October 20, 2025 • 51 mins
Mike Benton, Everett Fitzhugh, and Al Kinisky with the Oct. 20 episode of Kraken Weekly, recorded from the road in Philadelphia, and joined by Washington Capitals radio play by play voice John Walton.
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
This is Jordan Ebley. This is Vince Done.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
This is Jaden Schwartz.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
This is Jared mccannon.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
Yes, this is Ryan Lindgren.
Speaker 3 (00:09):
This is Maddie Banier's.
Speaker 4 (00:10):
You're listening to Crack and Weekly with Mike Benton. Crack
and Weekly is a three man round table from Philadelphia. Yep,
We're doing it this way because the Crack and Take
on the Philadelphia Flyers This evening Pacific time, four pm.
Everett's and the TV side Alconiski with me. I'm Mike Benton.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
By the way.
Speaker 4 (00:27):
Catch us by the way each and every week via
the Crack and Audio Network and the iHeartRadio app. Sign
up for free to get it at sports Radio KJR
dot com. Lot to cover Here for a busy week
ahead on the Crack and Side where they're off to
their best art in franchise history through five games. Can
they keep it going? Through Philadelphia, Washington, Winnipeg and Edmonton.
(00:48):
It's gonna be gonna be back home finally, especially for
these two guys sitting here to Mike rightly down the
road for way, way, way too long. Ask their significant other.
John Walton joins us here in just a bit. Also
Cap and the Washington Capitals with us also a brief
look at Philadelphia with his views here from the Eastern Conference.
Alex Ovechkin potentially getting close to nine hundred goals. Could
(01:10):
he hit the milestone or can the crack and stop
him in his tracks? To end back to back? John
Walton joining us in just a bit before Everett now
join us as well. Here's what you may have missed
with Everett and now on the call, I.
Speaker 5 (01:23):
Don't say fuck far circle.
Speaker 6 (01:24):
Josh Burhuru picks it up and shoots from the high slot.
I'll miss why Alexiak walks.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
In high slot scores.
Speaker 7 (01:34):
Shadey Alexiak rip swad toward the net through traffic. I
don't think Botombo ever saw it, and the Seattle crackt
retie the game three three fifteen twelve to play. In
the third O.
Speaker 3 (01:47):
Was a McCann feed up to Alexiak two from the
half wall, and Alexiak took his time moving from his
right to his left side. He's left handed shot and
he shot back across the green to Montebo's glove side.
Speaker 1 (01:58):
This game's not enough again.
Speaker 6 (02:00):
Three then veneers winning it back for Seattle. There's Montour
right point.
Speaker 7 (02:06):
Shot block McCann scoress Sharon McCann goals in three straight
and the Seattle Cracket come all the way back to
take a four to three lead twelve oh four to play.
Speaker 3 (02:20):
In the third, a puck goes DDD up with the
blue line over to Montour, who gets a good quick
shot off. Montreal makes the block out and put the
puck drops right down to Jared McCann, who spins around,
puts the glove side on Sam montepontebaut three excuse me,
four to three Seattle.
Speaker 5 (02:35):
That's it.
Speaker 7 (02:36):
Picks up the puck right wing circle one thirty five
left it over time.
Speaker 1 (02:40):
Here's Cawfield's shot scores on a move by.
Speaker 8 (02:45):
Cold Coawfield put the circle and come showing the court
to me, ever so slightly goes upstairs hand the crack
in game a point football in over.
Speaker 6 (03:01):
Time by mine more score in the ears, drops it
off to Montour. It'll skate left side, hand it off
to Stevenson in the circle and back up to the
line from on Toura Stevenson down low, everly trying.
Speaker 7 (03:12):
Their shovel it in turn aside rebound. Stevenson stores.
Speaker 1 (03:19):
Chandler.
Speaker 7 (03:19):
Stevenson left circle on the power play.
Speaker 5 (03:22):
Gives the cracking the lead back.
Speaker 7 (03:24):
It's three two seventeen forty five left here.
Speaker 1 (03:27):
The third oh.
Speaker 3 (03:29):
Is every down that left side there, getting a good
shot on net, just to get the puck up front there,
and Stevenson picking it up and about finding the rebound
and beating Olmark to get the go ahead goal. Here
in the third period, three two.
Speaker 6 (03:41):
Cracking in the ears drops it off to Montour, It'll
skate left side, hand it off to Stevenson in a
circle and back up to the line from Montura.
Speaker 7 (03:49):
Stevenson down low, everly trying to shovel it in turn
aside rebound Stevenson stores Chandler Stevenson left circle on the
power play gives the crack in the lead back. It's
three two seventeen forty five left here.
Speaker 1 (04:07):
The third oh.
Speaker 3 (04:08):
It's every down that left side there, getting a good
shot on net, just to get the puck up front there,
and Stevenson picking it up and about finding the rebound
and beating Olmark to get the go ahead goal. Here
in the third period, three two cracking, Shane.
Speaker 1 (04:22):
Pinto can put it away for the whole team.
Speaker 7 (04:25):
Right handed shot Shane Pinto from the red line, carries
it over left side of the circle, now cuts back
to the slot, walks.
Speaker 1 (04:33):
In, shoots, scores, and the Ottawa Senators.
Speaker 7 (04:40):
Come back after the Kraken took the lead early in
the third.
Speaker 6 (04:47):
They score.
Speaker 7 (04:49):
Late in the third, survive a push from Seattle in overtime,
and get the win in the shootout by a fourth
racecore corner back to the line, tolling In holds it
in for Seattle. Across done schools fits Don from the
right side through heavy traffic in front. Stolars got ran into.
(05:14):
We'll see what this will be, but as of right
now the goal will stand. And it was Brandon Carlow
that actually pushed the Kraken defender into Stolars, That was
Javee Schwartz. So Carlo pushing Schwartz into his own goaltender.
Speaker 6 (05:31):
That should not be goaltender interference. And the Kraken back
on top. Big hitters or house to begin.
Speaker 1 (05:41):
On and they score the rebound. Four seconds into the
power play.
Speaker 7 (05:50):
John Tavares won the draw, went right to the front
of the net. Kneelander took the shot and then he
buries a rebound. Three three were time and near signs
in the circle shot turn a side rebound a card.
Speaker 1 (06:04):
What a same Oliver.
Speaker 7 (06:06):
Reckman Larson down the slot to chord caught up piece
of it. It might have also been blocked by Matty
Veneers and the Kraken go to overtime right to left
far side. Ever leave now Mahura gets by Stoos. Josh
mahurah his first goal as a Seattle Kraken wins it
(06:29):
in overtime four three in Toronto.
Speaker 3 (06:34):
Well and I'll start it back at the end the
cracking in form her as he got that buck behind
the net, came out with a great feed, deamping up
the side of the boards. He got it back to
him and got a breakaway out of it. Goes down
that right side, beat Stolars cracking four to three overtime win.
Bring on the final cake.
Speaker 4 (06:53):
Joshmahura with his first goal sinds the twenty twenty two
and twenty three season. He went through one hundred and
four forty three straight NHL games without a goal, but
he is finally out of the wilderness in quite the
statement making win at Toronto to cap the first five
games with a Kraken at three to zero and two.
Mike Benton, now joined by Everett Fitzhugh and al Kiniski
(07:17):
Everets got TV again for tonight at Philadelphia. Back on
the radio side for Washington on Tuesday. Phila's great to
be doing this year the three man round table here
in Philly. It's my first time in this beloved city.
I gotta now ask you for porners, because you two
are the veterans here in this spot. Yeah.
Speaker 5 (07:35):
I mean, this is a good town, this Philly.
Speaker 6 (07:37):
I remember the first year I missed this road trip
because I had COVID, and so year two was when
I came here for the first time and we were
here during the Super Bowl, and this was just it's
a really good town. I like this town. A lot
of great meet in this city. Al is just beside
himself with all of the the steaks and the cheese
(07:58):
steaks and all that here. But yeah, man, we're gonna
show you a good time. We're gonna show you a
good town the next few hours.
Speaker 3 (08:04):
Yeah, Mike, it's a great area around here as well.
Not only is there are there great restaurants and great
watering holes. You can also do a little retail therapy
as well. As I found out today there's some Inndocino
there's some state and liberty. There's a little bit of everything.
Little Lemon.
Speaker 4 (08:20):
I'm not making the ever fits you in al Kaniski
money right now. I'm still on the budget here at
this point where I'm trying to kind of space it
out for the food and mean, trust me, if you
put a cheese steake in front of me, that might
be gone about probably four and a half minutes. And
we're getting into that good part of a town right
now to get that knocked out again. John Walton joins
us here in just a bit played by play voice
for the Washington Capitals Radio Network. Let's first jump into
(08:42):
what we learned from this past week. Two overtime losses
are in a shootout as well at Montreal and Ottawa,
and guys, easily this team could be five and zero
right now through five games. They have been that good
under Lain Lambert. But I think when you get through
the loss at Montreal, y'all in overtime, the shootout loss
at Ottawa where it was so close until Dylan Cousins
(09:05):
parked one and from fifty feet, the win at Montreal,
but the win at Toronto told me this, when you
get Anthony Stolars and other players talking in their room
about how fed up he was with the opposing team
the Kraken crashing his net all night long, making it miserable.
And then Joey Decoord down the other way is playing
(09:28):
cats like he's playing catch in his front yard, paraphrasing him.
Ladies and gentlemen, you have a team identity now in
full force heading into Philadelphia. They are playing the exact
way Lane Lambert wants them to play. At three to
zero to two.
Speaker 3 (09:43):
We talk about Anthony Stillars's comments after the game, and
it was one of the keys we talked about in
the pregame, which is getting bodies to the front of
the net. And you saw Mason Marchman do it intentional
or not, that's a different conversation. He saw Jaden Schwartz
do it as well. Clearly that was part of the
game plan and it paid off.
Speaker 6 (10:00):
Yeah, and I think too. You know, going back to
that team identity. Listen, they're never going to admit it,
but there were times last year where you could tell
teams took the Kraken lightly and they weren't happy about
the krack and being.
Speaker 1 (10:11):
Not happy about it.
Speaker 6 (10:12):
So you come into this year, you you already establish
a defensive mind, a disciplined mind, a hard working mind,
and we're seeing that every day. And I think, you know,
for we talked to the lane every day before games,
and it seems like every game for the Kraken is
their best game of the season. Last night was our
best effort of the year until the next game, and
(10:34):
then that night's effort was the best effort of the year.
They're playing consistent style and I think for me, the
only real hiccup that I've been able to find is
that the third period leads. The Kracking have been tied
or ahead going into the third period of each game
this year, and they've blown four in a row, ultimately
going to overtime. But now they got the monkey off
(10:57):
their back with their with the leaves a couple of
nights ago, So they're playing their best hockey early on,
and you're just hoping that they can continue this throughout
the rest of the season.
Speaker 5 (11:06):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (11:06):
Yeah, it's it's fun to talk about all the things
that are going right in efforts at the top. In fact,
I think it's really fun to talk about the things
that aren't going right, because it's a real small list,
you know. I think one thing I would add to
that list are face offs. I think it's an area
where you know there's certain certain sentiment are doing great.
I think Chandler Stevenson's been a north of fifty percent
most games, but I think most of the games as
(11:28):
a whole, they have the smaller percentage of face off
wins in the game, but they're finding out their ways
to get it to get it done. So if they
can improve that area, it's only going to improve puck management.
Speaker 4 (11:39):
If I can get into Everett's point about the mistakes
that you want to clean up here in October, there's
a reason why they call it sloppy October, and it's
because can you find a way to stay out of
penalties late in the third period? Can you find a
way to insulate scoring chances against your goaltender out? Maybe
Grubauer wants that one back against Dylon Cousins are to tie,
but that's now in the rearview mirror. But you're going
to have some crazy endings and crazy twis and turns
(12:00):
here to games where teams don't make these same kind
of mistakes, say maybe in December or January like they
do in October or early November. I want to get
into team identity and it's not just a net play
that really distirred the pot against Toronto, and we can
now maybe expect this consistently, game after game after game.
This is the way that Elaine Lambert team wants to play.
(12:23):
But it's also the scoring upfront. Vince Dunn's got five
points in five games. Brandon Montour when he is back,
and hoping that he comes back also at the right time.
We wish him well here for what he is going
through right now with the family in his private matter.
But besides that, you've got players all across the board
who are sniffing point per game on this team. Jared McCann,
Matt Eveniers is not too far behind, Jaden Schwartz, even
(12:46):
Shane Wright as well, who look fantastic all of a
sudden playing with Yannie Newman and Mason Marchmen. So again
it's early, but there have been other seasons where we
have been raising a lot more question and then defining
what is the affirmative here for this team, And again
we get back to it. If you can't find that
top goal score forty goals, fifty goals in the summer,
(13:09):
what can you do, you spread it out, and so
far we're seeing this consistently top to bottom in the
Kraken lineup.
Speaker 6 (13:15):
Yeah, and you know, I know a lot of people
are tired of talking about year two when this team
made the playoffs. Trust me, I get it. Leave it
in the past. It's over. We're moving on. But when
you go back to the most successful time in Seattle
Crack in brief history, what were they doing. They were
scoring by committee. They were the hardest working team in
(13:37):
the NHL. Freddie Gadreau even said it when we interviewed
him earlier in preseason. He goes, you know, I remember
with Minnesota, all those games we played against the Kraken.
You knew you were in one. You knew it was
going to be a battle. That's the type of game
this team needs to play, given their personnel, given their makeup,
(13:57):
if they're going to be the hardest working team every
single night, if they're gonna grind and shut guys down,
if they're gonna continue to play discipline like we've seen
through the first five games. Never mind you've got points
in five straight. I cannot point to a single game,
a single extended period of time so far, this season
where there's been any glaring mistakes. You know, there may
(14:19):
be one over committal here or there. You talked about
the Grubauer goal. You want to clean up face off,
but there's not been one man they played bad for
an entire game, for an entire period. There has not
been a single time this year so far that I
can point to this team not being at or close
(14:39):
to their best. And that's what you're gonna have to
do to have success.
Speaker 3 (14:43):
Yeah, they've had hiccups along the way. I think that's
the way I would put it through a game. There
have been hiccups. And Mike, you know, you talked about
this team's identity and the phrase that we always hate
to use scoring scoring by committee. Well here we are.
We're five games in. You got Vince done with a
point of game. He's played all five games. You gotta
give it to Brandon Montur he's only played four because
he missed him, but he's got four points, so he's
(15:04):
a point of game.
Speaker 1 (15:05):
But look at this.
Speaker 3 (15:06):
You got seven guys that are at four points right now.
That includes every Montor Schwartz, Marchmont, stevenson Wright and the Can.
That's depth, and not only that too, but those top
two guys that I mentioned in Dunn and montor defenseman.
So you knowly you're getting scoring by committee. You're getting
(15:26):
a lot of it from the blue line, and I
think it's one of the largest percentages in the league
that's coming from the blue line.
Speaker 4 (15:31):
How does that depth get tested even more? And how
can the Kranken answer that challenge to the Beacon Plumbing
hot line? We go right now. Joining us now on
Crack and Weekly are a steam friend John Walton, veteran
play by play announcer on the Capitol's radio network, also
his flagship station one oh six seventh the Fan WJFK.
Speaker 1 (15:50):
John, Great to have you.
Speaker 4 (15:51):
And now that Alex Ovechkin has to pass Wayne Gretzky's
all time goal scoring record, what's consuming everyone's mind now
around this team for this season?
Speaker 1 (16:01):
Nothing. We're just going home. That's it. I you know,
it's wild. I mean we had a you know, with
where we were as far as the last season. I
mean we got to about March and there was a time,
I mean going back to the beginning, guys where we
had in November. We're in Salt Lake and Alex has
(16:23):
two goals third period caps are winning handily. Everything's good,
and then Alex breaks his leg and we stayed over
in Salt Lake and it was just we went out
after the game and get something to eat and we're
just sitting there looking at each other like we don't
know how to do this, Like we never seen this,
None of us have ever seen this for a long term.
At that point, we didn't really know what the injury was.
(16:44):
And watching him come back and do what he did,
only out for six weeks, come back at the record
and mold it down at the end like he did
not leave any room for maybe this happens this year
or maybe it doesn't. A couple of goals against Chicago
and could have had four, and then getting it against
the Islanders in the way he did, tacked on a
couple for good measure to get eight ninety seven at
(17:05):
the end. There was definitely an emotional lift that surrounded
this team that you know. It's funny because sometimes you'll
get asked the questions, oh, is it a distraction? Well,
no it's not. I mean it's actually the opposite of that.
But to that end, now that you're here, what do
you do for an encore when you don't have this
unbelievable historic achievement that was kind of this symbiotic relationship
(17:27):
between the Caps going to one hundred and eleven points
and Alex getting the record. And I think we've seen
at least early on that you know, this team is
still as advertised. They're running it back with twenty of
the twenty three guys that were here last year. I
don't feel and I'm saying this more as a representative
of what I've heard in the room from Logan Thompson
has been vocal and Spencer Carberry has mentioned it. You
(17:50):
know that a lot of people think, oh, well, you know,
the CAP's over achieved. They're really not that interesting anymore.
You know, if you don't have the record, what's going on.
This team is still good. The ultimately think they've got
to find a way to get through Carolina. They did
not do that in the second round last year. They
will ultimately if they want to put together a deep run,
they got to get by Carolina because it's the way
the playoffs are set up. So there are still a
(18:13):
work in progress, but they are strong. One to twelve
up front, one to six on d and one and
two in the net. There are no holes here. This
is one of the best defensive teams in the NHL.
They don't give up much at five on five. They're
tough to beat. And they have come out of the
blocks not scoring a ton, but they are scoring enough,
and you know, been all right on the road. They've
(18:33):
got this cushion of home games involving the crack in
this week where you know, in the middle of five
or six at home and then things start to get
a little more serious. But they're you know, they're holding
their own and I think everybody believes in this room
that they are not only a playoff team, but a
team that has a deep run in them. But they
(18:54):
still have to get to I think that next level
in order to do that.
Speaker 6 (18:59):
John to go back to OVI for a second. Take
us back to that run. I mean, the city, the
fan base for you personally, I mean, I can only
imagine in Seattle, you go back to the home run
race of what was that ninety eight Maguire and Sosa
and I think Griffy was in it.
Speaker 1 (19:17):
For for a while.
Speaker 5 (19:18):
But just give folks.
Speaker 6 (19:21):
In Seattle an idea of just what that was like.
Speaker 5 (19:25):
And then for you.
Speaker 6 (19:26):
Personally to have that moment on your reel, on on
your resume of now being able to to tell your grandkids,
to have your kids tell their grandkids.
Speaker 1 (19:38):
Man, you know Grandpa.
Speaker 6 (19:39):
John was there when What was that like for all
parties involved?
Speaker 1 (19:45):
Yeah, put Grandpa to bed and change his night for it. Yeah,
for sure. I'm older than you guys, so I can
say that. You know, it was wild. It was just this,
It was about March. I mean, most of my time
his fifteen seasons here now and there really had There
wasn't much of a time where you know, I was here.
(20:07):
You know, he was in the threes when I got here,
so I didn't get them all, but I've had the
majority of him. And you know, four hundred becomes five
hundred becomes six hundred, and there's always this talk could
he do it? Could he do it? And sometimes the
answer would be oh yeah, and then other times it
would be oh, absolutely not, And it just depended on
which talking head and what national person was saying it.
(20:28):
And you know, then about the time he got the
seven hundred New Jersey a few years ago, you're like, listen,
like this is one hundred and ninety out now, Like
this is starting to feel like it could happen, and
the production through the course of these last couple of
years to you know, be approaching fifty goals at the
age he's at where Gretzki in the same timeframe was getting,
(20:49):
you know, fifteen, This just doesn't happen. And he just
kept throwing him in the net. And the way he
started last year, it wasn't a matter of isn't going
to happen? Is like I felt like it was going
to happen by Christmas because he was leading the league
there at the time he got hurt, was right at
the top. But it's been this all consuming kind of thing.
(21:09):
It almost feels like, you know when you're anticipating Christmas
or something and you're you're whether it's family or president
you're hoping for as a kid, and then there's almost
this remorse like, well, well what do we do now?
Like it's all I've known, like the whole time I've
been here. But it was amazing, and I think really
from March we were in California and you could see
(21:31):
that he was starting to heat up, and you really
felt like, Okay, I think it's going to happen. There
were little lulls here and there, but you know when
it really became a parent. You know, he tied the
record at home, and it would have been amazing because
he was this close against Chicago to getting a hat
trick and maybe even four and doing it in front
of the home fans. It would have been nice. Yeah,
But you know, ultimately for those who love the game
(21:54):
like we all do, to be just in the building.
Funny enough, I Matthew darsh has been a friend for
a long time. He was he played in Hershey when
I was there, and now is the gem of the Islanders.
Funny enough, he was there that day with Tampa Bay. Yeah,
because the entire staff had come out. They were playing
the Rangers, and then they all made the trip because hey, listen, like, guys,
(22:15):
we got to go see this. I mean we're here practically.
Uh So all the you know, John Cooper was there
and all, and Julian Breesebaugh and all the Tampa Bay guys,
and he just had this moment and you felt like
it was going to happen. But you know, it's a
day game, and you know, just kind of getting into
it and then the second period of powerplay comes and
I just remember, like my heart was in my throat.
I was like, this could be it, like right here,
(22:37):
Like I remember watching on ESPN when Gary Thorn and
Bill Clement called it when Gretzky passed Gordy and I
was in college and I never could have imagined being
in that moment or being one of the guys that
got to call the next one. And honestly, I don't
know if this is ever getting brought not in my lifetime,
I'm never going to see it. But you know, I
(23:00):
I just I don't know that it's going to happen again.
But man to be there and just it was so perfect,
Like whether you're you're Joe b or your me Joe
Benanadi r TV guy here the only thing you hoped
for with all these milestones that have happened, you know,
whether rolling over the odometer six hundred seve hundred, eight hundred,
it was pleased for the love of God, let it
be clean. Yeah, no deflection, No, I mean six hundred
(23:25):
was put the fear of God in me. Because we
were playing Winnipeg and Hallibuck was in net and it
was a scramble in front and he goes to it
and there's just that moment it hesitations us. I'm pretty
sure he got it. I think so, and you're just
oh my god, Devin hundred was was clean, but it
was quick. It was a third period of a game
with the capture losing in New Jersey. It was a
day game, and it just all of a sudden. He
(23:46):
hadn't scored in eight games. Yeah, and all of a
sudden it's there and boom, Like everyone has been kind
of different. Eight ninety five was beautiful. It was exactly
if you could have drawn it up, if you could
have said, I want a cross ice feed from I
don't care who it is, winding up Vintage in the office,
no doubt or blow them away. It was perfect. And
(24:09):
you when you're on the call and you're just saying,
it's like you see it. If they said, if this
goes in, I'm gonna be okay with that, and it was.
And you know, I was happy with mine. I know
Joe was happy with his, and we're all just like
you just try to give the magnitude of the moment
what it deserves and hope that it resonates. And that's
all we can do, right, I mean, you know, you
(24:29):
know how it is. I mean, it's just for everything
that happens. I mean, you just want to give credence
to the moment and then in my mind, just get
out of the way and just you know, let you know,
the speeches and Gretzky and Ov and the game stops
and all of the wonderfulness it was happening had nothing
to do with us, But being able to watch that,
I'll never forget it. It was wonderful. My son was
there just to be able to have that moment happen.
(24:54):
It didn't matter where, it didn't matter who the goalie was,
it didn't matter who the other team was. It was
just this great celebration of our great game, and I'm
so glad I got to be a small part of it.
Speaker 6 (25:02):
A lot of folks in Pittsburgh will tell you that
when the Penguins won all those Cups, they've never done
it on home ice, and a number of fans are like, man,
the Pens couldn't have given me one cup on home ice.
Obviously the record was great. It was a day game
on Long Island. I mean, the moment is already a ten,
But is it like a nine point seven because it
(25:24):
wasn't in DC, or it doesn't matter the moment happened,
and it's now going to be etched in history.
Speaker 1 (25:32):
I am tremendously fortunate that between when I was in
Hershey and we won three Cups there and then I
got to be part of one here that winning at
home is special. I got to do that once with Hershey.
The other two are on the road, and then we
were in Vegas for this one. Here it is there
is something special about and this was exactly the same
(25:53):
because you know, Nick Baxtrom came back and tj Oshi
came back, and you know, there are all these guys
in the room and Tom Wilson was you know know
we the best. My favorite interview with Tommy ever, and
I've had a bunch of them. Yeah, just you know,
so appreciative, like and he and Dylan Strom. You couldn't
have picked two guys that would love to who can
appreciate the moment. Willie who's been here for you know,
Willie's going to be a captain here when over retires,
(26:15):
and being able to kind of almost felt like a
bit of a torch passing. And Dylan Strom, who's you know,
a stats guy and and loves the game so much.
I mean, they appreciated it. Having that moment on the
road is okay because selfishly, you know, you're you're on
that bus together going to the plane, and like, I mean,
if you're gonna win a cup and you're not going
(26:35):
to do it at home, friends, by the way, do
it in Vegas. Yes, that that wasn't terrible. But to
have that moment with your teammates and your your workmates,
uh and your you know, our pr staff and our
our broadcast staff and all of that, there is something
special to it. To your point, though, could it Would
(26:57):
it have been great to do it at home for
the cup? Yes, would have been great to do it
at home, yes, But there's actually I think two such
to it. I would have loved to have seen him
do it at home because I think they would have
burned the building down. It would have been unbelievable. But
it would also you know, it is nice from a
selfish perspective. It's just this moment that felt, hey, like
this happened and we were all here for it, and
(27:17):
it's just this very almost an intimate level of hey,
we got to do this really cool thing. And it
was just the fifty five sixty people that were on
the plane. Both are good. I was just glad that
you got to be a part of it.
Speaker 4 (27:32):
I can't wait here for the book when John, you're
all done with your career and we get to start
to see the stories about what happened in Vegas. But
then again, whatever happens in Vegas days in Vegas, we've
already learned that here throughout the entire year.
Speaker 1 (27:43):
I'm not much of a writer, probably be a comic book,
but we'll do the best. I'll tell you what.
Speaker 4 (27:48):
We're saving this here for your autobiography, and we can't
wait for the stories because John, we know what happens
in Vegas stays in Vegas. But maybe it will stay
that way. Of course, it's there for a reason. John
Walton joining us again by play announcer on the Capitol's
radio network here on Cracking Weekly. And let's get onto
a player who is starting to really grow it in
front of our very eyes, offensively and part of the
(28:12):
culture for Spencer Carberry being laid down. This guy who
really is developing and benefiting from this A young guy
at six six, two forty seven and built like a warehouse.
His name is Alexei Protus. At twenty four years of age.
He's off to a great start. I recall watching him
in Prince Albert in the Western Hockey League, where he
was absolutely dominant. He had thirty goals last season. So
(28:35):
what's the ceiling for Alexi Protus this year?
Speaker 1 (28:38):
I don't think he has won Mike. We were in
Long Island recently and we had asked Ryan Leonard about
him because they both had scored in that game. And Leonard,
who for being a rookie, certainly is good with a
turn of phrase and is pretty witty. He said he
was built in a laboratory, and I do believe that
(29:00):
to be true. Almost we are scouring Belarus to see
if there's any more relatives. We've got heally in our
system at six foot six. If there's any cousins or
distant relatives we can recruit, we're going to try. He's
phenomenal and we knew he would be a good player.
I don't know, at least when I saw him in
(29:21):
Hershey a couple of years ago and they were running
to the Cup and I kind of got to tag
along and be the sideline reporter and I got to
know him during that time, and he's such a wonderful
human being and just a delight to be around in
the room. And his brother is the same way, and
to be able to have that, I don't know that
there is a ceiling. I mean, thirty goals seems about right.
(29:45):
Maybe more defensively, I mean, you know, I heard Jeff
Merrick recently as podcasts, you know, pitching him as a
potential selky guy as a best defense before it, and
he's good. It's just that usually those are sentiment, right.
I mean, Patrese Bergeron took it pretty much every year,
and I can't remember. I mean, I'm sure there's been
a few, you know, in my lifetime, but not usually
it's a center Maan. I'd like to think that Wingers
(30:06):
would get some love. He certainly deserves it, and I
think when you've got a guy of his caliber, I mean,
this team's gonna be building around him for a long
time to come. The contract for a Vatkins up at
the end of the year, where we don't know what
that's gonna be. Carlson's up at the end of the year.
We don't know what's happening there either, But you know,
the changing of the guard is coming soon and Alexei
(30:26):
Protest is gonna be a big part of it. Spencer
Carberry's gonna be a big part of it. You mentioned him.
The only coach to ever win Coach of the Year
echl Ahl NHL, And again, just a lot of the
culture and a lot of what goes on here. Guys
come from other places, they come here and they stay,
and a lot of them. Whether it was Dylan Strom,
I still can't believe that Chicago said now we're good
(30:48):
here when he was in RFA. He's led this team
in scoring three years in a row. Logan Thompson he
started a year on his deal and wasn't making a
million bucks in Vegas, and he goes thirty one and
six last year this organization and goes out and finds
guys that they see something that other organizations don't. Rasmus
Sandin's another one. Oh, it's just a power PLAYU guy.
Now he's a terrific two way defenseman now and was
(31:10):
brought along here and developed and you know, this organization,
it's no accident that they are where they are right now,
even not having all these first round picks and picking
late in the first round for basically two decades is
that they identify guys they want. They get some sleepers
in the draft, they identify players that now, this guy,
you know, the organization sours on him, and then suddenly
(31:32):
they find a place in Washington for him. And that's
been going on here a long time. So it's a
fun culture to be a part of and I think
that's why they win a lot of hockey games.
Speaker 4 (31:41):
John, for the few moments we have left to your list,
touch on the Philadelphia Flyers. Of course you see them
here in the Eastern Conference and from the twenty thousand
foot view, they've undergone a coaching change. Rick Tackett is
in this season. What are the Flyers going to be
all about.
Speaker 1 (31:55):
I think they're going to have a tough time making
the playoffs, but I think that they're coming. I mean,
I think they're you know, Matt Famieachkoff as we've seen
another of him, He's going to be a star for them.
They're starting to turn the corner. But they're a team
that I think that you know, in this division, it's Carolina,
New Jersey and Washington and I think everything else will
kind of filtered after that. But tough to play against.
Rick Todget's going to get them to win. I suspect
(32:16):
they're going to be a load here in the years
to come.
Speaker 4 (32:19):
Well, John, we always look forward to these conversations. You've
done phenomenal work throughout the years. And congratulations again on
a call for the Ages this last season Alex Ovechkin
breaking Wayne Gretzky's all time goal scoring record. You'll have
that forever. But again, always appreciate your insight here with us.
You're always welcome back on and we'll look forward to
getting you back on once again. Thanks John.
Speaker 1 (32:38):
Thatlla's great to chat with you always, and we get
a lot of time in Seattle this year when we
come that way in January. That's a good thing. We're
looking forward to it. So thanks very much.
Speaker 4 (32:46):
All right, great to hear from John Walton, good friend
of ours here for the Crack and Audio Network, long
time play by play man for the Washington Capitals Radio Network.
He and evera fits you have the Cincinnati Connections. So
I was a bit outnumbered on that one two cyclone
in one thunder or one aces broadcast as well. John's
an absolute beauty. I love talking to the guy.
Speaker 6 (33:06):
Yeah, John is one of my favorite people. In this business,
and I will always be forever indebted to John.
Speaker 5 (33:12):
He gave me my.
Speaker 6 (33:13):
First opportunity to put on an NHL headset. I got
to call a Capital's Bruins preseason game the year after
they won the Cup. So they had just won the
Cup in Vegas, and then the very next game the
Capitals played, although it was preseason, was their first preseason
game against Boston. So he gave me that opportunity. I
(33:34):
will forever be grateful for him. Like you and I, Mike,
he came up through the minors twelve fifteen plus years
in the Coast and then in the American League as well.
So when you look at guys around the league who
get it, he's the guy that gets it, and and
I love him dearly.
Speaker 4 (33:50):
That's one of the guys that I really admired coming
up the ladder in the EHL because he had grinded
so hard coming from Cincinnati and then into hers she
and then getting the Washington job, and then wasn't just
a guy who you know, called play by play and
just went home. I mean, you were very much involved
here on the crack inside. It's a new day and
age where you know our roles are evolving, and John
(34:13):
helped spearhead the Capitol's radio efforts from behind the scenes,
so he calls a great game. But he's just an
absolute workhorse and a guy that a lot of us
certainly look up to pros pro and even better gentleman
John Walton joining us here as the Crack and getting
set with the Capitols coming up tomorrow night. For this
night though, they'll take on the Philadelphia Flyers. They're still
trying to figure things out with head coach Rick Tockett,
(34:34):
and they'd come off an overtime win over the Minnesota
Wild as well. I kind of got the field talking
to while broadcaster Joe O'Donnell in that there's still very
much a team that's in flux and perhaps the Crack
and are catching them right now at the right time.
There's no Coppocaco, there's no Riiker Evans. We'll see when
Montour is going to be back. I wouldn't expect him, though,
(34:56):
to be ready here and play this game coming up
here for this evening, But then there's questions about Ryan Lindgren.
So it really is next man up mentality, and I
think if you can pass one test, depending upon what
lane Lambert does with his lineup like you did in
Toronto and really putting a lot of workload on Adam
Larson and Vince Done defensively. You're giving yourselves a chance
(35:20):
here against a Flyers team's trying to really still figure
itself out, right now, Yeah, and you.
Speaker 6 (35:24):
Can't afford to take the Flyers lightly right. You know,
you heard John Walton talk about how this is going
to be a team that they're going.
Speaker 5 (35:30):
To struggle to score goals this year.
Speaker 6 (35:31):
You bring in Rick Tockett, so you know, I think
that's another team that, like Seattle, is going to have
a change of identity. We saw what he did in
Vancouver and I think he's the right man for the job.
But they're still a very young team, and going through
all my player notes for the game here tonight, you
know they've got fifteen guys who have five or less
(35:53):
years of service time in the NHL, So this is
pretty a pretty young team in Philly.
Speaker 5 (35:59):
I hate the phrase trap game, I really do.
Speaker 6 (36:02):
I'm not even gonna use it, but this is a
game that potentially for Seattle, you can't afford to overlook
them because you've got Washington tomorrow night.
Speaker 5 (36:10):
I think Philadelphia.
Speaker 6 (36:13):
You know they're They're a team that can score if
you let them. Dan Vladar six one in one all
time against the Kraken. He's five zero and one in
the last six against Seattle. So if Vladar is the
guy going tonight, that that doesn't bode well. You know,
historically for Seattle, this is a game that even though
(36:34):
you got washed coming up tomorrow, you cannot afford to
take them.
Speaker 3 (36:37):
Lightly Funny you mentioned Dan Vodar because I thought the
same thing as well. And I looked back at the
game logs for the Flyers so far, and they flip
flopped every game. It's been Samuel jis Arson, Daniel Vodar,
back and forth. And if that holds true, it should
be Samuel Arrison tonight. I don't think it's gonna be
if you look at that record with Dan Voldar.
Speaker 1 (36:53):
So we'll see. But you know the thing about it
is with a.
Speaker 3 (36:56):
Ricktocket coach team is you know the compete level is
gonna be high. You know the no quit level is
going to be high. You know the workff effort's going
to be there. I think that's a lot of the
Kraken identity as well. So it's gonna be a battle.
Speaker 4 (37:08):
For what it's worth. Lane Lambert looking for his first
win head to head against Rick Tocket too previously faced
off when Taka just took the Canucks job, succeeding Bruce Boudreau.
Lane Lambert was back with the Islanders. But I mean,
as they say, coaches often can be changed men when
they get into their second NHL job here and Lane
Lambert right now doing some pretty incredible things, so he's
(37:28):
looking to get his first win against Rick Tocket had
to head here for this evening before we move on
to the ideal week ahead and our three Stars picks.
I didn't want to kind of put the spotlight on
the Matti Banear's line because we talked about so much
during the offseason. Where Matti Beneer's goes, this team could
go as well. And again Everett, you mentioned we hate
(37:49):
talking about twenty twenty two to twenty three. It's getting
up there now with comparing you know, the expansion draft
here to Vegas way like back five years ago. But
Matty Beaneer's that's at the bar for his production. But
now the league figures you out and what can you
do to win that? Cat and mouse game to get
back to your ideal numbers. Right now, Beniar's with three
(38:09):
points in five games. He's playing also with Jared McCann
near point per game, leading goal scorer on this team,
and Jordan Eberley four assists through five games. But you're
not looking at just a baseline numbers here for Beniers.
I've looked over and over and over at one on
one foot races and I'm not groaning. Oh, he should
(38:32):
have had that one. He should have had that one.
Speaker 1 (38:33):
It's wow, what a play.
Speaker 4 (38:36):
He took the body, he laid the shoulder in. He's
doing damage back in his own zone in a good
way and finding the exit lane for this team. But
also he's finding a way to produce. Help out McCann,
help out Eberley, And this is what you want. Can
you find your guy who now is taking a leadership
(38:56):
role even more with an A on the front of
his jersey and have him played a complete two hundred
foot game, Maddy, Beniers, so far, so good.
Speaker 6 (39:05):
Yeah, we talk about the crack and every game they
play it seems like you're saying to yourself, man, this
might be the best game that I think we've seen
this season, And I feel like with Matty Beanier's every
game he's played, I feel like I find myself saying, man,
this might be one of his best performances in the
last couple of years here in Seattle. And it's not
a bad thing, right, It's just him maturing and growing.
Speaker 5 (39:27):
You know.
Speaker 6 (39:27):
Coming into the season, they were talking about him as
a Selkie dark course for you know, one of the
top defensive forwards in the league. And he's turning into
a defensive minded, responsible two way player. And you're right,
I think now that he is, you know, going through
the league for the fourth time and he's seeing a
lot of these teams again, and you know, you start
(39:48):
to know what it takes to be at your best
every day and bring you know, ninety percent minimum every
single day. Right, You're finding out what it takes to
survive in this league and and it's paying off dividends
and watching him play this year. This is the Matty
Beaneers that the Kraken drafted. This is the Matt Ebneers
that they expected to get when when he came here
(40:12):
to Seattle.
Speaker 5 (40:12):
And I think he's just getting started this season.
Speaker 1 (40:15):
Yeah, you and.
Speaker 3 (40:15):
I've talked a lot about him over this past week.
And the thing that I'm seeing is another element to
his game that I didn't see over the past two seasons.
But over the past two seasons, you know, when given
the opportunity a plus in offensive ability, but he struggled
on the defensive side of the pocket. I'm not seeing
that as much this year. And you know, for the
kids out there, it's like unlocking a skin for your
(40:38):
character in a game where they become stronger, they become bigger,
they become faster. Maybe it's a suit of arm or whatever,
but that's what I'm seeing in Matti Beiners. His game
has grown to a new level and it's exciting to see.
Speaker 4 (40:50):
Before we really get into the mean of Monday, here
one more when the Mariners will reach the World Series
for their first time in franchise history. I know my
dad a fans in seventy seven, a fan since the
pilots is on pins and needles right now with this
or we could be talking about Game seven, which will
be going on a little bit after we have puck
(41:11):
drop here in Philadelphia. But how do we make of
the crack and worry Mariners jerseys to Toronto? What a
way to make a statement.
Speaker 1 (41:20):
That was awesome.
Speaker 6 (41:21):
I mean, listen, you're showing up and you're showing out
for your city in Toronto. I made the comment on
the air the other day that if you go back
to Wednesday, we potentially are looking at six consecutive days
of Seattle versus Toronto sporting events, and I mean, it's awesome. Obviously,
(41:44):
it all started with Josh Naylor wearing a champagne soaked
third jersey when they beat the Tigers in Game five
of the DS. And you know, a lot of guys
in this room love baseball. A lot of guys in
this room love the Jays as well. But they they're
they're putting there there. I guess country.
Speaker 5 (42:02):
Loyalty on hold to support their city now. And it's
been really good to see.
Speaker 1 (42:07):
I think it's up.
Speaker 3 (42:07):
It's been awesome to see as well.
Speaker 1 (42:09):
I was.
Speaker 3 (42:10):
I was especially tickled to see Lane Lambert wearing his
postgame presser as well, and some of the comments he
made about you know what a sports city Seattle is,
And you know the thing about it is that the
players were told that the Maple Police were gonna wear
Blue Jays jerseys in they never did, and that says
a lot in itself right, Seattle versus Toronto. So I
(42:31):
think that the message that it sends, not only to
the Kraken fans, not only to the city of Seattle
and the teams themselves is really cool.
Speaker 4 (42:39):
Here's Lane Lambert, by the way, after the win against
some Maple Leafs wearing his Mariners jersey. What a meant
to roll out that jersey?
Speaker 2 (42:45):
Well, I think it's mutual. I think, uh, you know,
Josh Naylor supports us too. We're just wearing our jersey
after they won, you know, and in the locker room,
and you know, I it's again, it's about our hometown,
and it's about our fans and our city. And I'll
(43:08):
say it again. Our city is a great sports town
and we've had you know, we have great fans in
every uh you know, in every sport, and you know
we're supporting them just as they would support us.
Speaker 1 (43:20):
Friends.
Speaker 4 (43:20):
Again, I want to go back to al Koniski's comments
here about this team wearing Mariners jerseys and where they
come from. And you have a lot of players on
this roster who are from the Ontario province as well.
They could have chosen to wear it or not wear it.
But again, Lane Lambert said, I've coached in Toronto, I'm
now coaching in Seattle. I'm a Homer, I'm wearing the
(43:43):
Mariner jersey. No one forced them to do this. They
did it by choice. That's how special this sports market
is in the city of Seattle. Let's get onto the
ideal week ahead. Here for the cracket. You got Philadelphia
this evening, you have Washington coming up tomorrow night, Winnipeg
on Thursday A. Don't show any signs of falling back,
maybe from what people projected them to do. And then
(44:06):
you come back home to face the Flying Conor McDavid's
and Leon dr Teidels and the Edmonton Oilers. Four points
on the table. But I like where this team is
going with its identity. I'm thinking if you can get
maybe five of eight, you call it a good week.
Speaker 1 (44:23):
Guys.
Speaker 4 (44:23):
What about you?
Speaker 6 (44:23):
Yeah, I mean I think going four and oh with
four shoutouts I think is great. That's to me, that's
that that that's the low bar, Michael, though.
Speaker 5 (44:31):
The low bar is for no Listen, I mean for me,
you're still you're still learning and growing.
Speaker 1 (44:39):
Within this system.
Speaker 5 (44:40):
Right.
Speaker 6 (44:41):
We talked about this, Alan and I did I think
more important than the wins and losses is consistency. If
you lose games, but you lose games the way that
you've been playing the last five I don't think you're
gonna have too much of a problem with that, because, hey,
we played to our identity. We played the best of
our ability. That said, I'm with you. If you can
(45:02):
take more points than you lose five of eight points,
you can you can keep the the zero in the
lost column for as long as possible, maybe a one loss.
You know, a week you go three to one in
or two to one in one or three in one,
whatever it is. I again, playing the right way, playing consistently,
That for me, is gonna be most important because you
(45:24):
don't want to go out in there, especially against some
teams that in Winnipeg and Edmonton in particular. If you
want to make the playoffs, you're gonna have to go
through these teams, either in the regular season or in
the first couple of rounds. Right, So these are gonna
be those those first tune up, those first litmus test
games against teams in your conference, in your division that
you're gonna be battling with for the next seventy five games.
Speaker 3 (45:47):
Yeah, and listen, it's still a real small sample size
five games, five games in seventy seven to go. I
think the status out there today was last year there
were five teams that were didn't have a lot loss
in regulations through five games. Only two made the playoffs.
So you know, this is a great start. They got
to keep it going. This is building their identity, but
(46:08):
there's a long road ahead before we start talking about playoffs.
Speaker 4 (46:11):
We wrap this up with our three stars of the week.
I'll begin I'm gonna go with my third star in
Matty Benier's and again I go back to what I
said earlier. A terrific two hundred foot game. He is
looking stronger on pucks fifty to fifty battles. He looks
a step quicker as well, and he is helping elevate
his linemates and Jered McCann and Jordan Eberley. My second
(46:33):
star is going to go to Josh Mahera because being
put into duty given the circumstances here of this Kraken lineup,
fifteen minutes against the maple Leafs means sometimes fifteen minutes
of what you're gonna do when you're facing Matthews, Nilander
Tavares et cetera, and he left a vapor trail right
(46:55):
in front of William Nielander for the overtime winner to
get his first goals since twenty twenty three against the
same team as well. That's perseverance. Josh Mhura is my
second star of the week, my first star as well.
Vin's done because of the lineup shuffle and you put
the Kraken right into this fire against the Maple Leafs
(47:18):
on Hockey Night in Canada. Brandon Montor's gotta be away
for a while. You're down then Ryan Lindgren though, late
in the game, and there are questions of what's gonna
happen here to this defensive court until they can get
some bodies back. But you're putting again a great load
on the shoulders of Done and Larson. Vin's done, logging
over twenty eight minutes of ice time. He's your leading
(47:39):
score now and he's looking like the Vince Done of
old that has helped carry this team an two hundred
foot game on the back end, and he was phenomenal.
Speaker 1 (47:49):
Vince Dune's my first name.
Speaker 6 (47:50):
Yeah, this one's tough for me. I got about five
guys that I could throw into this conversation, I think
my third star.
Speaker 1 (47:57):
I'm gonna go Mason Marchman.
Speaker 6 (47:59):
You know, we were talking talking about hell and I,
you know, needing to see more from him in the
last couple of games. Getting points in both those games,
and I think again Toronto, call it what it was,
you're playing in Toronto, you're playing at home, or you
know whatever.
Speaker 5 (48:12):
I thought that was a really good game for him.
Speaker 6 (48:14):
So he's my third star, my second star for the
exact same reason Chandler Stevens right points him back to
back games, four points in his last two games.
Speaker 5 (48:22):
I think he really needed to have a good week.
Speaker 6 (48:27):
Just you know, I don't want to see a slow start,
but just from where he was and to where he
is now, I think.
Speaker 5 (48:34):
His play has increased, His play has gotten better and
the best.
Speaker 6 (48:38):
Face off man exactly how you're bang on there and
my number one star, this was this was so hard.
But I'm giving Shane right, right, I mean, I think
Shane Wright getting a goal in your one hundred game.
Speaker 5 (48:48):
Again, like Maddie, we've seen a very consistent style of
play with him, and I think last year with him
up and down the line up, going on different lines,
having different linemates. We're wondering what's gonna be the plan
for him.
Speaker 6 (49:02):
But now this year, he's been playing for the most
part with the same guys the first five games, and we're.
Speaker 5 (49:06):
Starting to see this this Shane Wright who is.
Speaker 6 (49:11):
Developing into a really strong two way player, not unlike
Matty Pairs.
Speaker 1 (49:16):
So I'm gonna go a different route with my three stars.
So I'm gonna go with the unsung hero route.
Speaker 3 (49:21):
You know, I like the physical game. You know I
like the gritty game. So that's the direction I'm gonna
come at this from. Ty car Cha is my third
star for the week. Ty car Cha leads the team
right now with twenty one hits on the season, and
he's been playing in that fourth line role. He's figuring
out how to be that guy on the ford line
where when he gets the opportunity to shoot the buck,
of course he's shooting the score, but he knows that
(49:44):
the rest of the time he's going to play a physical,
gritty game. So ty car Cha is my third star
for playing that way. Like second star for the same reasons,
Ellie Tobin. He's second behind ty Karscha with twenty twenty
hits on the year. So far, he quietly goes out
there and just plays the physical and fitts and I've
talked to him in some of the media veils. He
just knows that's the way he has to play to
(50:05):
get into the game and contribute.
Speaker 1 (50:07):
And he likes it.
Speaker 3 (50:08):
And it's he doesn't go seek it intentionally. It just
comes to himself. Elie Twelven is my second start. First
star I gotta go to the blue line is Adam Larson.
He leads the team with seventeen blocks and again this
team hirt, Yes, he did this team with this defensive
minded structure that Lane Lambert is implementing. It starts with
(50:29):
blocking shots and not letting pucks get to the front
of the net to get to your goaltender. Shots that
never have a chance of going in are blocked. And
and Adam Larson leads the seventeen right now.
Speaker 1 (50:39):
In the season. So he's my first start.
Speaker 4 (50:40):
Round and pound is part of this team's DNA for
this season. And speaking of boys, time to go out
and pound some cheese takes, shall we? Yeah, we're in Philadelphia,
glad he can be with us here for cracking whey again.
Cats this drop every week on the Crack and Audio
Network via the iHeartRadio app. Tonight, the Cracking in philadel
Helvia four pm Pacific time, three point thirty Frostbreed Cors
(51:03):
Live pregame showed shoes Chill. I'll join Al on the call.
Andrews is back at Network Central Everettscott TV. He's back
tomorrow for the Capitol's Game and moving forward as well.
Hope you can join us each and every night on
the Global Credit Union Kraken Audio Network. Heay, thank you
to John Walton for joining us forever written Now I
Mike Bent and see it.
Speaker 3 (51:24):
You're home for the Kraken Sports Radio ninety three point
three kJ r FM
This is Jordan Ebley. This is Vince Done.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
This is Jaden Schwartz.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
This is Jared mccannon.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
Yes, this is Ryan Lindgren.
Speaker 3 (00:09):
This is Maddie Banier's.
Speaker 4 (00:10):
You're listening to Crack and Weekly with Mike Benton. Crack
and Weekly is a three man round table from Philadelphia. Yep,
We're doing it this way because the Crack and Take
on the Philadelphia Flyers This evening Pacific time, four pm.
Everett's and the TV side Alconiski with me. I'm Mike Benton.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
By the way.
Speaker 4 (00:27):
Catch us by the way each and every week via
the Crack and Audio Network and the iHeartRadio app. Sign
up for free to get it at sports Radio KJR
dot com. Lot to cover Here for a busy week
ahead on the Crack and Side where they're off to
their best art in franchise history through five games. Can
they keep it going? Through Philadelphia, Washington, Winnipeg and Edmonton.
(00:48):
It's gonna be gonna be back home finally, especially for
these two guys sitting here to Mike rightly down the
road for way, way, way too long. Ask their significant other.
John Walton joins us here in just a bit. Also
Cap and the Washington Capitals with us also a brief
look at Philadelphia with his views here from the Eastern Conference.
Alex Ovechkin potentially getting close to nine hundred goals. Could
(01:10):
he hit the milestone or can the crack and stop
him in his tracks? To end back to back? John
Walton joining us in just a bit before Everett now
join us as well. Here's what you may have missed
with Everett and now on the call, I.
Speaker 5 (01:23):
Don't say fuck far circle.
Speaker 6 (01:24):
Josh Burhuru picks it up and shoots from the high slot.
I'll miss why Alexiak walks.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
In high slot scores.
Speaker 7 (01:34):
Shadey Alexiak rip swad toward the net through traffic. I
don't think Botombo ever saw it, and the Seattle crackt
retie the game three three fifteen twelve to play. In
the third O.
Speaker 3 (01:47):
Was a McCann feed up to Alexiak two from the
half wall, and Alexiak took his time moving from his
right to his left side. He's left handed shot and
he shot back across the green to Montebo's glove side.
Speaker 1 (01:58):
This game's not enough again.
Speaker 6 (02:00):
Three then veneers winning it back for Seattle. There's Montour
right point.
Speaker 7 (02:06):
Shot block McCann scoress Sharon McCann goals in three straight
and the Seattle Cracket come all the way back to
take a four to three lead twelve oh four to play.
Speaker 3 (02:20):
In the third, a puck goes DDD up with the
blue line over to Montour, who gets a good quick
shot off. Montreal makes the block out and put the
puck drops right down to Jared McCann, who spins around,
puts the glove side on Sam montepontebaut three excuse me,
four to three Seattle.
Speaker 5 (02:35):
That's it.
Speaker 7 (02:36):
Picks up the puck right wing circle one thirty five
left it over time.
Speaker 1 (02:40):
Here's Cawfield's shot scores on a move by.
Speaker 8 (02:45):
Cold Coawfield put the circle and come showing the court
to me, ever so slightly goes upstairs hand the crack
in game a point football in over.
Speaker 6 (03:01):
Time by mine more score in the ears, drops it
off to Montour. It'll skate left side, hand it off
to Stevenson in the circle and back up to the
line from on Toura Stevenson down low, everly trying.
Speaker 7 (03:12):
Their shovel it in turn aside rebound. Stevenson stores.
Speaker 1 (03:19):
Chandler.
Speaker 7 (03:19):
Stevenson left circle on the power play.
Speaker 5 (03:22):
Gives the cracking the lead back.
Speaker 7 (03:24):
It's three two seventeen forty five left here.
Speaker 1 (03:27):
The third oh.
Speaker 3 (03:29):
Is every down that left side there, getting a good
shot on net, just to get the puck up front there,
and Stevenson picking it up and about finding the rebound
and beating Olmark to get the go ahead goal. Here
in the third period, three two.
Speaker 6 (03:41):
Cracking in the ears drops it off to Montour, It'll
skate left side, hand it off to Stevenson in a
circle and back up to the line from Montura.
Speaker 7 (03:49):
Stevenson down low, everly trying to shovel it in turn
aside rebound Stevenson stores Chandler Stevenson left circle on the
power play gives the crack in the lead back. It's
three two seventeen forty five left here.
Speaker 1 (04:07):
The third oh.
Speaker 3 (04:08):
It's every down that left side there, getting a good
shot on net, just to get the puck up front there,
and Stevenson picking it up and about finding the rebound
and beating Olmark to get the go ahead goal. Here
in the third period, three two cracking, Shane.
Speaker 1 (04:22):
Pinto can put it away for the whole team.
Speaker 7 (04:25):
Right handed shot Shane Pinto from the red line, carries
it over left side of the circle, now cuts back
to the slot, walks.
Speaker 1 (04:33):
In, shoots, scores, and the Ottawa Senators.
Speaker 7 (04:40):
Come back after the Kraken took the lead early in
the third.
Speaker 6 (04:47):
They score.
Speaker 7 (04:49):
Late in the third, survive a push from Seattle in overtime,
and get the win in the shootout by a fourth
racecore corner back to the line, tolling In holds it
in for Seattle. Across done schools fits Don from the
right side through heavy traffic in front. Stolars got ran into.
(05:14):
We'll see what this will be, but as of right
now the goal will stand. And it was Brandon Carlow
that actually pushed the Kraken defender into Stolars, That was
Javee Schwartz. So Carlo pushing Schwartz into his own goaltender.
Speaker 6 (05:31):
That should not be goaltender interference. And the Kraken back
on top. Big hitters or house to begin.
Speaker 1 (05:41):
On and they score the rebound. Four seconds into the
power play.
Speaker 7 (05:50):
John Tavares won the draw, went right to the front
of the net. Kneelander took the shot and then he
buries a rebound. Three three were time and near signs
in the circle shot turn a side rebound a card.
Speaker 1 (06:04):
What a same Oliver.
Speaker 7 (06:06):
Reckman Larson down the slot to chord caught up piece
of it. It might have also been blocked by Matty
Veneers and the Kraken go to overtime right to left
far side. Ever leave now Mahura gets by Stoos. Josh
mahurah his first goal as a Seattle Kraken wins it
(06:29):
in overtime four three in Toronto.
Speaker 3 (06:34):
Well and I'll start it back at the end the
cracking in form her as he got that buck behind
the net, came out with a great feed, deamping up
the side of the boards. He got it back to
him and got a breakaway out of it. Goes down
that right side, beat Stolars cracking four to three overtime win.
Bring on the final cake.
Speaker 4 (06:53):
Joshmahura with his first goal sinds the twenty twenty two
and twenty three season. He went through one hundred and
four forty three straight NHL games without a goal, but
he is finally out of the wilderness in quite the
statement making win at Toronto to cap the first five
games with a Kraken at three to zero and two.
Mike Benton, now joined by Everett Fitzhugh and al Kiniski
(07:17):
Everets got TV again for tonight at Philadelphia. Back on
the radio side for Washington on Tuesday. Phila's great to
be doing this year the three man round table here
in Philly. It's my first time in this beloved city.
I gotta now ask you for porners, because you two
are the veterans here in this spot. Yeah.
Speaker 5 (07:35):
I mean, this is a good town, this Philly.
Speaker 6 (07:37):
I remember the first year I missed this road trip
because I had COVID, and so year two was when
I came here for the first time and we were
here during the Super Bowl, and this was just it's
a really good town. I like this town. A lot
of great meet in this city. Al is just beside
himself with all of the the steaks and the cheese
(07:58):
steaks and all that here. But yeah, man, we're gonna
show you a good time. We're gonna show you a
good town the next few hours.
Speaker 3 (08:04):
Yeah, Mike, it's a great area around here as well.
Not only is there are there great restaurants and great
watering holes. You can also do a little retail therapy
as well. As I found out today there's some Inndocino
there's some state and liberty. There's a little bit of everything.
Little Lemon.
Speaker 4 (08:20):
I'm not making the ever fits you in al Kaniski
money right now. I'm still on the budget here at
this point where I'm trying to kind of space it
out for the food and mean, trust me, if you
put a cheese steake in front of me, that might
be gone about probably four and a half minutes. And
we're getting into that good part of a town right
now to get that knocked out again. John Walton joins
us here in just a bit played by play voice
for the Washington Capitals Radio Network. Let's first jump into
(08:42):
what we learned from this past week. Two overtime losses
are in a shootout as well at Montreal and Ottawa,
and guys, easily this team could be five and zero
right now through five games. They have been that good
under Lain Lambert. But I think when you get through
the loss at Montreal, y'all in overtime, the shootout loss
at Ottawa where it was so close until Dylan Cousins
(09:05):
parked one and from fifty feet, the win at Montreal,
but the win at Toronto told me this, when you
get Anthony Stolars and other players talking in their room
about how fed up he was with the opposing team
the Kraken crashing his net all night long, making it miserable.
And then Joey Decoord down the other way is playing
(09:28):
cats like he's playing catch in his front yard, paraphrasing him.
Ladies and gentlemen, you have a team identity now in
full force heading into Philadelphia. They are playing the exact
way Lane Lambert wants them to play. At three to
zero to two.
Speaker 3 (09:43):
We talk about Anthony Stillars's comments after the game, and
it was one of the keys we talked about in
the pregame, which is getting bodies to the front of
the net. And you saw Mason Marchman do it intentional
or not, that's a different conversation. He saw Jaden Schwartz
do it as well. Clearly that was part of the
game plan and it paid off.
Speaker 6 (10:00):
Yeah, and I think too. You know, going back to
that team identity. Listen, they're never going to admit it,
but there were times last year where you could tell
teams took the Kraken lightly and they weren't happy about
the krack and being.
Speaker 1 (10:11):
Not happy about it.
Speaker 6 (10:12):
So you come into this year, you you already establish
a defensive mind, a disciplined mind, a hard working mind,
and we're seeing that every day. And I think, you know,
for we talked to the lane every day before games,
and it seems like every game for the Kraken is
their best game of the season. Last night was our
best effort of the year until the next game, and
(10:34):
then that night's effort was the best effort of the year.
They're playing consistent style and I think for me, the
only real hiccup that I've been able to find is
that the third period leads. The Kracking have been tied
or ahead going into the third period of each game
this year, and they've blown four in a row, ultimately
going to overtime. But now they got the monkey off
(10:57):
their back with their with the leaves a couple of
nights ago, So they're playing their best hockey early on,
and you're just hoping that they can continue this throughout
the rest of the season.
Speaker 5 (11:06):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (11:06):
Yeah, it's it's fun to talk about all the things
that are going right in efforts at the top. In fact,
I think it's really fun to talk about the things
that aren't going right, because it's a real small list,
you know. I think one thing I would add to
that list are face offs. I think it's an area
where you know there's certain certain sentiment are doing great.
I think Chandler Stevenson's been a north of fifty percent
most games, but I think most of the games as
(11:28):
a whole, they have the smaller percentage of face off
wins in the game, but they're finding out their ways
to get it to get it done. So if they
can improve that area, it's only going to improve puck management.
Speaker 4 (11:39):
If I can get into Everett's point about the mistakes
that you want to clean up here in October, there's
a reason why they call it sloppy October, and it's
because can you find a way to stay out of
penalties late in the third period? Can you find a
way to insulate scoring chances against your goaltender out? Maybe
Grubauer wants that one back against Dylon Cousins are to tie,
but that's now in the rearview mirror. But you're going
to have some crazy endings and crazy twis and turns
(12:00):
here to games where teams don't make these same kind
of mistakes, say maybe in December or January like they
do in October or early November. I want to get
into team identity and it's not just a net play
that really distirred the pot against Toronto, and we can
now maybe expect this consistently, game after game after game.
This is the way that Elaine Lambert team wants to play.
(12:23):
But it's also the scoring upfront. Vince Dunn's got five
points in five games. Brandon Montour when he is back,
and hoping that he comes back also at the right time.
We wish him well here for what he is going
through right now with the family in his private matter.
But besides that, you've got players all across the board
who are sniffing point per game on this team. Jared McCann,
Matt Eveniers is not too far behind, Jaden Schwartz, even
(12:46):
Shane Wright as well, who look fantastic all of a
sudden playing with Yannie Newman and Mason Marchmen. So again
it's early, but there have been other seasons where we
have been raising a lot more question and then defining
what is the affirmative here for this team, And again
we get back to it. If you can't find that
top goal score forty goals, fifty goals in the summer,
(13:09):
what can you do, you spread it out, and so
far we're seeing this consistently top to bottom in the
Kraken lineup.
Speaker 6 (13:15):
Yeah, and you know, I know a lot of people
are tired of talking about year two when this team
made the playoffs. Trust me, I get it. Leave it
in the past. It's over. We're moving on. But when
you go back to the most successful time in Seattle
Crack in brief history, what were they doing. They were
scoring by committee. They were the hardest working team in
(13:37):
the NHL. Freddie Gadreau even said it when we interviewed
him earlier in preseason. He goes, you know, I remember
with Minnesota, all those games we played against the Kraken.
You knew you were in one. You knew it was
going to be a battle. That's the type of game
this team needs to play, given their personnel, given their makeup,
(13:57):
if they're going to be the hardest working team every
single night, if they're gonna grind and shut guys down,
if they're gonna continue to play discipline like we've seen
through the first five games. Never mind you've got points
in five straight. I cannot point to a single game,
a single extended period of time so far, this season
where there's been any glaring mistakes. You know, there may
(14:19):
be one over committal here or there. You talked about
the Grubauer goal. You want to clean up face off,
but there's not been one man they played bad for
an entire game, for an entire period. There has not
been a single time this year so far that I
can point to this team not being at or close
(14:39):
to their best. And that's what you're gonna have to
do to have success.
Speaker 3 (14:43):
Yeah, they've had hiccups along the way. I think that's
the way I would put it through a game. There
have been hiccups. And Mike, you know, you talked about
this team's identity and the phrase that we always hate
to use scoring scoring by committee. Well here we are.
We're five games in. You got Vince done with a
point of game. He's played all five games. You gotta
give it to Brandon Montur he's only played four because
he missed him, but he's got four points, so he's
(15:04):
a point of game.
Speaker 1 (15:05):
But look at this.
Speaker 3 (15:06):
You got seven guys that are at four points right now.
That includes every Montor Schwartz, Marchmont, stevenson Wright and the Can.
That's depth, and not only that too, but those top
two guys that I mentioned in Dunn and montor defenseman.
So you knowly you're getting scoring by committee. You're getting
(15:26):
a lot of it from the blue line, and I
think it's one of the largest percentages in the league
that's coming from the blue line.
Speaker 4 (15:31):
How does that depth get tested even more? And how
can the Kranken answer that challenge to the Beacon Plumbing
hot line? We go right now. Joining us now on
Crack and Weekly are a steam friend John Walton, veteran
play by play announcer on the Capitol's radio network, also
his flagship station one oh six seventh the Fan WJFK.
Speaker 1 (15:50):
John, Great to have you.
Speaker 4 (15:51):
And now that Alex Ovechkin has to pass Wayne Gretzky's
all time goal scoring record, what's consuming everyone's mind now
around this team for this season?
Speaker 1 (16:01):
Nothing. We're just going home. That's it. I you know,
it's wild. I mean we had a you know, with
where we were as far as the last season. I
mean we got to about March and there was a time,
I mean going back to the beginning, guys where we
had in November. We're in Salt Lake and Alex has
(16:23):
two goals third period caps are winning handily. Everything's good,
and then Alex breaks his leg and we stayed over
in Salt Lake and it was just we went out
after the game and get something to eat and we're
just sitting there looking at each other like we don't
know how to do this, Like we never seen this,
None of us have ever seen this for a long term.
At that point, we didn't really know what the injury was.
(16:44):
And watching him come back and do what he did,
only out for six weeks, come back at the record
and mold it down at the end like he did
not leave any room for maybe this happens this year
or maybe it doesn't. A couple of goals against Chicago
and could have had four, and then getting it against
the Islanders in the way he did, tacked on a
couple for good measure to get eight ninety seven at
(17:05):
the end. There was definitely an emotional lift that surrounded
this team that you know. It's funny because sometimes you'll
get asked the questions, oh, is it a distraction? Well,
no it's not. I mean it's actually the opposite of that.
But to that end, now that you're here, what do
you do for an encore when you don't have this
unbelievable historic achievement that was kind of this symbiotic relationship
(17:27):
between the Caps going to one hundred and eleven points
and Alex getting the record. And I think we've seen
at least early on that you know, this team is
still as advertised. They're running it back with twenty of
the twenty three guys that were here last year. I
don't feel and I'm saying this more as a representative
of what I've heard in the room from Logan Thompson
has been vocal and Spencer Carberry has mentioned it. You
(17:50):
know that a lot of people think, oh, well, you know,
the CAP's over achieved. They're really not that interesting anymore.
You know, if you don't have the record, what's going on.
This team is still good. The ultimately think they've got
to find a way to get through Carolina. They did
not do that in the second round last year. They
will ultimately if they want to put together a deep run,
they got to get by Carolina because it's the way
the playoffs are set up. So there are still a
(18:13):
work in progress, but they are strong. One to twelve
up front, one to six on d and one and
two in the net. There are no holes here. This
is one of the best defensive teams in the NHL.
They don't give up much at five on five. They're
tough to beat. And they have come out of the
blocks not scoring a ton, but they are scoring enough,
and you know, been all right on the road. They've
(18:33):
got this cushion of home games involving the crack in
this week where you know, in the middle of five
or six at home and then things start to get
a little more serious. But they're you know, they're holding
their own and I think everybody believes in this room
that they are not only a playoff team, but a
team that has a deep run in them. But they
(18:54):
still have to get to I think that next level
in order to do that.
Speaker 6 (18:59):
John to go back to OVI for a second. Take
us back to that run. I mean, the city, the
fan base for you personally, I mean, I can only
imagine in Seattle, you go back to the home run
race of what was that ninety eight Maguire and Sosa
and I think Griffy was in it.
Speaker 1 (19:17):
For for a while.
Speaker 5 (19:18):
But just give folks.
Speaker 6 (19:21):
In Seattle an idea of just what that was like.
Speaker 5 (19:25):
And then for you.
Speaker 6 (19:26):
Personally to have that moment on your reel, on on
your resume of now being able to to tell your grandkids,
to have your kids tell their grandkids.
Speaker 1 (19:38):
Man, you know Grandpa.
Speaker 6 (19:39):
John was there when What was that like for all
parties involved?
Speaker 1 (19:45):
Yeah, put Grandpa to bed and change his night for it. Yeah,
for sure. I'm older than you guys, so I can
say that. You know, it was wild. It was just this,
It was about March. I mean, most of my time
his fifteen seasons here now and there really had There
wasn't much of a time where you know, I was here.
(20:07):
You know, he was in the threes when I got here,
so I didn't get them all, but I've had the
majority of him. And you know, four hundred becomes five
hundred becomes six hundred, and there's always this talk could
he do it? Could he do it? And sometimes the
answer would be oh yeah, and then other times it
would be oh, absolutely not, And it just depended on
which talking head and what national person was saying it.
(20:28):
And you know, then about the time he got the
seven hundred New Jersey a few years ago, you're like, listen,
like this is one hundred and ninety out now, Like
this is starting to feel like it could happen, and
the production through the course of these last couple of
years to you know, be approaching fifty goals at the
age he's at where Gretzki in the same timeframe was getting,
(20:49):
you know, fifteen, This just doesn't happen. And he just
kept throwing him in the net. And the way he
started last year, it wasn't a matter of isn't going
to happen? Is like I felt like it was going
to happen by Christmas because he was leading the league
there at the time he got hurt, was right at
the top. But it's been this all consuming kind of thing.
(21:09):
It almost feels like, you know when you're anticipating Christmas
or something and you're you're whether it's family or president
you're hoping for as a kid, and then there's almost
this remorse like, well, well what do we do now?
Like it's all I've known, like the whole time I've
been here. But it was amazing, and I think really
from March we were in California and you could see
(21:31):
that he was starting to heat up, and you really
felt like, Okay, I think it's going to happen. There
were little lulls here and there, but you know when
it really became a parent. You know, he tied the
record at home, and it would have been amazing because
he was this close against Chicago to getting a hat
trick and maybe even four and doing it in front
of the home fans. It would have been nice. Yeah,
But you know, ultimately for those who love the game
(21:54):
like we all do, to be just in the building.
Funny enough, I Matthew darsh has been a friend for
a long time. He was he played in Hershey when
I was there, and now is the gem of the Islanders.
Funny enough, he was there that day with Tampa Bay. Yeah,
because the entire staff had come out. They were playing
the Rangers, and then they all made the trip because hey, listen, like, guys,
(22:15):
we got to go see this. I mean we're here practically.
Uh So all the you know, John Cooper was there
and all, and Julian Breesebaugh and all the Tampa Bay guys,
and he just had this moment and you felt like
it was going to happen. But you know, it's a
day game, and you know, just kind of getting into
it and then the second period of powerplay comes and
I just remember, like my heart was in my throat.
I was like, this could be it, like right here,
(22:37):
Like I remember watching on ESPN when Gary Thorn and
Bill Clement called it when Gretzky passed Gordy and I
was in college and I never could have imagined being
in that moment or being one of the guys that
got to call the next one. And honestly, I don't
know if this is ever getting brought not in my lifetime,
I'm never going to see it. But you know, I
(23:00):
I just I don't know that it's going to happen again.
But man to be there and just it was so perfect,
Like whether you're you're Joe b or your me Joe
Benanadi r TV guy here the only thing you hoped
for with all these milestones that have happened, you know,
whether rolling over the odometer six hundred seve hundred, eight hundred,
it was pleased for the love of God, let it
be clean. Yeah, no deflection, No, I mean six hundred
(23:25):
was put the fear of God in me. Because we
were playing Winnipeg and Hallibuck was in net and it
was a scramble in front and he goes to it
and there's just that moment it hesitations us. I'm pretty
sure he got it. I think so, and you're just
oh my god, Devin hundred was was clean, but it
was quick. It was a third period of a game
with the capture losing in New Jersey. It was a
day game, and it just all of a sudden. He
(23:46):
hadn't scored in eight games. Yeah, and all of a
sudden it's there and boom, Like everyone has been kind
of different. Eight ninety five was beautiful. It was exactly
if you could have drawn it up, if you could
have said, I want a cross ice feed from I
don't care who it is, winding up Vintage in the office,
no doubt or blow them away. It was perfect. And
(24:09):
you when you're on the call and you're just saying,
it's like you see it. If they said, if this
goes in, I'm gonna be okay with that, and it was.
And you know, I was happy with mine. I know
Joe was happy with his, and we're all just like
you just try to give the magnitude of the moment
what it deserves and hope that it resonates. And that's
all we can do, right, I mean, you know, you
(24:29):
know how it is. I mean, it's just for everything
that happens. I mean, you just want to give credence
to the moment and then in my mind, just get
out of the way and just you know, let you know,
the speeches and Gretzky and Ov and the game stops
and all of the wonderfulness it was happening had nothing
to do with us, But being able to watch that,
I'll never forget it. It was wonderful. My son was
there just to be able to have that moment happen.
(24:54):
It didn't matter where, it didn't matter who the goalie was,
it didn't matter who the other team was. It was
just this great celebration of our great game, and I'm
so glad I got to be a small part of it.
Speaker 6 (25:02):
A lot of folks in Pittsburgh will tell you that
when the Penguins won all those Cups, they've never done
it on home ice, and a number of fans are like, man,
the Pens couldn't have given me one cup on home ice.
Obviously the record was great. It was a day game
on Long Island. I mean, the moment is already a ten,
But is it like a nine point seven because it
(25:24):
wasn't in DC, or it doesn't matter the moment happened,
and it's now going to be etched in history.
Speaker 1 (25:32):
I am tremendously fortunate that between when I was in
Hershey and we won three Cups there and then I
got to be part of one here that winning at
home is special. I got to do that once with Hershey.
The other two are on the road, and then we
were in Vegas for this one. Here it is there
is something special about and this was exactly the same
(25:53):
because you know, Nick Baxtrom came back and tj Oshi
came back, and you know, there are all these guys
in the room and Tom Wilson was you know know
we the best. My favorite interview with Tommy ever, and
I've had a bunch of them. Yeah, just you know,
so appreciative, like and he and Dylan Strom. You couldn't
have picked two guys that would love to who can
appreciate the moment. Willie who's been here for you know,
Willie's going to be a captain here when over retires,
(26:15):
and being able to kind of almost felt like a
bit of a torch passing. And Dylan Strom, who's you know,
a stats guy and and loves the game so much.
I mean, they appreciated it. Having that moment on the
road is okay because selfishly, you know, you're you're on
that bus together going to the plane, and like, I mean,
if you're gonna win a cup and you're not going
(26:35):
to do it at home, friends, by the way, do
it in Vegas. Yes, that that wasn't terrible. But to
have that moment with your teammates and your your workmates,
uh and your you know, our pr staff and our
our broadcast staff and all of that, there is something
special to it. To your point, though, could it Would
(26:57):
it have been great to do it at home for
the cup? Yes, would have been great to do it
at home, yes, But there's actually I think two such
to it. I would have loved to have seen him
do it at home because I think they would have
burned the building down. It would have been unbelievable. But
it would also you know, it is nice from a
selfish perspective. It's just this moment that felt, hey, like
this happened and we were all here for it, and
(27:17):
it's just this very almost an intimate level of hey,
we got to do this really cool thing. And it
was just the fifty five sixty people that were on
the plane. Both are good. I was just glad that
you got to be a part of it.
Speaker 4 (27:32):
I can't wait here for the book when John, you're
all done with your career and we get to start
to see the stories about what happened in Vegas. But
then again, whatever happens in Vegas days in Vegas, we've
already learned that here throughout the entire year.
Speaker 1 (27:43):
I'm not much of a writer, probably be a comic book,
but we'll do the best. I'll tell you what.
Speaker 4 (27:48):
We're saving this here for your autobiography, and we can't
wait for the stories because John, we know what happens
in Vegas stays in Vegas. But maybe it will stay
that way. Of course, it's there for a reason. John
Walton joining us again by play announcer on the Capitol's
radio network here on Cracking Weekly. And let's get onto
a player who is starting to really grow it in
front of our very eyes, offensively and part of the
(28:12):
culture for Spencer Carberry being laid down. This guy who
really is developing and benefiting from this A young guy
at six six, two forty seven and built like a warehouse.
His name is Alexei Protus. At twenty four years of age.
He's off to a great start. I recall watching him
in Prince Albert in the Western Hockey League, where he
was absolutely dominant. He had thirty goals last season. So
(28:35):
what's the ceiling for Alexi Protus this year?
Speaker 1 (28:38):
I don't think he has won Mike. We were in
Long Island recently and we had asked Ryan Leonard about
him because they both had scored in that game. And Leonard,
who for being a rookie, certainly is good with a
turn of phrase and is pretty witty. He said he
was built in a laboratory, and I do believe that
(29:00):
to be true. Almost we are scouring Belarus to see
if there's any more relatives. We've got heally in our
system at six foot six. If there's any cousins or
distant relatives we can recruit, we're going to try. He's
phenomenal and we knew he would be a good player.
I don't know, at least when I saw him in
(29:21):
Hershey a couple of years ago and they were running
to the Cup and I kind of got to tag
along and be the sideline reporter and I got to
know him during that time, and he's such a wonderful
human being and just a delight to be around in
the room. And his brother is the same way, and
to be able to have that, I don't know that
there is a ceiling. I mean, thirty goals seems about right.
(29:45):
Maybe more defensively, I mean, you know, I heard Jeff
Merrick recently as podcasts, you know, pitching him as a
potential selky guy as a best defense before it, and
he's good. It's just that usually those are sentiment, right.
I mean, Patrese Bergeron took it pretty much every year,
and I can't remember. I mean, I'm sure there's been
a few, you know, in my lifetime, but not usually
it's a center Maan. I'd like to think that Wingers
(30:06):
would get some love. He certainly deserves it, and I
think when you've got a guy of his caliber, I mean,
this team's gonna be building around him for a long
time to come. The contract for a Vatkins up at
the end of the year, where we don't know what
that's gonna be. Carlson's up at the end of the year.
We don't know what's happening there either, But you know,
the changing of the guard is coming soon and Alexei
(30:26):
Protest is gonna be a big part of it. Spencer
Carberry's gonna be a big part of it. You mentioned him.
The only coach to ever win Coach of the Year
echl Ahl NHL, And again, just a lot of the
culture and a lot of what goes on here. Guys
come from other places, they come here and they stay,
and a lot of them. Whether it was Dylan Strom,
I still can't believe that Chicago said now we're good
(30:48):
here when he was in RFA. He's led this team
in scoring three years in a row. Logan Thompson he
started a year on his deal and wasn't making a
million bucks in Vegas, and he goes thirty one and
six last year this organization and goes out and finds
guys that they see something that other organizations don't. Rasmus
Sandin's another one. Oh, it's just a power PLAYU guy.
Now he's a terrific two way defenseman now and was
(31:10):
brought along here and developed and you know, this organization,
it's no accident that they are where they are right now,
even not having all these first round picks and picking
late in the first round for basically two decades is
that they identify guys they want. They get some sleepers
in the draft, they identify players that now, this guy,
you know, the organization sours on him, and then suddenly
(31:32):
they find a place in Washington for him. And that's
been going on here a long time. So it's a
fun culture to be a part of and I think
that's why they win a lot of hockey games.
Speaker 4 (31:41):
John, for the few moments we have left to your list,
touch on the Philadelphia Flyers. Of course you see them
here in the Eastern Conference and from the twenty thousand
foot view, they've undergone a coaching change. Rick Tackett is
in this season. What are the Flyers going to be
all about.
Speaker 1 (31:55):
I think they're going to have a tough time making
the playoffs, but I think that they're coming. I mean,
I think they're you know, Matt Famieachkoff as we've seen
another of him, He's going to be a star for them.
They're starting to turn the corner. But they're a team
that I think that you know, in this division, it's Carolina,
New Jersey and Washington and I think everything else will
kind of filtered after that. But tough to play against.
Rick Todget's going to get them to win. I suspect
(32:16):
they're going to be a load here in the years
to come.
Speaker 4 (32:19):
Well, John, we always look forward to these conversations. You've
done phenomenal work throughout the years. And congratulations again on
a call for the Ages this last season Alex Ovechkin
breaking Wayne Gretzky's all time goal scoring record. You'll have
that forever. But again, always appreciate your insight here with us.
You're always welcome back on and we'll look forward to
getting you back on once again. Thanks John.
Speaker 1 (32:38):
Thatlla's great to chat with you always, and we get
a lot of time in Seattle this year when we
come that way in January. That's a good thing. We're
looking forward to it. So thanks very much.
Speaker 4 (32:46):
All right, great to hear from John Walton, good friend
of ours here for the Crack and Audio Network, long
time play by play man for the Washington Capitals Radio Network.
He and evera fits you have the Cincinnati Connections. So
I was a bit outnumbered on that one two cyclone
in one thunder or one aces broadcast as well. John's
an absolute beauty. I love talking to the guy.
Speaker 6 (33:06):
Yeah, John is one of my favorite people. In this business,
and I will always be forever indebted to John.
Speaker 5 (33:12):
He gave me my.
Speaker 6 (33:13):
First opportunity to put on an NHL headset. I got
to call a Capital's Bruins preseason game the year after
they won the Cup. So they had just won the
Cup in Vegas, and then the very next game the
Capitals played, although it was preseason, was their first preseason
game against Boston. So he gave me that opportunity. I
(33:34):
will forever be grateful for him. Like you and I, Mike,
he came up through the minors twelve fifteen plus years
in the Coast and then in the American League as well.
So when you look at guys around the league who
get it, he's the guy that gets it, and and
I love him dearly.
Speaker 4 (33:50):
That's one of the guys that I really admired coming
up the ladder in the EHL because he had grinded
so hard coming from Cincinnati and then into hers she
and then getting the Washington job, and then wasn't just
a guy who you know, called play by play and
just went home. I mean, you were very much involved
here on the crack inside. It's a new day and
age where you know our roles are evolving, and John
(34:13):
helped spearhead the Capitol's radio efforts from behind the scenes,
so he calls a great game. But he's just an
absolute workhorse and a guy that a lot of us
certainly look up to pros pro and even better gentleman
John Walton joining us here as the Crack and getting
set with the Capitols coming up tomorrow night. For this
night though, they'll take on the Philadelphia Flyers. They're still
trying to figure things out with head coach Rick Tockett,
(34:34):
and they'd come off an overtime win over the Minnesota
Wild as well. I kind of got the field talking
to while broadcaster Joe O'Donnell in that there's still very
much a team that's in flux and perhaps the Crack
and are catching them right now at the right time.
There's no Coppocaco, there's no Riiker Evans. We'll see when
Montour is going to be back. I wouldn't expect him, though,
(34:56):
to be ready here and play this game coming up
here for this evening, But then there's questions about Ryan Lindgren.
So it really is next man up mentality, and I
think if you can pass one test, depending upon what
lane Lambert does with his lineup like you did in
Toronto and really putting a lot of workload on Adam
Larson and Vince Done defensively. You're giving yourselves a chance
(35:20):
here against a Flyers team's trying to really still figure
itself out, right now, Yeah, and you.
Speaker 6 (35:24):
Can't afford to take the Flyers lightly right. You know,
you heard John Walton talk about how this is going
to be a team that they're going.
Speaker 5 (35:30):
To struggle to score goals this year.
Speaker 6 (35:31):
You bring in Rick Tockett, so you know, I think
that's another team that, like Seattle, is going to have
a change of identity. We saw what he did in
Vancouver and I think he's the right man for the job.
But they're still a very young team, and going through
all my player notes for the game here tonight, you
know they've got fifteen guys who have five or less
(35:53):
years of service time in the NHL, So this is
pretty a pretty young team in Philly.
Speaker 5 (35:59):
I hate the phrase trap game, I really do.
Speaker 6 (36:02):
I'm not even gonna use it, but this is a
game that potentially for Seattle, you can't afford to overlook
them because you've got Washington tomorrow night.
Speaker 5 (36:10):
I think Philadelphia.
Speaker 6 (36:13):
You know they're They're a team that can score if
you let them. Dan Vladar six one in one all
time against the Kraken. He's five zero and one in
the last six against Seattle. So if Vladar is the
guy going tonight, that that doesn't bode well. You know,
historically for Seattle, this is a game that even though
(36:34):
you got washed coming up tomorrow, you cannot afford to
take them.
Speaker 3 (36:37):
Lightly Funny you mentioned Dan Vodar because I thought the
same thing as well. And I looked back at the
game logs for the Flyers so far, and they flip
flopped every game. It's been Samuel jis Arson, Daniel Vodar,
back and forth. And if that holds true, it should
be Samuel Arrison tonight. I don't think it's gonna be
if you look at that record with Dan Voldar.
Speaker 1 (36:53):
So we'll see. But you know the thing about it
is with a.
Speaker 3 (36:56):
Ricktocket coach team is you know the compete level is
gonna be high. You know the no quit level is
going to be high. You know the workff effort's going
to be there. I think that's a lot of the
Kraken identity as well. So it's gonna be a battle.
Speaker 4 (37:08):
For what it's worth. Lane Lambert looking for his first
win head to head against Rick Tocket too previously faced
off when Taka just took the Canucks job, succeeding Bruce Boudreau.
Lane Lambert was back with the Islanders. But I mean,
as they say, coaches often can be changed men when
they get into their second NHL job here and Lane
Lambert right now doing some pretty incredible things, so he's
(37:28):
looking to get his first win against Rick Tocket had
to head here for this evening before we move on
to the ideal week ahead and our three Stars picks.
I didn't want to kind of put the spotlight on
the Matti Banear's line because we talked about so much
during the offseason. Where Matti Beneer's goes, this team could
go as well. And again Everett, you mentioned we hate
(37:49):
talking about twenty twenty two to twenty three. It's getting
up there now with comparing you know, the expansion draft
here to Vegas way like back five years ago. But
Matty Beaneer's that's at the bar for his production. But
now the league figures you out and what can you
do to win that? Cat and mouse game to get
back to your ideal numbers. Right now, Beniar's with three
(38:09):
points in five games. He's playing also with Jared McCann
near point per game, leading goal scorer on this team,
and Jordan Eberley four assists through five games. But you're
not looking at just a baseline numbers here for Beniers.
I've looked over and over and over at one on
one foot races and I'm not groaning. Oh, he should
(38:32):
have had that one. He should have had that one.
Speaker 1 (38:33):
It's wow, what a play.
Speaker 4 (38:36):
He took the body, he laid the shoulder in. He's
doing damage back in his own zone in a good
way and finding the exit lane for this team. But
also he's finding a way to produce. Help out McCann,
help out Eberley, And this is what you want. Can
you find your guy who now is taking a leadership
(38:56):
role even more with an A on the front of
his jersey and have him played a complete two hundred
foot game, Maddy, Beniers, so far, so good.
Speaker 6 (39:05):
Yeah, we talk about the crack and every game they
play it seems like you're saying to yourself, man, this
might be the best game that I think we've seen
this season, And I feel like with Matty Beanier's every
game he's played, I feel like I find myself saying, man,
this might be one of his best performances in the
last couple of years here in Seattle. And it's not
a bad thing, right, It's just him maturing and growing.
Speaker 5 (39:27):
You know.
Speaker 6 (39:27):
Coming into the season, they were talking about him as
a Selkie dark course for you know, one of the
top defensive forwards in the league. And he's turning into
a defensive minded, responsible two way player. And you're right,
I think now that he is, you know, going through
the league for the fourth time and he's seeing a
lot of these teams again, and you know, you start
(39:48):
to know what it takes to be at your best
every day and bring you know, ninety percent minimum every
single day. Right, You're finding out what it takes to
survive in this league and and it's paying off dividends
and watching him play this year. This is the Matty
Beaneers that the Kraken drafted. This is the Matt Ebneers
that they expected to get when when he came here
(40:12):
to Seattle.
Speaker 5 (40:12):
And I think he's just getting started this season.
Speaker 1 (40:15):
Yeah, you and.
Speaker 3 (40:15):
I've talked a lot about him over this past week.
And the thing that I'm seeing is another element to
his game that I didn't see over the past two seasons.
But over the past two seasons, you know, when given
the opportunity a plus in offensive ability, but he struggled
on the defensive side of the pocket. I'm not seeing
that as much this year. And you know, for the
kids out there, it's like unlocking a skin for your
(40:38):
character in a game where they become stronger, they become bigger,
they become faster. Maybe it's a suit of arm or whatever,
but that's what I'm seeing in Matti Beiners. His game
has grown to a new level and it's exciting to see.
Speaker 4 (40:50):
Before we really get into the mean of Monday, here
one more when the Mariners will reach the World Series
for their first time in franchise history. I know my
dad a fans in seventy seven, a fan since the
pilots is on pins and needles right now with this
or we could be talking about Game seven, which will
be going on a little bit after we have puck
(41:11):
drop here in Philadelphia. But how do we make of
the crack and worry Mariners jerseys to Toronto? What a
way to make a statement.
Speaker 1 (41:20):
That was awesome.
Speaker 6 (41:21):
I mean, listen, you're showing up and you're showing out
for your city in Toronto. I made the comment on
the air the other day that if you go back
to Wednesday, we potentially are looking at six consecutive days
of Seattle versus Toronto sporting events, and I mean, it's awesome. Obviously,
(41:44):
it all started with Josh Naylor wearing a champagne soaked
third jersey when they beat the Tigers in Game five
of the DS. And you know, a lot of guys
in this room love baseball. A lot of guys in
this room love the Jays as well. But they they're
they're putting there there. I guess country.
Speaker 5 (42:02):
Loyalty on hold to support their city now. And it's
been really good to see.
Speaker 1 (42:07):
I think it's up.
Speaker 3 (42:07):
It's been awesome to see as well.
Speaker 1 (42:09):
I was.
Speaker 3 (42:10):
I was especially tickled to see Lane Lambert wearing his
postgame presser as well, and some of the comments he
made about you know what a sports city Seattle is,
And you know the thing about it is that the
players were told that the Maple Police were gonna wear
Blue Jays jerseys in they never did, and that says
a lot in itself right, Seattle versus Toronto. So I
(42:31):
think that the message that it sends, not only to
the Kraken fans, not only to the city of Seattle
and the teams themselves is really cool.
Speaker 4 (42:39):
Here's Lane Lambert, by the way, after the win against
some Maple Leafs wearing his Mariners jersey. What a meant
to roll out that jersey?
Speaker 2 (42:45):
Well, I think it's mutual. I think, uh, you know,
Josh Naylor supports us too. We're just wearing our jersey
after they won, you know, and in the locker room,
and you know, I it's again, it's about our hometown,
and it's about our fans and our city. And I'll
(43:08):
say it again. Our city is a great sports town
and we've had you know, we have great fans in
every uh you know, in every sport, and you know
we're supporting them just as they would support us.
Speaker 1 (43:20):
Friends.
Speaker 4 (43:20):
Again, I want to go back to al Koniski's comments
here about this team wearing Mariners jerseys and where they
come from. And you have a lot of players on
this roster who are from the Ontario province as well.
They could have chosen to wear it or not wear it.
But again, Lane Lambert said, I've coached in Toronto, I'm
now coaching in Seattle. I'm a Homer, I'm wearing the
(43:43):
Mariner jersey. No one forced them to do this. They
did it by choice. That's how special this sports market
is in the city of Seattle. Let's get onto the
ideal week ahead. Here for the cracket. You got Philadelphia
this evening, you have Washington coming up tomorrow night, Winnipeg
on Thursday A. Don't show any signs of falling back,
maybe from what people projected them to do. And then
(44:06):
you come back home to face the Flying Conor McDavid's
and Leon dr Teidels and the Edmonton Oilers. Four points
on the table. But I like where this team is
going with its identity. I'm thinking if you can get
maybe five of eight, you call it a good week.
Speaker 1 (44:23):
Guys.
Speaker 4 (44:23):
What about you?
Speaker 6 (44:23):
Yeah, I mean I think going four and oh with
four shoutouts I think is great. That's to me, that's
that that that's the low bar, Michael, though.
Speaker 5 (44:31):
The low bar is for no Listen, I mean for me,
you're still you're still learning and growing.
Speaker 1 (44:39):
Within this system.
Speaker 5 (44:40):
Right.
Speaker 6 (44:41):
We talked about this, Alan and I did I think
more important than the wins and losses is consistency. If
you lose games, but you lose games the way that
you've been playing the last five I don't think you're
gonna have too much of a problem with that, because, hey,
we played to our identity. We played the best of
our ability. That said, I'm with you. If you can
(45:02):
take more points than you lose five of eight points,
you can you can keep the the zero in the
lost column for as long as possible, maybe a one loss.
You know, a week you go three to one in
or two to one in one or three in one,
whatever it is. I again, playing the right way, playing consistently,
That for me, is gonna be most important because you
(45:24):
don't want to go out in there, especially against some
teams that in Winnipeg and Edmonton in particular. If you
want to make the playoffs, you're gonna have to go
through these teams, either in the regular season or in
the first couple of rounds. Right, So these are gonna
be those those first tune up, those first litmus test
games against teams in your conference, in your division that
you're gonna be battling with for the next seventy five games.
Speaker 3 (45:47):
Yeah, and listen, it's still a real small sample size
five games, five games in seventy seven to go. I
think the status out there today was last year there
were five teams that were didn't have a lot loss
in regulations through five games. Only two made the playoffs.
So you know, this is a great start. They got
to keep it going. This is building their identity, but
(46:08):
there's a long road ahead before we start talking about playoffs.
Speaker 4 (46:11):
We wrap this up with our three stars of the week.
I'll begin I'm gonna go with my third star in
Matty Benier's and again I go back to what I
said earlier. A terrific two hundred foot game. He is
looking stronger on pucks fifty to fifty battles. He looks
a step quicker as well, and he is helping elevate
his linemates and Jered McCann and Jordan Eberley. My second
(46:33):
star is going to go to Josh Mahera because being
put into duty given the circumstances here of this Kraken lineup,
fifteen minutes against the maple Leafs means sometimes fifteen minutes
of what you're gonna do when you're facing Matthews, Nilander
Tavares et cetera, and he left a vapor trail right
(46:55):
in front of William Nielander for the overtime winner to
get his first goals since twenty twenty three against the
same team as well. That's perseverance. Josh Mhura is my
second star of the week, my first star as well.
Vin's done because of the lineup shuffle and you put
the Kraken right into this fire against the Maple Leafs
(47:18):
on Hockey Night in Canada. Brandon Montor's gotta be away
for a while. You're down then Ryan Lindgren though, late
in the game, and there are questions of what's gonna
happen here to this defensive court until they can get
some bodies back. But you're putting again a great load
on the shoulders of Done and Larson. Vin's done, logging
over twenty eight minutes of ice time. He's your leading
(47:39):
score now and he's looking like the Vince Done of
old that has helped carry this team an two hundred
foot game on the back end, and he was phenomenal.
Speaker 1 (47:49):
Vince Dune's my first name.
Speaker 6 (47:50):
Yeah, this one's tough for me. I got about five
guys that I could throw into this conversation, I think
my third star.
Speaker 1 (47:57):
I'm gonna go Mason Marchman.
Speaker 6 (47:59):
You know, we were talking talking about hell and I,
you know, needing to see more from him in the
last couple of games. Getting points in both those games,
and I think again Toronto, call it what it was,
you're playing in Toronto, you're playing at home, or you
know whatever.
Speaker 5 (48:12):
I thought that was a really good game for him.
Speaker 6 (48:14):
So he's my third star, my second star for the
exact same reason Chandler Stevens right points him back to
back games, four points in his last two games.
Speaker 5 (48:22):
I think he really needed to have a good week.
Speaker 6 (48:27):
Just you know, I don't want to see a slow start,
but just from where he was and to where he
is now, I think.
Speaker 5 (48:34):
His play has increased, His play has gotten better and
the best.
Speaker 6 (48:38):
Face off man exactly how you're bang on there and
my number one star, this was this was so hard.
But I'm giving Shane right, right, I mean, I think
Shane Wright getting a goal in your one hundred game.
Speaker 5 (48:48):
Again, like Maddie, we've seen a very consistent style of
play with him, and I think last year with him
up and down the line up, going on different lines,
having different linemates. We're wondering what's gonna be the plan
for him.
Speaker 6 (49:02):
But now this year, he's been playing for the most
part with the same guys the first five games, and we're.
Speaker 5 (49:06):
Starting to see this this Shane Wright who is.
Speaker 6 (49:11):
Developing into a really strong two way player, not unlike
Matty Pairs.
Speaker 1 (49:16):
So I'm gonna go a different route with my three stars.
So I'm gonna go with the unsung hero route.
Speaker 3 (49:21):
You know, I like the physical game. You know I
like the gritty game. So that's the direction I'm gonna
come at this from. Ty car Cha is my third
star for the week. Ty car Cha leads the team
right now with twenty one hits on the season, and
he's been playing in that fourth line role. He's figuring
out how to be that guy on the ford line
where when he gets the opportunity to shoot the buck,
of course he's shooting the score, but he knows that
(49:44):
the rest of the time he's going to play a physical,
gritty game. So ty car Cha is my third star
for playing that way. Like second star for the same reasons,
Ellie Tobin. He's second behind ty Karscha with twenty twenty
hits on the year. So far, he quietly goes out
there and just plays the physical and fitts and I've
talked to him in some of the media veils. He
just knows that's the way he has to play to
(50:05):
get into the game and contribute.
Speaker 1 (50:07):
And he likes it.
Speaker 3 (50:08):
And it's he doesn't go seek it intentionally. It just
comes to himself. Elie Twelven is my second start. First
star I gotta go to the blue line is Adam Larson.
He leads the team with seventeen blocks and again this
team hirt, Yes, he did this team with this defensive
minded structure that Lane Lambert is implementing. It starts with
(50:29):
blocking shots and not letting pucks get to the front
of the net to get to your goaltender. Shots that
never have a chance of going in are blocked. And
and Adam Larson leads the seventeen right now.
Speaker 1 (50:39):
In the season. So he's my first start.
Speaker 4 (50:40):
Round and pound is part of this team's DNA for
this season. And speaking of boys, time to go out
and pound some cheese takes, shall we? Yeah, we're in Philadelphia,
glad he can be with us here for cracking whey again.
Cats this drop every week on the Crack and Audio
Network via the iHeartRadio app. Tonight, the Cracking in philadel
Helvia four pm Pacific time, three point thirty Frostbreed Cors
(51:03):
Live pregame showed shoes Chill. I'll join Al on the call.
Andrews is back at Network Central Everettscott TV. He's back
tomorrow for the Capitol's Game and moving forward as well.
Hope you can join us each and every night on
the Global Credit Union Kraken Audio Network. Heay, thank you
to John Walton for joining us forever written Now I
Mike Bent and see it.
Speaker 3 (51:24):
You're home for the Kraken Sports Radio ninety three point
three kJ r FM
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