any
areas that you see improvement needed? And I feel like,
(28:55):
number one, we're still a little early, I think in
this season to really start picking. But if there is
one area that I think you can look at and say,
all right, let's let's start paying some extra attention. Here
has been the power play at the cracking bottom third
in the league. Again, we're only six games in, so
I start to worry about the power play stats anyway,
(29:17):
your PK stats. You want a good you know, I've
always believed that a good PK is more effective, better
than a good power play. That's just my opinion. So
you want your PK to be good. I start worrying
about the power play looking at trends ten twelve games in,
but it's starting to get a little bit better if
you're Seattle. But you need to capitalize on those opportunities,
and your PK needs to be as strong as ever
(29:39):
against the apps.
Speaker 2 (29:40):
Pretty cool moment that we saw, of course, back on
Saturday with the krack and scoring five on three and
before that previous time out, Jessica Campbell drawing up the
play on the whiteboard for the five on three unit.
Colorado has one back to back games a crack and
trying to halt them in their tracks. Hey, Thursday, this
is gonna be cool. You're tossing down to me. I'll
be in the course of silk receives also.
Speaker 9 (30:02):
Oh man, that's gonna be fun. Where were We got
a couple of things going on this year that we're
very excited about. That's what's one of the big ideas.
You know that you and I and Al pitched around
the kJ R offices in the summertime trying to see
how can we be more engaging doing a pre post
from the course line Silver sipts down there right on
the glass. Maybe you know, if you're sitting down there,
(30:23):
we'll toss the microphone down to you, and you know,
there's just you have an opportunity to be a part
of it right there. I mean, I think that's gonna
be a lot of fun. You you Mike are going
to really get to feel what that game is like.
And I think for you, I mean the Winter Classic.
I mean, I don't want to speak to you, but
the Winter Classic has to be is once in the
lifetime bucket list of that. But I feel like, you know,
(30:49):
you're in the open air stadium, it's a lot of
space behind you, You're tight right you are in the
friendly confines of Grant of Pledgerina. It's going to be
nice and tight and intimate down there. I would I
would probably wear a thorowly suit justicate a couple of course,
like it's come flying over the roads and you know,
get to get the suit therty. But now I'm looking
forward to it. Also, we got a couple of really
(31:12):
cool other ideas that we're pitching for later on this
season about how we can do more of these, you know,
whether it be games in the crowds or finding ways
to bring the crack and Audio network closer to the fans.
So stay tuned for that. But I mean, I'm excited
for you. I'm going to have one eye on you
down there in that corner of the whole game.
Speaker 2 (31:34):
Well, I mean, if if there's anything that you can
think of here from my past experiences, I'm going to
get more friends based on my experience in section twenty
by coming up and asking me, Hey, where's.
Speaker 3 (31:45):
Ever it fence? You and I got on up there.
So there may be some shatowts.
Speaker 9 (31:50):
Hey listen, I'm going to tell you this as well,
our good friend j T. Brown over on the Kracken
Hockey Network. Heats between the benches, bring gloves, hand warmers,
wear warm stocks.
Speaker 11 (32:00):
It will get cold down then. I'm telling you right now, Mike,
wear some foods. You're on radio. Nobody can see your
shoes anyway, so they where the wear the warm shoes,
put some clouds. So on getting some gloves and warmers
and be prepared. Maybe get a look, yeah if you
got one down there and uh and get ready.
Speaker 2 (32:17):
For a They don't call it the super Chill Course
lights silver seats for nothing. Thankfully there are warmers on
those seats down there.
Speaker 3 (32:26):
Looking forward to fans. Thank you so much, Bud, always
a pleasure.
Speaker 9 (32:30):
Bad talk to your food.
Speaker 2 (32:32):
All right, ever it fits you. My man appreciates you
as always. Thank you for joining me. We can't wait
as well for that Thursday matchup against Winnipeg. Our first
set of pregame, intermission and postgame activities. The super Chill
Course Lights, silver seats all along the glass will be
amongst the fans in the lower bowl. Check it in
here for updates and certainly it's gonna be a fun one.
(32:54):
By the way, one of three games that will be
hitting up down there here for this season. We'll have
more coming up as as those announced states here down
the road. Well, matchup number one coming up here against Colorado.
As we said, the Kraken basing a team and is
out to a bumpy star, but the Avalanche winning back
to back games, most recently a four to two win
(33:14):
over the San Jose Sharks on the road. Ross Colton
is their leading goals scorer right now with six No surprise,
Kale mccarr engineering their points on the back end. He
leads them right now with twelve loo could the crack
and see and be up against me to be seen?
Speaker 3 (33:31):
Of course, that.
Speaker 2 (33:31):
Includes a shaky goaltending picture between Alexandri Georghiev and Eustace
anonin Colorado giving up four point eight goals per game. Again,
that is last the entire league. With their power play
with their personnel as threatening as ever thirty eight percent
typher second in the NHL, while they're still generating three
and a half goals per game. Of all four losses
(33:52):
by the Avalanche to begin the season, the winning team
eight goals by Vegas, six goals by the Blue Jackets,
six goals by the Islanders, and five goals as well
by the Boston Bruins. So as far as that pattern,
the Kraken, I've got to make a big push once
again for offense. It's a very threatening Colorado team once
again looking to make noise in the Western Conference here
(34:14):
for this season gonna be a fun one. Hope you
can join us once again. Take note special early start
time they climb the Pledge Arena five thirty pm Pacific
time this evening. Ever at all myself, we're on the
air five pm airtime all across the emeral Quan Casino
Kraken Audio Network as well Talking cracking, taking you up
(34:34):
to an hour after the final horn. We hope that
you can be with us here for the entire evening.
Big thanks once again to Shane Wright and to evere
fits you ever cracking this morning.
Speaker 3 (34:45):
I'm Mike Benton. Happy Tuesday.
Speaker 1 (34:46):
You're home for the Kraken Sports Radio ninety three point
three kjr FM.
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