Final Buzzer: Fab Finish

• Alternate universe: Seattle dominated the first period with 12 shots on goal and two scores, one by alternate captain Yanni Gourde (21st of the year) and the other by alternate captain Adam Larsson, who added to his now career-high eight on the season.
• Matty Beniers gets assist on Larsson goal. He has eight points (three goals, five assists) in eight of his first nine NHL games.
• LOUD IN HERE: Climate Pledge Arena fans are Seattle decibel-worthy for 41st night on ice. Usual multiple "Let's Go Kraken!" cheers started by fans in all directions and sections. Mega-noise on goals? Of course. Big, big noise when Kraken kill 5-on-3 power play mid-second period? Naturally. This. Is. A. Hockey. Town.
• In what is likely his final start of the season, Chris Driedger registers first shutout in Kraken uniform, stopping 24 shots in a 3-0 win for his fifth career NHL shutout.

It's only fitting Yanni Gourde scored the opening goal during the 3-0 victory over San Jose at Climate Pledge Arena on Night 41 of this inaugural season, He has been a high-octane, energy-starter for Seattle from his first game - he played in the final game of a season-opening five-game road trip, about six to eight weeks earlier than his projected return from summer shoulder surgery.
Gourde's goal here Friday before the signature raucous Seattle crowd was set up by linemate Karson Kuhlman patiently holding a pass from recent American Hockey League call-up and defenseman Dennis Cholowski before dropping it back to Gourde for a quick-release rip past San Jose goalie Kaapo Kahkonen.
Gourde's night was capped by winning the team's first Guyle Fielder Award, voted by players and coaches to name the player who best exemplifies perseverance, hustle and dedication associated with a Seattle hockey legend. Fielder played 15 of his 22 pro seasons in Seattle, winning Pacific Hockey League championships with the Totems. He is No. 4 in scoring among all pro hockey players, trailing only Wayne Gretzky, Jaromir Jagr and Gordie Howe.
No surprise to anyone who has witnessed numerous games here: Gourde was double winner, nabbing the Fan Favorite award on vote by Kraken supporters. All that relentless energy - on the power play, penalty kill, 5-and-5, standing up to players bigger than him and lots of chirping - pays off by winning the fans' hearts. Fun note: Gourde registered the most points (12 goals and 14 assists) among all Kraken players during home games this season.
"Anybody who watched our team this year would have no doubt," coach Dave Hakstol said. "Night in and night out, he lays it on the line. You want a guy who sets the tone in terms of effort and energy, plus the competitive side, dragging guys into the fight. That's what 'Gourdo' does."

McCann, Grubauer Award Winners

While Gourde won the Guyle Fielder and Fan Favorite votes, forward Jared McCann took home the Pete Muldoon Award as the Kraken's MVP for the 2021-22 season. McCann led the squad with a career-high 27 goals and 49 points, plus brought his own brand of enthusiasm and grit to the ice, bench and locker room. To wit: When winger Brandon Tanev went down early in the hockey year with a season-ending knee injury, McCann took over as the teammate who stood at the tunnel entrance to the ice, exhorting and hyping his teammates.
For the curious, Muldoon coached the 1917 Seattle Metropolitans, the first U.S.-based team to win the Stanley Cup. Two years later, Muldoon famously refused to accept a forfeit of the Stanley Cup Final from the storied Montreal Canadiens, whose roster was decimated by the 1919 Spanish Flu. He coached eight seasons with Seattle and, in 1928, led a group of investors to build Mercer Arena that served skates and hockey players for many decades.
Goaltender Philipp Grubauer won the Three Stars of the Year Award, calculated by which Kraken player earned the most Three Stars honors after each home game. Players were awarded three points for First Star, two points for Second Star and one point for Third Star.
Grubauer also has to be the unofficial winner of most chants with the frequent and resonant "Gruuuuuuuuuu" calls after big saves.
The happy and loud 17,151 filling Climate Pledge Arena one last time this season didn't exit after the final horn. They stayed for the traditional player stick salute to the fans - and Seattle's supporters rival any in the league even in Year 1 (per Kraken players, Jordan Eberle said as much last week, plus many numbers of opposing players and coaches who have marveled at the fan noise and faithfulness). And they stayed for Kraken player awards, "jerseys off our backs" and t-shirts tossed in the stands.
"Look at the atmosphere out there before the game, throughout the game and even after the game," Hakstol said. "I don't know anybody left [even as the team retreated to the locker room briefly]. They stayed for the presentations, awards and the jerseys.
"It's pretty special. It's awesome to finish with a win with a great crowd like that tonight. They've been with us through thick and thin."

Matty and Marathon Man

The Kraken's second goal of the game, scored late first period, set up a tightly played second period that finished 2-0.
On that second goal, rookie Matty Beniers entered the offensive zone to the right, working the puck long enough to attract three Sharks players to pinch his way, creating time and space for his teammates. Beniers moved the puck to D-man Jamie Oleksiak, who quickly sent a cross-ice pass to an awaiting Adam Larsson. The steadiest of Kraken defensemen scored his eighth goal of the season, adding to his career-high total.
When Larsson steps on the ice in Winnipeg (at 11 a.m. Pacific on Sunday), he will become the only Kraken player to appear in all 82 games of this inaugural season. Quite the feat given the hundreds and hundreds of player games lost to COVID-19 protocol.
On the other hand, Larsson's stamina is proven, right along with being one of the league-leading defensemen for not making mistakes in the defensive zone. He played all 56 games of the shortened 2020-21 season (per the pandemic) and logged 82 games with Edmonton during the 2018-19 season when he scored three goals and added 17 assists. To date, Larsson has accumulated 17 assists but has scored a career-high seven goals.
The alternate captain has been a role model for every Kraken defenseman, no more evident than the string of games since Mark Giordano was moved to Toronto at the trade deadline. He's played extensive minutes with young D-man Vince Dunn and no doubt has been someone assistant coach Jay Leach (in charge of defensive play) can point to all season long.

Feel-Good Night for Driedger

It's be an uneven season for Driedger. He appeared in relief of Grubauer on the fourth game of the team's five-game road trip to begin the season. He tweaked his knee on a save and didn't play the next night as planned, missing that start and more with his first injury of the season. He suffered a second injury during the season and was sidelined by COVID-19 protocol, too.
Friday was likely his final start, his first Kraken shutout and fifth of his NHL career, upping his win total to nine against 13 regulation losses and one overtime loss. The shutout was the franchise's first at Climate Pledge Arena.
"It was pretty special, especially at home," Driedger said. "I will always remember it."
"I was so happy for him," Gourde said. "He made some tremendous saves in net, especially killing that 5-on-3 power play."