October 26, 2024 • 27 mins
Mike Benton sets up the homestand finale on Oct. 26 at Climate Pledge Arena, between the Seattle Kraken and Carolina Hurricanes at 7pm PT, with a conversation from inside the dressing room with defenseman Brandon Montour, and a preview of Saturday's game with Kraken VP of editorial Geoff Baker.
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Speaker 1 (00:02):
Welcome to Cracking this morning, a presentation of the krak
and Audio Network Ken Sports Radio ninety three point three
kjr FM.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Here's Mike Benton. Final game of the homestand coming up
this evening. Mike Betton with you for Cracking this morning
on a Saturday, October twenty six. Got a good one
brewing here tonight, the Cracking taking on the Carolina Hurricanes,
first and only time Carolina visits Seattle this season. Once again,
with plenty of connections across the board between both organizations,
(00:32):
we can't wait to bring you the action, beginning at
six point thirty with a course light pregame show ever
it fits you, Al Kadisky upstairs of course for the call,
I'll join you once again for the course light, landing
and Section twenty all throughout the evening with postgame coverage
up to an hour after the final horn. I'll be
joined by Curtis Crabtree at Fox thirteen on Talking Cracking
(00:53):
to wrap up coverage.
Speaker 3 (00:55):
If we got you covered right here.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
On Sports Radio ninety three point three KJRFM and the
Emerald Queen Casino Kraken Audio Network. The Kraken coming off
of four to three over time lost to Winnipeg right
now two one and one on the four game homes
Dan looking to end on a high note and head
end of the road trip a five gamer with good
vibes as well.
Speaker 3 (01:16):
We'll talk more about it with Jeff.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
Baker, VP of editorial for the Seattle Kracken, who also
penned a terrific story on Jared McCann the player and
Jared McCann the human being with his family as well,
helping build him up to the player that he is today,
recently coming off his one hundredth career goal in a
Seattle crack in Jersey, Jeff Baker along with us in
a little bit here to also discuss matters on the
(01:40):
offense and looking ahead here to the Carolina Hurricanes matchup
this evening. Also, Brandon Montor, we stopped on buy with
him in the Crack and dressing Room earlier this week.
He's logging a ton of ice time right now and
a big responsibility with Vince Dunn out of the lineup.
We'll check him in Brandon Montour as well from the
Crack and Dressing Room coming up in just a few moments. Well,
(02:00):
the Kraken down but not out against Winnipeg two nights
ago in the first matchup against a team that remains
as the last unbeaten in the NHL. And here's how
it began, with a watershed game for a star cracking
center looking for a watershed game.
Speaker 3 (02:16):
Here's Benier's left circle. What a snipe from Betty b
his first off the season, ay thirty three.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
To play in the first.
Speaker 4 (02:29):
It's a one hing tracking lead while Matty Piteer's with
this first of the year, comes down that left side.
Speaker 3 (02:34):
You know he wants this one bad. He snipes it.
Speaker 5 (02:38):
Hears, comes for Fetti sends it across the cord out
of position and niner Rider as time expires on card
chase penalty scores, I let go.
Speaker 4 (02:50):
Down as an even strength goal. As cartoon, it's coming
onto the ice as needer Rider was cutting across the
top of the slot, joined to court, playing it like
it was gonna be a shot. Needer Rider win it
at across the top and found nothing but open that.
Speaker 5 (03:03):
Thecannon front every store. The captain Jordan Everly has put
the cuck In back down by a goal.
Speaker 3 (03:14):
It's our three to two game, eight fifty nine to wait.
Speaker 6 (03:18):
In the third.
Speaker 4 (03:19):
See I'm doing a great job causing a turnover right
at the Winnipeg blue line. It's the Canna picks that
puck up. He knows everyony's all alone down load slides
into it.
Speaker 3 (03:27):
Everybody's more backwards.
Speaker 4 (03:29):
Similar goal that but can scored the other.
Speaker 5 (03:31):
Yeah, yeah, I.
Speaker 4 (03:32):
Don't think everybody puts much of a move on hellibuck
as mcanna even grouped it on that blocker side. Three
twenty left sco.
Speaker 3 (03:43):
His second goal of the night and the sel Cocking half.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
Tied the game.
Speaker 3 (03:49):
P's three three three twenty two CT in the third.
Speaker 4 (03:54):
It's a great working one of the boards by Jared
mccannon getting that.
Speaker 3 (03:57):
Puck back to the point.
Speaker 4 (03:58):
It was a hard shot by Month sure that the
deer's got a piece up and deflected it.
Speaker 5 (04:03):
In extra attacker are for winnipec Connor Hie slot Heelers
shot trickles in they score on the delayed penalty. In overtime,
Nikolai Heelers fires a shot that Decord got ninety eight
percent of and itsh trickles through and the Winnipeg Jets
(04:28):
will push their win streak to seven games, cracking to
get a point as they fall four to three.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
So the comeback good enough to get the Cracking into overtime.
Not enough though for two points, however against the Winnipeg team.
Certainly a valiant effort in period three to help get
the game into overtime and at least claim one point
here for the standings.
Speaker 3 (04:48):
Also quite the view that we had here for the
Corps light silver seats for the game.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
It was a great night, by the way, to enjoy
it amongst cracking faithful all around us and see it
the game from a different perspective right a on the
glass as well. We got two more games for you
coming up, by the way, later on this season. We'll
keep it posted for future dates on the calendar. Brandon
Montor and Ryker Evans right now share the crack and
scoring lead among defensemen. But as far as a player
(05:14):
who's logging a heavy workload, there's not many more in
the NHL besides the newest acquisition in Montor out of
free agency from this past summer and coming off a
Stanley Cup title, we cut up a Brandon Montor with
a crack and preparing for the home stretch of this
five game homestand yeah.
Speaker 7 (05:30):
I mean, I mean, I think you can go back
at some games. Obviously Game one we'd like to have back. Obviously,
that's one that kind of got away from us. Maybully
three two games. You know, teams are good in this
league and they're you know, obviously everyone's itching to get
a point, but we let that one get away. So yeah,
I like where we're at. You know, I think we
kind of find are finding a way to find success
(05:52):
as a team, and you know what kind of drives
us in our strength. So the more we can get
together and you know, play that way, play right way,
I think it's just tougher for opponents. And when we
do get away from you know, our game makes us
challenging for us, and I think we're kind of realizing
what what what we're good at.
Speaker 3 (06:10):
And you know, what we need to work on.
Speaker 8 (06:11):
How do you feel that last couple of games dictated
the direction of practice? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (06:16):
Good.
Speaker 7 (06:16):
I think it's just temple. We're fast teams, so we
want to play fast, executing our drills, and you know,
last game is a little bit uh where guys might
might have been a little fatigue and making some you
know execution plays that probably we could have, you know,
be a little better at. But speed and execution I
think are good in practice, that kind of follow up.
Speaker 8 (06:34):
During the game, Where do you feel that your role
is at right now with one of your guys in
the blue line sideline where you want your game to be?
Speaker 7 (06:41):
No, I think it's fine, you know. I think it's
just you gotta kind of find where the game's at,
what team needs at that certain point. On one, I
guess to that relies on, you know, heavily to play
big minutes no matter who's in the lineup, And I
think it for me, it doesn't really matter. I'm just
gonna go out and kind of play my game and
do what I can to help the team.
Speaker 8 (07:01):
We've heard of guys like Drew Dowdy of course, play
twenty five to even thirty minutes a game. Chris Pronger
legendary for going north of thirty when he was playing
as well. What's what's the key for you to maintain
your kind of body when you need to be out
there shifted after shift for for quite a while each
and every night.
Speaker 7 (07:19):
Yeah, you prepare yourself as best you can before and
after games. Days take today, days before games summers are
obviously huge. But I think for me, just kind of
during the game is. You don't want to lose your energy.
And you know, for me, as an offensive guy that
likes to carry the pucking skate and make plays, you've
got to be smart with it, especially you know you're
(07:40):
playing top top lines especially, so focus on, you know,
playing the right way, playing defensively, closing up on those guys,
and then trust in my skating and my ability to
get up on the ice and make plays. But you
kind of have to read the game and you don't
want to try to do too much each shift because
that's just gonna wear you out. So be smart with it.
But again, I have full confident myself to play a
(08:02):
lot of minutes. And you know that's what my goal
is going every year, is to be a big part
of you know, a team and you know, anything they need,
you know, I'm ready to go.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
That's Brandon Montur and time now to bring in this
scribe from the Crack inside all right, final game of
the homestand coming up as the Crack and take on
the Carolina Hurricanes only time the Hurricanes come in this
season again as usual the Eastern Conference.
Speaker 3 (08:26):
Foe joining US now.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
Jeff Baker, VP of Editorial for the Seattle cracking back
with us on Cracking this morning.
Speaker 3 (08:33):
Jeff, thank you again for doing this. You had a great.
Speaker 2 (08:35):
Story and I mean a great story on seattlecrackn dot
com posted earlier this week on Jared McCann first to
one hundred goals and a crack in Jersey.
Speaker 3 (08:45):
What did you.
Speaker 2 (08:46):
Learn more about the engine that makes up the player
that is Jared McCann and the family behind the human
that is Jared McCann.
Speaker 6 (08:54):
Well, I think the one thing we learned is that
he's very loyal to the people around him, and sometimes
loyal to a fault. I think earlier in his career
he might have had some problems with people that he
trusted and that maybe you know, didn't show that much
trust back to him. I think he can be very
close to the vest with the people that he's around.
And certainly we talked about his summer and you know,
(09:15):
getting married and everything, getting his mother getting to walk
him down the aisle. She's had MS for going on
decades now, and you know she has trouble walking at times.
The whole right side of her body is going numb,
and so you know, he had to help her up there.
That was a very the big deal. She was recovering
from a broken elbow. She had fallen off her trike
(09:38):
back back in February. So I mean there's that whole
dynamic going on. But also at the same time, you know,
Jared McCanny, he was very busy. He's getting ready for
his wedding, but he's also trying to improve his play.
In the offseason, he hired a longtime friend of his,
a guy he used to train with back when he
was you know, twelve, thirteen, fourteen years old, guy named
(09:59):
Joey Hisham, who who was a seventeenth overall pick of
the Colorado Avalanche back in twenty ten, had his career
cut short by concussions, but he was a very skilled
junior hockey player from Stratford, Ontario, where McCann is also from,
and so.
Speaker 9 (10:13):
They've been working together.
Speaker 6 (10:14):
Hisham works for the old sports group Adam Oates the
Hall of Famer, and they send out customized videos to
players to kind of spot what they're doing wrong. They
isolate on players, they spot areas of improvement where they
can improve. And so he actually hired Hisham to coach
him as well, to do extra coaching with him, and
one of the things they've been working on is what
(10:35):
Jared mccannon does with the puck. He wants to be
a little bit smarter when he has the puck. He
wants to make plays that maybe are just a tad
smarter than he did last season, and a lot of
that involves not always shooting every time he gets the puck.
I mean, everybody knows he has a great shot, well
above average shot, and what Joey Hisham's been trying to
do is to get him to use that shot and
(10:56):
have other players that fear that shot sort of tense
up every time he looks like he's about to shoot,
so they tense up for half a second, they hesitate
the defenders, and then McCann has other things he can do.
He buys time for his teammates to get in the
open and he can slide them the puck rather than
taking a shot from a very difficult angle. He can
spot teammates that are maybe a little more open because
(11:17):
of how people are tensing up in anticipation of his
own shot. He can slip the puck over to them
and they have a better scoring opportunity. We saw it
a couple of times last week. In one case, actually
Dan Bosma, the coach, thought that he was screaming at
McCann to shoot the puck. He was going in on
a two one on one with Jordan Everley, and he
thought McCann was going to shoot.
Speaker 9 (11:35):
In a last second, McCann slides it.
Speaker 6 (11:37):
Over to every who's got basically empty net to put
the puck into. So that's one example of it. Another
one who was on a power play five on three
against Calgary. The puck comes across to McCann on the
left point and he looks like he's about to wind
up and shoot and try to score one of his
goals that usually goes in from a difficult angle. Instead,
he passes right back to one Tour, who's a little
(11:57):
more open now because everybody thought McCann was going to
shoot on Tour blast the puck in the net. And
it's funny, it's not a coincidence. You see McCann leading
the team in points. He's still got the goal totals,
he's on pace for I think forty goals right now,
but he's leading the team with more assists than he's had.
He has more assists than anybody else on the team,
and we haven't seen that from mccannon in the past.
(12:17):
When he's led the team in points, it's because of
his goal total, and then you know, there's a two
thirds of the rest our assists, but now the majority
has assists and he's still scoring the goals. So he's
become in this early going at least a little more
of a complete player, and I think that's what we
took out of it the most.
Speaker 2 (12:33):
He and Jordan Everley have been so good together with
Shane Wright, especially Matty Veniers. As of two nights ago, again,
that story on Jared McCann hitting one hundred goals by
the way on seattlecracken dot com. Jeff of the penmanship
behind that story as well, go ahead.
Speaker 3 (12:46):
And check it out.
Speaker 2 (12:47):
But back here to the line situation with the Kraken
coming off the four to three overtime lost to Winnipeg.
Ian Farness said something really good on radio the other
day and that we're reminded of that you're only as
good as where your good players will take you. And
Matty Beaneers had a breakout game and a half on
(13:10):
Thursday night. That's your engine to plush the Jets into overtime. This,
of course a team built on depth. But how important
is a big season Jeff for Matty beaneers to this offense.
Speaker 9 (13:22):
Well, it's important right now.
Speaker 6 (13:24):
I mean, this team is missing Vince Done and he's
going to be out it looks like several more weeks,
and so they need somebody that can generate, you know,
offense where they're scoring more than one goal a game
and even strength. And so we saw that out of
Beniers this time. He stepped up and you know the
team that you know, the crack had been limited. They
(13:44):
had a couple of goals the other night when they
lost to Colorado and then they scored one goal in
regulation time in beating Calgary in overtime, but that's not
going to be enough to carry you. You need to
get three or more goals per game, which is what
they were doing prior to that, prior to Vince duns In,
and I think now Benier stepping up into that role.
Let's face it, he's one of the guys they're counting
(14:05):
on for offense.
Speaker 9 (14:06):
We can't sugarcoat it.
Speaker 6 (14:07):
It's a he can be a two way defensive player,
which he has been, but they need him to score
some goals.
Speaker 9 (14:12):
And I think he knows that too. It's not a
secret and you could see.
Speaker 6 (14:15):
I mean he looked a little more confident even starting
out that game the other net. But but you know,
once he scored that goal, he almost scored again right
after that, like a couple of seconds later on the
power play, because he was just you could tell he
was playing with more confidence.
Speaker 9 (14:29):
He was playing a little more aggressively.
Speaker 6 (14:31):
He wasn't hesitant, and he went in there and he
almost he almost scored again, and then he ended up
scoring again later on in the game.
Speaker 9 (14:37):
I mean, yeah, they need.
Speaker 6 (14:39):
That out of Matty Benier's There's a reason that we
gave him a seven year contract and so you know
that that part was nice to see. Now, it's worth
remembering we're only eight games into the season, so you know,
lots of players start out with with with with short
goal totals. We remember that from Jordan Everley last year.
I think he had four goals in the first half
of the season. You'd like it to be distributed a
(14:59):
little more even th but you know what I'm trying
to say is the first two weeks of the season
aren't the end of the world. And yeah, they do
need him to step up and be accounted for. They
need McCann, they need everly both those guys that have
been there. And you know, I'd like to see a
few more from Ellie toldin there's another and Oliver york
Strand as well.
Speaker 9 (15:15):
He should have scored a goal. He should have scored
a goal last night. You know that Yanni Gord.
Speaker 6 (15:20):
It reminded me of an NFL defense, NFL safety getting
called for pass interference or cornerback getting called for pass
interference on an uncatchable ball. I mean that Connor Hillibuck's
not going to stop that shot by bjork'strand regardless of
whether or not you know Yanni Gord standing half a
millimeter inside the crease, and so that.
Speaker 9 (15:39):
That's what I kind of thought. York Strand should have
had that goal.
Speaker 2 (15:43):
How many more games do you think we need until
we see consistency takeover for the line combinations in a
long term basis for lines one, two, three, and four.
Speaker 6 (15:52):
I think the team, speaking of guys that need to
step up and put the puck in the net, I
think andre Bi Burakowski Arkowski. I think a lot of
what's been going on has been trying to find a
comfort zone with him on the line that he's on,
and I don't think they've found it yet, and so
I think that's a lot of the mixing and matching
that we're seeing ed Vaneers as well. I mean, you know,
(16:13):
he scored the two goals the other night, but he
hadn't scored any prior to that, and so there's a
lot of that's been going on to try to find
him a comfort zone.
Speaker 9 (16:21):
So I think we found one now with Beniers.
Speaker 6 (16:24):
It's a matter of finding where I think Andre Berkowski
fits where he's going to help this team the most,
because he's another guy that has to step up up
and start scoring in Vince Dunn's absence, you know, for
this team to get through this opening month, this period,
I mean, they're playing some very tough teams. I think
they're doing very well up till now that you know,
depending on what happens against Carolina, you're still looking at
(16:45):
a five hundred record going into the road trip, and
that's going to be a very tough road trip upcoming.
Speaker 9 (16:50):
So I think the team's done well.
Speaker 6 (16:52):
It's bought itself some time, and now it needs Burkowsky
to step up along with breddie Ers and some of
these other guys I've mentioned in order to make up well.
Speaker 2 (17:00):
After the Montreal game, You've got Toronto. You've got Ottawa aswell,
who on paper they're better. You've got Boston, You've got Colorado,
you got the Vegas Golden Knights.
Speaker 3 (17:10):
Then back at home and the hits just keep on coming.
Vince Donn.
Speaker 2 (17:17):
You mentioned him being out a lot of questions here
for this offense and how they cobble the picture together
offensively with what he does on the back end, but
as well, Brandon Montur's back there and again Thursday looked phenomenal.
What strikes you the most with his impact early in
the season.
Speaker 6 (17:33):
What I've been most impressed by is how he's all
over the ice, and he's not all over the ice
for fifteen minutes.
Speaker 9 (17:41):
He's all over.
Speaker 6 (17:42):
In the Calgary game, I think he logged twenty six minutes,
which is more. It was about five more minutes than
any other cracking player. And to do that and have
the impact that he did on the game, that was
very impressive to me. It's one thing to do it
for a handful of shifts, it's another thing to do
like he was on the ice almost every single shift,
(18:02):
and he was backing things up defensively, and he was
leading the charge offensively as well. You know, I was
going to mention him, obviously he needs to step it
up and help in Vince Stunt's absence, but I didn't
think I needed to mention him because.
Speaker 9 (18:14):
He has done it. He doesn't need my suggestions on
anything like that.
Speaker 6 (18:18):
And so you know that that's one guy they're obviously
going to lean on very heavily. And I think that
that's just what I would I would say, it's just
this sense that no matter what moment arises in a game,
you know that Brandon.
Speaker 9 (18:32):
Montour is going to be in the thick of it.
Speaker 6 (18:34):
You know that he's going to be back there, you know,
k not going to loose puck away before somebody can
pounce on a rebound. And you know he's going to
be up there in the offensive end, you know, either
keeping a puckey in at the line or generating, generating
something from from the top, from the.
Speaker 9 (18:48):
Blue line on in.
Speaker 6 (18:50):
And you know, and so far you almost take it
for granted at this stage, and I think that's that's
kind of what he's brought. Look how good Jamie Alexiak
looks beside him, I've been very impressed with Alexi. I
yea rough opening game against Saint Louis, but I think
since then he's been shut down, you know, rock solid,
and I think having Montour beside him in the pairings
(19:11):
has really helped that well.
Speaker 2 (19:12):
Consistency matters, especially for the defense, and that pairing is
certainly showing it. Brandon Montour's got more time on ice
at the end of Thursday night based on this number,
than Cale mccarr and the only guys who are playing
more than him as far as ice time per game
from the bottom to the top, Miro Hayskin and Quinn Hughes,
Evan Bouchard, Zach Warenski, Seth Jones, Jake Sanderson, brock Faber,
(19:36):
Mikhail Sergachev, John Carlson.
Speaker 3 (19:38):
And Romanno Si.
Speaker 2 (19:41):
They're going to be leaning a lot on Brandon Montour
in the coming days here until Vincedunn can come back,
especially when he's back in. As far as that offense,
Jeff i'll post has questioned this way about goaltending because
it's been lather, rinse, repeat with rotating. Philip Grubauer, Joey Decord,
what kind of a situation do you think in with
platooning goaltenders, say heading into next month.
Speaker 6 (20:03):
I think right now there's a feeling outprocess that's going on.
I don't think you picked your starting goalie after after
three or four games, or even five or six games.
I think we're at the point now where one of
them's got to reach out and seize the position.
Speaker 9 (20:16):
I think I think it's there for the taking.
Speaker 6 (20:18):
If somebody wants to get the majority of games, I
think it is right there for the taking. I don't
think either of them has necessarily done it yet. I've
been very impressed with Joey de Cord in the games
that he's won. Basically, he's made the saves he's had
to make when the team was in a position to
need them. In other words, you know, he might have
(20:39):
allowed three goals in Nashville, but when that was a
three to three game and the Predators had a point
blank chance, not one, but two right at the doorstep
on the court, he made the stops he had to
make to keep it a three to three game. The
Crack can go on and wins seven to three. I mean,
that's the kind of says both of these goaltenders have
to make at key moments in order to gain points
for this team. I think the court has had the
(21:00):
edge in that regard up until now. I don't think
either goalie has really made a case yet where they're
heads and tails above the other. So I could see
them going back and forth with them until that actually happens.
I think on this road trip we might start to
see some separation between the two. But who's going to
do it. It's anybody's guests. I think they're going to
(21:21):
split it evenly until one of them steps up.
Speaker 2 (21:23):
We'll see if Philip Grubauer gets to start the seating
against Carolina. Because they have been rotating game by game
on a platoon basis here and against the Hurricanes, we
know what they're all about.
Speaker 3 (21:33):
Under Rod Brendan Moore.
Speaker 2 (21:34):
A shot generation machine, Winnipeg plays you big. Carolina brings
a different type of chaos. What are you looking for
most of the seating, Jeff, I'd.
Speaker 6 (21:45):
Like to see the crack and keep the shots to
the perimeter, which, as you mentioned, they're a shot generation machine.
They don't always necessarily get up to the net front,
and I think that in order to win this game,
they're going to have to eliminate the traffic obviously in
front of in.
Speaker 9 (22:01):
Front of Grubauer or or Decorda, whoever gets to start.
Speaker 6 (22:03):
I assume it is going to be Grubauer, and and
he's had He's had a couple of really big games,
I believe against Carolina in his career, so you know
that that aside, I would expect the Krack and to
do what they're supposed to do best, which is is.
Speaker 9 (22:20):
You know, generate offense off the transition.
Speaker 6 (22:23):
I think I think if you can eliminate, if you
can keep you know, you know, Carolina is going to
get the shots, as long as they're not from dangerous
areas of the ice, then then you're okay with that.
I don't think you're dealing with quite the same size
as you were with Winnipeg, and uh, you know, I
don't know that the elite level talent is quite there
as much with Carolina. I think that's one reason they
(22:45):
haven't been able to advance in the playoffs. That said,
they're they're a very good hockey team, and it's not
going to get easier. I would like to see the
Crack and you know, play a little more like they
did in the third period against Winnipeg, and we'll see.
I mean, they obviously have to score some goals, and
you know it would help if they would score multiple
goals early on in games, if they can keep the
(23:06):
pressure on like they have in their last two games.
Speaker 9 (23:08):
I thought they have very good starts their last two
home games.
Speaker 6 (23:11):
They just haven't cashed in as much as they could have,
and I think that's that's come back to haunt them.
Speaker 9 (23:16):
But now a couple of times.
Speaker 3 (23:18):
But we saw why Winnipeg is seven to zero.
Speaker 2 (23:20):
They've got dudes, They're big, and they're skilled, and certainly
a valiant effort in period three to erase a three
to one deficit and at least get to overtime against
a team like that, that's going to be needed, certainly
here in this game against Carolina.
Speaker 3 (23:32):
Jeff Faye, thanks so much, by the way.
Speaker 2 (23:34):
Enjoyed the road trip, and take some pictures when you
go to old Montreal and the welcome Jeff Baker sign
us back out there.
Speaker 9 (23:40):
Okay, I hope it's so welcome.
Speaker 6 (23:43):
I hope waiting for me on the tarmac with a
deportation notice.
Speaker 9 (23:46):
We'll see.
Speaker 2 (23:47):
Appreciate you, Thanks Jeff, all right, thank you, Mike, Montreal Bred,
Seattle Living. That's Jeff Baker joining us here once again. Jeff,
thanks so much for being a part of this here
on Cracking this morning. Enjoy the road trip. It's always
a fun one for Jeff to go back out of
the old stopping grounds in Montreal. That first game awaits
by the way, coming up this next Tuesday, and that
(24:10):
matters here this evening once again the Crack and facing
a Carolina team under Rod Brendemore that brings the same
type of energy and brand, a puck possession team, a
shot possession team, and last season second best record in
the NHL with fifty two wins. It's a few points
back at the New York Rangers, who won the President's
Trophy and allowed the fourth fewest goals in the entire league,
(24:32):
yet couldn't find the big goals when needed. They lost
in six games to the Rangers in that airtight second
round series. And now maybe the expiration day is getting
closer on their window and a corp who has been
here for a while but losing some good parts as well.
Brady's shay out to Nashville, Bret Peshi to New Jersey
to Voterra Biden back to Chicago, Stephen Nason two New
(24:55):
Jersey yet their big ad defenseman Sean Walker, and still
possessing plenty of depth in their scoring bunch, and they're
aiming for a big year, maybe at a Martin Nachius
who had seventy one points two years ago, dipping to
fifty three points in seventy seven games last season. But
NAT just so far up to a great start, leading
Carolina right now with eight points to begin the season
(25:16):
and in a win over Calgary two nights ago when
they became the first team to hand the Flames their
first regulation loss of the season. Natus was first Star
with a goal and an assist. The Cracking last year
splitting the two game season series with Carolina. They won
the first meeting in Seattle seven to four, and then
lost in overtime three to two in tonight's game, exactly
(25:40):
one year to the date from the last time these
two teams mashed up, and that was the overtime loss
in Carolina. The Cracking record coming in this season two
to three to one head ahead against Carolina and they're
looking for the third win in four games in Seattle
over the Hurricanes. We have plenty of six degrees as
separation among them gm Ron Francis, who used to run
(26:03):
the Hurricanes play for the Hurricanes Crack and Vice president
and assistant general manager Ricky Oulchik as well, previously a
part of the Carolina front office, John Forceland as well
our TV friend previously a longtime member of the Hurricanes
broadcast booth. Looking forward to a great one here once
again this evening, So to remind you, six thirty airtime
(26:23):
across the Emerald Queen Casino Kraken Audio Network. First of
two matchups here for this season between the Kraken and
the Hurricanes. Pug dropping in a little past seven o'clock
as usual, Everett and now have the call. I'll be
with you a pregame, in a mission, and postgame. Curtis
Crabtree also will be joining us postgame here for talking Kraken.
Curtis Apartment of the Fox thirteen crew as well. Big
(26:45):
thank you to Brandon on tour, to Jeff Baker here
for joining us. Enjoy this evening's matchup and for Kraken
this morning, I'm Mike Benton.
Speaker 3 (26:52):
Happy Saturday, You're home for the Kraken.
Speaker 1 (26:55):
Sports Radio ninety three point three kjr FM
Welcome to Cracking this morning, a presentation of the krak
and Audio Network Ken Sports Radio ninety three point three
kjr FM.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Here's Mike Benton. Final game of the homestand coming up
this evening. Mike Betton with you for Cracking this morning
on a Saturday, October twenty six. Got a good one
brewing here tonight, the Cracking taking on the Carolina Hurricanes,
first and only time Carolina visits Seattle this season. Once again,
with plenty of connections across the board between both organizations,
(00:32):
we can't wait to bring you the action, beginning at
six point thirty with a course light pregame show ever
it fits you, Al Kadisky upstairs of course for the call,
I'll join you once again for the course light, landing
and Section twenty all throughout the evening with postgame coverage
up to an hour after the final horn. I'll be
joined by Curtis Crabtree at Fox thirteen on Talking Cracking
(00:53):
to wrap up coverage.
Speaker 3 (00:55):
If we got you covered right here.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
On Sports Radio ninety three point three KJRFM and the
Emerald Queen Casino Kraken Audio Network. The Kraken coming off
of four to three over time lost to Winnipeg right
now two one and one on the four game homes
Dan looking to end on a high note and head
end of the road trip a five gamer with good
vibes as well.
Speaker 3 (01:16):
We'll talk more about it with Jeff.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
Baker, VP of editorial for the Seattle Kracken, who also
penned a terrific story on Jared McCann the player and
Jared McCann the human being with his family as well,
helping build him up to the player that he is today,
recently coming off his one hundredth career goal in a
Seattle crack in Jersey, Jeff Baker along with us in
a little bit here to also discuss matters on the
(01:40):
offense and looking ahead here to the Carolina Hurricanes matchup
this evening. Also, Brandon Montor, we stopped on buy with
him in the Crack and dressing Room earlier this week.
He's logging a ton of ice time right now and
a big responsibility with Vince Dunn out of the lineup.
We'll check him in Brandon Montour as well from the
Crack and Dressing Room coming up in just a few moments. Well,
(02:00):
the Kraken down but not out against Winnipeg two nights
ago in the first matchup against a team that remains
as the last unbeaten in the NHL. And here's how
it began, with a watershed game for a star cracking
center looking for a watershed game.
Speaker 3 (02:16):
Here's Benier's left circle. What a snipe from Betty b
his first off the season, ay thirty three.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
To play in the first.
Speaker 4 (02:29):
It's a one hing tracking lead while Matty Piteer's with
this first of the year, comes down that left side.
Speaker 3 (02:34):
You know he wants this one bad. He snipes it.
Speaker 5 (02:38):
Hears, comes for Fetti sends it across the cord out
of position and niner Rider as time expires on card
chase penalty scores, I let go.
Speaker 4 (02:50):
Down as an even strength goal. As cartoon, it's coming
onto the ice as needer Rider was cutting across the
top of the slot, joined to court, playing it like
it was gonna be a shot. Needer Rider win it
at across the top and found nothing but open that.
Speaker 5 (03:03):
Thecannon front every store. The captain Jordan Everly has put
the cuck In back down by a goal.
Speaker 3 (03:14):
It's our three to two game, eight fifty nine to wait.
Speaker 6 (03:18):
In the third.
Speaker 4 (03:19):
See I'm doing a great job causing a turnover right
at the Winnipeg blue line. It's the Canna picks that
puck up. He knows everyony's all alone down load slides
into it.
Speaker 3 (03:27):
Everybody's more backwards.
Speaker 4 (03:29):
Similar goal that but can scored the other.
Speaker 5 (03:31):
Yeah, yeah, I.
Speaker 4 (03:32):
Don't think everybody puts much of a move on hellibuck
as mcanna even grouped it on that blocker side. Three
twenty left sco.
Speaker 3 (03:43):
His second goal of the night and the sel Cocking half.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
Tied the game.
Speaker 3 (03:49):
P's three three three twenty two CT in the third.
Speaker 4 (03:54):
It's a great working one of the boards by Jared
mccannon getting that.
Speaker 3 (03:57):
Puck back to the point.
Speaker 4 (03:58):
It was a hard shot by Month sure that the
deer's got a piece up and deflected it.
Speaker 5 (04:03):
In extra attacker are for winnipec Connor Hie slot Heelers
shot trickles in they score on the delayed penalty. In overtime,
Nikolai Heelers fires a shot that Decord got ninety eight
percent of and itsh trickles through and the Winnipeg Jets
(04:28):
will push their win streak to seven games, cracking to
get a point as they fall four to three.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
So the comeback good enough to get the Cracking into overtime.
Not enough though for two points, however against the Winnipeg team.
Certainly a valiant effort in period three to help get
the game into overtime and at least claim one point
here for the standings.
Speaker 3 (04:48):
Also quite the view that we had here for the
Corps light silver seats for the game.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
It was a great night, by the way, to enjoy
it amongst cracking faithful all around us and see it
the game from a different perspective right a on the
glass as well. We got two more games for you
coming up, by the way, later on this season. We'll
keep it posted for future dates on the calendar. Brandon
Montor and Ryker Evans right now share the crack and
scoring lead among defensemen. But as far as a player
(05:14):
who's logging a heavy workload, there's not many more in
the NHL besides the newest acquisition in Montor out of
free agency from this past summer and coming off a
Stanley Cup title, we cut up a Brandon Montor with
a crack and preparing for the home stretch of this
five game homestand yeah.
Speaker 7 (05:30):
I mean, I mean, I think you can go back
at some games. Obviously Game one we'd like to have back. Obviously,
that's one that kind of got away from us. Maybully
three two games. You know, teams are good in this
league and they're you know, obviously everyone's itching to get
a point, but we let that one get away. So yeah,
I like where we're at. You know, I think we
kind of find are finding a way to find success
(05:52):
as a team, and you know what kind of drives
us in our strength. So the more we can get
together and you know, play that way, play right way,
I think it's just tougher for opponents. And when we
do get away from you know, our game makes us
challenging for us, and I think we're kind of realizing
what what what we're good at.
Speaker 3 (06:10):
And you know, what we need to work on.
Speaker 8 (06:11):
How do you feel that last couple of games dictated
the direction of practice? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (06:16):
Good.
Speaker 7 (06:16):
I think it's just temple. We're fast teams, so we
want to play fast, executing our drills, and you know,
last game is a little bit uh where guys might
might have been a little fatigue and making some you
know execution plays that probably we could have, you know,
be a little better at. But speed and execution I
think are good in practice, that kind of follow up.
Speaker 8 (06:34):
During the game, Where do you feel that your role
is at right now with one of your guys in
the blue line sideline where you want your game to be?
Speaker 7 (06:41):
No, I think it's fine, you know. I think it's
just you gotta kind of find where the game's at,
what team needs at that certain point. On one, I
guess to that relies on, you know, heavily to play
big minutes no matter who's in the lineup, And I
think it for me, it doesn't really matter. I'm just
gonna go out and kind of play my game and
do what I can to help the team.
Speaker 8 (07:01):
We've heard of guys like Drew Dowdy of course, play
twenty five to even thirty minutes a game. Chris Pronger
legendary for going north of thirty when he was playing
as well. What's what's the key for you to maintain
your kind of body when you need to be out
there shifted after shift for for quite a while each
and every night.
Speaker 7 (07:19):
Yeah, you prepare yourself as best you can before and
after games. Days take today, days before games summers are
obviously huge. But I think for me, just kind of
during the game is. You don't want to lose your energy.
And you know, for me, as an offensive guy that
likes to carry the pucking skate and make plays, you've
got to be smart with it, especially you know you're
(07:40):
playing top top lines especially, so focus on, you know,
playing the right way, playing defensively, closing up on those guys,
and then trust in my skating and my ability to
get up on the ice and make plays. But you
kind of have to read the game and you don't
want to try to do too much each shift because
that's just gonna wear you out. So be smart with it.
But again, I have full confident myself to play a
(08:02):
lot of minutes. And you know that's what my goal
is going every year, is to be a big part
of you know, a team and you know, anything they need,
you know, I'm ready to go.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
That's Brandon Montur and time now to bring in this
scribe from the Crack inside all right, final game of
the homestand coming up as the Crack and take on
the Carolina Hurricanes only time the Hurricanes come in this
season again as usual the Eastern Conference.
Speaker 3 (08:26):
Foe joining US now.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
Jeff Baker, VP of Editorial for the Seattle cracking back
with us on Cracking this morning.
Speaker 3 (08:33):
Jeff, thank you again for doing this. You had a great.
Speaker 2 (08:35):
Story and I mean a great story on seattlecrackn dot
com posted earlier this week on Jared McCann first to
one hundred goals and a crack in Jersey.
Speaker 3 (08:45):
What did you.
Speaker 2 (08:46):
Learn more about the engine that makes up the player
that is Jared McCann and the family behind the human
that is Jared McCann.
Speaker 6 (08:54):
Well, I think the one thing we learned is that
he's very loyal to the people around him, and sometimes
loyal to a fault. I think earlier in his career
he might have had some problems with people that he
trusted and that maybe you know, didn't show that much
trust back to him. I think he can be very
close to the vest with the people that he's around.
And certainly we talked about his summer and you know,
(09:15):
getting married and everything, getting his mother getting to walk
him down the aisle. She's had MS for going on
decades now, and you know she has trouble walking at times.
The whole right side of her body is going numb,
and so you know, he had to help her up there.
That was a very the big deal. She was recovering
from a broken elbow. She had fallen off her trike
(09:38):
back back in February. So I mean there's that whole
dynamic going on. But also at the same time, you know,
Jared McCanny, he was very busy. He's getting ready for
his wedding, but he's also trying to improve his play.
In the offseason, he hired a longtime friend of his,
a guy he used to train with back when he
was you know, twelve, thirteen, fourteen years old, guy named
(09:59):
Joey Hisham, who who was a seventeenth overall pick of
the Colorado Avalanche back in twenty ten, had his career
cut short by concussions, but he was a very skilled
junior hockey player from Stratford, Ontario, where McCann is also from,
and so.
Speaker 9 (10:13):
They've been working together.
Speaker 6 (10:14):
Hisham works for the old sports group Adam Oates the
Hall of Famer, and they send out customized videos to
players to kind of spot what they're doing wrong. They
isolate on players, they spot areas of improvement where they
can improve. And so he actually hired Hisham to coach
him as well, to do extra coaching with him, and
one of the things they've been working on is what
(10:35):
Jared mccannon does with the puck. He wants to be
a little bit smarter when he has the puck. He
wants to make plays that maybe are just a tad
smarter than he did last season, and a lot of
that involves not always shooting every time he gets the puck.
I mean, everybody knows he has a great shot, well
above average shot, and what Joey Hisham's been trying to
do is to get him to use that shot and
(10:56):
have other players that fear that shot sort of tense
up every time he looks like he's about to shoot,
so they tense up for half a second, they hesitate
the defenders, and then McCann has other things he can do.
He buys time for his teammates to get in the
open and he can slide them the puck rather than
taking a shot from a very difficult angle. He can
spot teammates that are maybe a little more open because
(11:17):
of how people are tensing up in anticipation of his
own shot. He can slip the puck over to them
and they have a better scoring opportunity. We saw it
a couple of times last week. In one case, actually
Dan Bosma, the coach, thought that he was screaming at
McCann to shoot the puck. He was going in on
a two one on one with Jordan Everley, and he
thought McCann was going to shoot.
Speaker 9 (11:35):
In a last second, McCann slides it.
Speaker 6 (11:37):
Over to every who's got basically empty net to put
the puck into. So that's one example of it. Another
one who was on a power play five on three
against Calgary. The puck comes across to McCann on the
left point and he looks like he's about to wind
up and shoot and try to score one of his
goals that usually goes in from a difficult angle. Instead,
he passes right back to one Tour, who's a little
(11:57):
more open now because everybody thought McCann was going to
shoot on Tour blast the puck in the net. And
it's funny, it's not a coincidence. You see McCann leading
the team in points. He's still got the goal totals,
he's on pace for I think forty goals right now,
but he's leading the team with more assists than he's had.
He has more assists than anybody else on the team,
and we haven't seen that from mccannon in the past.
(12:17):
When he's led the team in points, it's because of
his goal total, and then you know, there's a two
thirds of the rest our assists, but now the majority
has assists and he's still scoring the goals. So he's
become in this early going at least a little more
of a complete player, and I think that's what we
took out of it the most.
Speaker 2 (12:33):
He and Jordan Everley have been so good together with
Shane Wright, especially Matty Veniers. As of two nights ago, again,
that story on Jared McCann hitting one hundred goals by
the way on seattlecracken dot com. Jeff of the penmanship
behind that story as well, go ahead.
Speaker 3 (12:46):
And check it out.
Speaker 2 (12:47):
But back here to the line situation with the Kraken
coming off the four to three overtime lost to Winnipeg.
Ian Farness said something really good on radio the other
day and that we're reminded of that you're only as
good as where your good players will take you. And
Matty Beaneers had a breakout game and a half on
(13:10):
Thursday night. That's your engine to plush the Jets into overtime. This,
of course a team built on depth. But how important
is a big season Jeff for Matty beaneers to this offense.
Speaker 9 (13:22):
Well, it's important right now.
Speaker 6 (13:24):
I mean, this team is missing Vince Done and he's
going to be out it looks like several more weeks,
and so they need somebody that can generate, you know,
offense where they're scoring more than one goal a game
and even strength. And so we saw that out of
Beniers this time. He stepped up and you know the
team that you know, the crack had been limited. They
(13:44):
had a couple of goals the other night when they
lost to Colorado and then they scored one goal in
regulation time in beating Calgary in overtime, but that's not
going to be enough to carry you. You need to
get three or more goals per game, which is what
they were doing prior to that, prior to Vince duns In,
and I think now Benier stepping up into that role.
Let's face it, he's one of the guys they're counting
(14:05):
on for offense.
Speaker 9 (14:06):
We can't sugarcoat it.
Speaker 6 (14:07):
It's a he can be a two way defensive player,
which he has been, but they need him to score
some goals.
Speaker 9 (14:12):
And I think he knows that too. It's not a
secret and you could see.
Speaker 6 (14:15):
I mean he looked a little more confident even starting
out that game the other net. But but you know,
once he scored that goal, he almost scored again right
after that, like a couple of seconds later on the
power play, because he was just you could tell he
was playing with more confidence.
Speaker 9 (14:29):
He was playing a little more aggressively.
Speaker 6 (14:31):
He wasn't hesitant, and he went in there and he
almost he almost scored again, and then he ended up
scoring again later on in the game.
Speaker 9 (14:37):
I mean, yeah, they need.
Speaker 6 (14:39):
That out of Matty Benier's There's a reason that we
gave him a seven year contract and so you know
that that part was nice to see. Now, it's worth
remembering we're only eight games into the season, so you know,
lots of players start out with with with with short
goal totals. We remember that from Jordan Everley last year.
I think he had four goals in the first half
of the season. You'd like it to be distributed a
(14:59):
little more even th but you know what I'm trying
to say is the first two weeks of the season
aren't the end of the world. And yeah, they do
need him to step up and be accounted for. They
need McCann, they need everly both those guys that have
been there. And you know, I'd like to see a
few more from Ellie toldin there's another and Oliver york
Strand as well.
Speaker 9 (15:15):
He should have scored a goal. He should have scored
a goal last night. You know that Yanni Gord.
Speaker 6 (15:20):
It reminded me of an NFL defense, NFL safety getting
called for pass interference or cornerback getting called for pass
interference on an uncatchable ball. I mean that Connor Hillibuck's
not going to stop that shot by bjork'strand regardless of
whether or not you know Yanni Gord standing half a
millimeter inside the crease, and so that.
Speaker 9 (15:39):
That's what I kind of thought. York Strand should have
had that goal.
Speaker 2 (15:43):
How many more games do you think we need until
we see consistency takeover for the line combinations in a
long term basis for lines one, two, three, and four.
Speaker 6 (15:52):
I think the team, speaking of guys that need to
step up and put the puck in the net, I
think andre Bi Burakowski Arkowski. I think a lot of
what's been going on has been trying to find a
comfort zone with him on the line that he's on,
and I don't think they've found it yet, and so
I think that's a lot of the mixing and matching
that we're seeing ed Vaneers as well. I mean, you know,
(16:13):
he scored the two goals the other night, but he
hadn't scored any prior to that, and so there's a
lot of that's been going on to try to find
him a comfort zone.
Speaker 9 (16:21):
So I think we found one now with Beniers.
Speaker 6 (16:24):
It's a matter of finding where I think Andre Berkowski
fits where he's going to help this team the most,
because he's another guy that has to step up up
and start scoring in Vince Dunn's absence, you know, for
this team to get through this opening month, this period,
I mean, they're playing some very tough teams. I think
they're doing very well up till now that you know,
depending on what happens against Carolina, you're still looking at
(16:45):
a five hundred record going into the road trip, and
that's going to be a very tough road trip upcoming.
Speaker 9 (16:50):
So I think the team's done well.
Speaker 6 (16:52):
It's bought itself some time, and now it needs Burkowsky
to step up along with breddie Ers and some of
these other guys I've mentioned in order to make up well.
Speaker 2 (17:00):
After the Montreal game, You've got Toronto. You've got Ottawa aswell,
who on paper they're better. You've got Boston, You've got Colorado,
you got the Vegas Golden Knights.
Speaker 3 (17:10):
Then back at home and the hits just keep on coming.
Vince Donn.
Speaker 2 (17:17):
You mentioned him being out a lot of questions here
for this offense and how they cobble the picture together
offensively with what he does on the back end, but
as well, Brandon Montur's back there and again Thursday looked phenomenal.
What strikes you the most with his impact early in
the season.
Speaker 6 (17:33):
What I've been most impressed by is how he's all
over the ice, and he's not all over the ice
for fifteen minutes.
Speaker 9 (17:41):
He's all over.
Speaker 6 (17:42):
In the Calgary game, I think he logged twenty six minutes,
which is more. It was about five more minutes than
any other cracking player. And to do that and have
the impact that he did on the game, that was
very impressive to me. It's one thing to do it
for a handful of shifts, it's another thing to do
like he was on the ice almost every single shift,
(18:02):
and he was backing things up defensively, and he was
leading the charge offensively as well. You know, I was
going to mention him, obviously he needs to step it
up and help in Vince Stunt's absence, but I didn't
think I needed to mention him because.
Speaker 9 (18:14):
He has done it. He doesn't need my suggestions on
anything like that.
Speaker 6 (18:18):
And so you know that that's one guy they're obviously
going to lean on very heavily. And I think that
that's just what I would I would say, it's just
this sense that no matter what moment arises in a game,
you know that Brandon.
Speaker 9 (18:32):
Montour is going to be in the thick of it.
Speaker 6 (18:34):
You know that he's going to be back there, you know,
k not going to loose puck away before somebody can
pounce on a rebound. And you know he's going to
be up there in the offensive end, you know, either
keeping a puckey in at the line or generating, generating
something from from the top, from the.
Speaker 9 (18:48):
Blue line on in.
Speaker 6 (18:50):
And you know, and so far you almost take it
for granted at this stage, and I think that's that's
kind of what he's brought. Look how good Jamie Alexiak
looks beside him, I've been very impressed with Alexi. I
yea rough opening game against Saint Louis, but I think
since then he's been shut down, you know, rock solid,
and I think having Montour beside him in the pairings
(19:11):
has really helped that well.
Speaker 2 (19:12):
Consistency matters, especially for the defense, and that pairing is
certainly showing it. Brandon Montour's got more time on ice
at the end of Thursday night based on this number,
than Cale mccarr and the only guys who are playing
more than him as far as ice time per game
from the bottom to the top, Miro Hayskin and Quinn Hughes,
Evan Bouchard, Zach Warenski, Seth Jones, Jake Sanderson, brock Faber,
(19:36):
Mikhail Sergachev, John Carlson.
Speaker 3 (19:38):
And Romanno Si.
Speaker 2 (19:41):
They're going to be leaning a lot on Brandon Montour
in the coming days here until Vincedunn can come back,
especially when he's back in. As far as that offense,
Jeff i'll post has questioned this way about goaltending because
it's been lather, rinse, repeat with rotating. Philip Grubauer, Joey Decord,
what kind of a situation do you think in with
platooning goaltenders, say heading into next month.
Speaker 6 (20:03):
I think right now there's a feeling outprocess that's going on.
I don't think you picked your starting goalie after after
three or four games, or even five or six games.
I think we're at the point now where one of
them's got to reach out and seize the position.
Speaker 9 (20:16):
I think I think it's there for the taking.
Speaker 6 (20:18):
If somebody wants to get the majority of games, I
think it is right there for the taking. I don't
think either of them has necessarily done it yet. I've
been very impressed with Joey de Cord in the games
that he's won. Basically, he's made the saves he's had
to make when the team was in a position to
need them. In other words, you know, he might have
(20:39):
allowed three goals in Nashville, but when that was a
three to three game and the Predators had a point
blank chance, not one, but two right at the doorstep
on the court, he made the stops he had to
make to keep it a three to three game. The
Crack can go on and wins seven to three. I mean,
that's the kind of says both of these goaltenders have
to make at key moments in order to gain points
for this team. I think the court has had the
(21:00):
edge in that regard up until now. I don't think
either goalie has really made a case yet where they're
heads and tails above the other. So I could see
them going back and forth with them until that actually happens.
I think on this road trip we might start to
see some separation between the two. But who's going to
do it. It's anybody's guests. I think they're going to
(21:21):
split it evenly until one of them steps up.
Speaker 2 (21:23):
We'll see if Philip Grubauer gets to start the seating
against Carolina. Because they have been rotating game by game
on a platoon basis here and against the Hurricanes, we
know what they're all about.
Speaker 3 (21:33):
Under Rod Brendan Moore.
Speaker 2 (21:34):
A shot generation machine, Winnipeg plays you big. Carolina brings
a different type of chaos. What are you looking for
most of the seating, Jeff, I'd.
Speaker 6 (21:45):
Like to see the crack and keep the shots to
the perimeter, which, as you mentioned, they're a shot generation machine.
They don't always necessarily get up to the net front,
and I think that in order to win this game,
they're going to have to eliminate the traffic obviously in
front of in.
Speaker 9 (22:01):
Front of Grubauer or or Decorda, whoever gets to start.
Speaker 6 (22:03):
I assume it is going to be Grubauer, and and
he's had He's had a couple of really big games,
I believe against Carolina in his career, so you know
that that aside, I would expect the Krack and to
do what they're supposed to do best, which is is.
Speaker 9 (22:20):
You know, generate offense off the transition.
Speaker 6 (22:23):
I think I think if you can eliminate, if you
can keep you know, you know, Carolina is going to
get the shots, as long as they're not from dangerous
areas of the ice, then then you're okay with that.
I don't think you're dealing with quite the same size
as you were with Winnipeg, and uh, you know, I
don't know that the elite level talent is quite there
as much with Carolina. I think that's one reason they
(22:45):
haven't been able to advance in the playoffs. That said,
they're they're a very good hockey team, and it's not
going to get easier. I would like to see the
Crack and you know, play a little more like they
did in the third period against Winnipeg, and we'll see.
I mean, they obviously have to score some goals, and
you know it would help if they would score multiple
goals early on in games, if they can keep the
(23:06):
pressure on like they have in their last two games.
Speaker 9 (23:08):
I thought they have very good starts their last two
home games.
Speaker 6 (23:11):
They just haven't cashed in as much as they could have,
and I think that's that's come back to haunt them.
Speaker 9 (23:16):
But now a couple of times.
Speaker 3 (23:18):
But we saw why Winnipeg is seven to zero.
Speaker 2 (23:20):
They've got dudes, They're big, and they're skilled, and certainly
a valiant effort in period three to erase a three
to one deficit and at least get to overtime against
a team like that, that's going to be needed, certainly
here in this game against Carolina.
Speaker 3 (23:32):
Jeff Faye, thanks so much, by the way.
Speaker 2 (23:34):
Enjoyed the road trip, and take some pictures when you
go to old Montreal and the welcome Jeff Baker sign
us back out there.
Speaker 9 (23:40):
Okay, I hope it's so welcome.
Speaker 6 (23:43):
I hope waiting for me on the tarmac with a
deportation notice.
Speaker 9 (23:46):
We'll see.
Speaker 2 (23:47):
Appreciate you, Thanks Jeff, all right, thank you, Mike, Montreal Bred,
Seattle Living. That's Jeff Baker joining us here once again. Jeff,
thanks so much for being a part of this here
on Cracking this morning. Enjoy the road trip. It's always
a fun one for Jeff to go back out of
the old stopping grounds in Montreal. That first game awaits
by the way, coming up this next Tuesday, and that
(24:10):
matters here this evening once again the Crack and facing
a Carolina team under Rod Brendemore that brings the same
type of energy and brand, a puck possession team, a
shot possession team, and last season second best record in
the NHL with fifty two wins. It's a few points
back at the New York Rangers, who won the President's
Trophy and allowed the fourth fewest goals in the entire league,
(24:32):
yet couldn't find the big goals when needed. They lost
in six games to the Rangers in that airtight second
round series. And now maybe the expiration day is getting
closer on their window and a corp who has been
here for a while but losing some good parts as well.
Brady's shay out to Nashville, Bret Peshi to New Jersey
to Voterra Biden back to Chicago, Stephen Nason two New
(24:55):
Jersey yet their big ad defenseman Sean Walker, and still
possessing plenty of depth in their scoring bunch, and they're
aiming for a big year, maybe at a Martin Nachius
who had seventy one points two years ago, dipping to
fifty three points in seventy seven games last season. But
NAT just so far up to a great start, leading
Carolina right now with eight points to begin the season
(25:16):
and in a win over Calgary two nights ago when
they became the first team to hand the Flames their
first regulation loss of the season. Natus was first Star
with a goal and an assist. The Cracking last year
splitting the two game season series with Carolina. They won
the first meeting in Seattle seven to four, and then
lost in overtime three to two in tonight's game, exactly
(25:40):
one year to the date from the last time these
two teams mashed up, and that was the overtime loss
in Carolina. The Cracking record coming in this season two
to three to one head ahead against Carolina and they're
looking for the third win in four games in Seattle
over the Hurricanes. We have plenty of six degrees as
separation among them gm Ron Francis, who used to run
(26:03):
the Hurricanes play for the Hurricanes Crack and Vice president
and assistant general manager Ricky Oulchik as well, previously a
part of the Carolina front office, John Forceland as well
our TV friend previously a longtime member of the Hurricanes
broadcast booth. Looking forward to a great one here once
again this evening, So to remind you, six thirty airtime
(26:23):
across the Emerald Queen Casino Kraken Audio Network. First of
two matchups here for this season between the Kraken and
the Hurricanes. Pug dropping in a little past seven o'clock
as usual, Everett and now have the call. I'll be
with you a pregame, in a mission, and postgame. Curtis
Crabtree also will be joining us postgame here for talking Kraken.
Curtis Apartment of the Fox thirteen crew as well. Big
(26:45):
thank you to Brandon on tour, to Jeff Baker here
for joining us. Enjoy this evening's matchup and for Kraken
this morning, I'm Mike Benton.
Speaker 3 (26:52):
Happy Saturday, You're home for the Kraken.
Speaker 1 (26:55):
Sports Radio ninety three point three kjr FM
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