I first heard about the Kraken’s trip to Finland from Chet Buchanan’s recent Instagram posts. Chet is the public address announcer at Climate Pledge Arena.

This week, the Seattle Kraken and the Carolina Hurricanes cross the Atlantic to play two regular-season games in Helsinki as part of the 2026 NHL Global Series. Both games are at Veikkaus Arena. It’s the Kraken’s first regular-season stretch on international ice, against the defending Stanley Cup champion, the Carolina Hurricanes.

The Schedule, and a Great Time Zone Trick

Helsinki is 10 hours ahead of Seattle, which turns Finland’s evening games into Pacific morning games. That’s good news for the Kraken faithful.

Game 1 is Thursday, November 12, at 9 a.m. PT. The Kraken are the designated home team, meaning we’ll get to hear Chet Buchanan turn up the heat on the microphone, as he does at Climate Pledge. Pregame coverage starts at 8:30 a.m. through the Kraken Hockey Network. You can watch on KONG and Prime Video, and you can listen on KJR 93.3 FM. U.S. fans can also catch it on NHL Network and ESPN+ (NHL Power Play).

Game 2 is Saturday, November 14, at 10 a.m. PT. This time, the Hurricanes are the designated home team. Pregame starts at 9:30 a.m. The game airs on KING 5, KONG, and Prime Video, with radio on KJR 950 AM. Canadian viewers can use Sportsnet.

If you’re at work on Thursday, no promises on how you’ll get that streaming link open, but Saturday is easy.

Why “Home” Matters Overseas

Because both games count in the standings, the league splits home-ice designation, so neither team loses a home date. The designated home team gets the last line change and puts its stick down last on faceoffs. It also gets its goal horn and graphics on the video board, and it wears its home sweaters.

Even with a neutral crowd, those little advantages matter. A last change can decide a matchup.

Finnish Faces on the Ice

The games also bring local pride. Hurricanes star Sebastian Aho returns to his home country, and so do Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Juuso Valimaki. On the Kraken side, Kaapo Kakko, Jani Nyman and Ville Ottavainen will play in front of their countrymen.

Helsinki is also hosting a free fan fest for three days, with hockey games, trivia, and watch parties.

For those of us in the Wenatchee Valley, it’s a fun reason to tune in for a weekday morning game. Make some coffee, find the stream, and watch hockey a world away.

Iconic TEAM USA Hockey Photos

Gallery Credit: Clay Moden

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