NHL playoffs return to Seattle as Kraken host Avs in Game 3
For the first time in more than 100 years, games played in contention for the Stanley Cup are returning to Seattle.
SEATTLE — SEATTLE (AP) — For the first time in more than 100 years, games being played in the quest for the Stanley Cup are returning to Seattle.
Return? yes back You probably remember the 1919 Stanley Cup Final between the Seattle Metropolitans and the Montreal Canadiens.
It seems unlikely that someone who was at those games at the Seattle Ice Arena 104 years ago will be under the umbrella of the Climate Pledge Arena Saturday night when the Kraken defeat the Colorado Avalanche in Game 3 (10:00 p.m. ET, TBS ) of their first round series.
The series is tied 1-1 after Seattle pulled off an unexpected split in Denver against the defending Stanley Cup champions. Seattle won 3-1 in Game 1 and held an early two-goal lead in Game 2 before chasing the Avalanche rally with a 3-2 win to tie the streak.
“I hope our fans are hooked on this because we will be,” said Seattle coach Dave Hakstol.
Those who fill the Seattle condominium Saturday night will be rewarded with the next chapter in the city’s hockey history. Acknowledging the past was a staple of the franchise long before they became known as the Kraken – be it the history of Seattle featuring teams in leagues other than the NHL like the Thunderbirds, Breakers, Totems and Ironmen, and of course the Metropolitans.
Now comes the next chapter and a return to the excitement of spring that comes with the emotional roller-coaster ride of a best-of-seven playoff series. The last time a Seattle franchise played in a seven-game streak before this year was the NBA’s SuperSonics in 2005 when they lost to San Antonio in the Western Conference semifinals.
Eighteen years later, the Kraken hope to take fans on a similar ride, potentially expanding a fortuitous fan base that was soured by the disappointing results of Seattle’s expansion season a year ago.
“It can sound cheesy at times when you talk about the fans, but really think about the journey they’re on,” said Kraken CEO Tod Leiweke. “They responded to billboards and some press releases and signed up. They were with us all the way. Little did they know that we would develop the arena the way we did. They didn’t know the team name. They didn’t know the players. They didn’t know the GM. You didn’t know the coach. They’ve taken this amazing leap of faith and now it’s time for payback and it’s really exciting.”
