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Photo by Jen Thulhu @jennthulhu_photos\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
10\/4\/26\n<\/p>\n
By Marcus Sledge
\nPhoto by Jen Thulhu @jennthulhu_photos\n<\/p>\n
There are home openers, and then there are nights when a building seems to announce that a new season has arrived.\n<\/p>\n
Sunday night at Climate Pledge Arena was one of those nights.\n<\/p>\n
With the Seattle Kraken returning home for the first time in the 2026\u201327 season, the building was buzzing before the puck even dropped. The familiar sights, sounds and traditions of Kraken hockey were back, including the unmistakable voice of Tommie Burton, whose rendition of the national anthem once again gave the crowd a moment to share together. Burton has become one of the defining voices of Kraken game nights, often turning the anthem into a crowd experience rather than simply a performance.\n<\/p>\n
Then the lights went down, the introductions began and the Kraken put the rest of the evening in motion.\n<\/p>\n
And what followed was almost exactly what a home crowd could have hoped for.\n<\/p>\n
Three goals. Seven minutes. Game over?\n<\/p>\n
Seattle didn\u2019t waste any time making itself comfortable.\n<\/p>\n
Just 2:22 into the game, Berkly Catton opened the scoring, converting a three-on-two rush and firing a wrist shot over Calgary goaltender Dustin Wolf\u2019s glove.\n<\/p>\n
Barely two minutes later, the building erupted again.\n<\/p>\n
Mackie Samoskevich\u2014one of Seattle\u2019s most intriguing new additions\u2014showed exactly why the Kraken acquired him. Brandon Montour lifted the puck toward the Calgary blue line, Samoskevich won the race, and suddenly he was alone.\n<\/p>\n
He finished the breakaway with a backhand and gave Seattle a 2\u20130 lead.\n<\/p>\n
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Then came Bobby McMann.\n<\/p>\n
At 7:40, McMann settled a bouncing puck and snapped it past Wolf.\n<\/p>\n
Three goals in the opening 7:40.\n<\/p>\n
Climate Pledge Arena was rocking.\n<\/p>\n
And Seattle was just getting started.\n<\/p>\n
Samoskevich announces himself\n<\/p>\n
The home opener provided Kraken fans with their first extended look at Samoskevich in a Seattle uniform, and he wasted little time making an impression.\n<\/p>\n
His first goal showcased his speed.\n<\/p>\n
His second showed his finishing ability.\n<\/p>\n
Late in the second period, Samoskevich joined Matty Beniers and Jared McCann on a three-on-three rush. Beniers found him in the right circle, and Samoskevich snapped the puck over Wolf\u2019s blocker and under the crossbar.\n<\/p>\n
Two goals in his home debut.\n<\/p>\n
Just like that, the newest Kraken forward had become one of the stories of the night.\n<\/p>\n
Samoskevich was acquired from Florida during the offseason, and Seattle clearly believes his combination of speed and skill can add another dimension to the club. On Sunday, Kraken fans got their first real taste of what that dimension can look like.\n<\/p>\n
The young Kraken keep growing\n<\/p>\n
Catton wasn\u2019t finished after his opening goal, either.\n<\/p>\n
The young forward added an assist on Shane Wright\u2019s second-period goal, helping Seattle build a 4\u20130 advantage.\n<\/p>\n
For Wright, the goal was another encouraging moment in what Seattle hopes will be an important season for the former No. 4 overall pick.\n<\/p>\n
The Kraken have talked throughout the offseason about the importance of their young core growing alongside an experienced group of veterans. Sunday provided a glimpse of what that combination can look like.\n<\/p>\n
Catton scored.\n<\/p>\n
Wright scored.\n<\/p>\n
Beniers helped create Samoskevich\u2019s second goal.\n<\/p>\n
And captain Jordan Eberle eventually put the finishing touch on the night.\n<\/p>\n
The future was on display, but so were the players who have helped establish the identity of the franchise. (NHL<\/a>)\n<\/p>\n Daccord stands tall\n<\/p>\n While Seattle\u2019s offense grabbed the headlines, Joey Daccord quietly put together another excellent performance.\n<\/p>\n The Kraken goaltender stopped 32 of 33 shots, coming within 5:35 of recording a shutout before Calgary\u2019s Morgan Frost redirected a power-play opportunity past him.\n<\/p>\n Daccord\u2019s performance was particularly important because the Kraken had played the night before in Edmonton, where they suffered a 3\u20131 loss to the Oilers.\n<\/p>\n Rather than looking tired, Seattle came out Sunday with energy.\n<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Picture4.jpeg-300x225.jpg\")
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