Lindsey Wasson / Associated Press
The Seattle Kraken and the Vegas Golden Knights face off during the first period of the NHL Winter Classic hockey game, Monday, Jan. 1, 2024, in Seattle.
Published Monday, Jan. 1, 2024 | 10:35 a.m.
Updated Monday, Jan. 1, 2024 | 3:01 p.m.
The Golden Knights made history by playing in their first Winter Classic. They also ended up on the wrong side of history.
Vegas became the first team ever to be shut out in the NHL's annual New Year's Day classic in a 3-0 loss to the Seattle Kraken at T-Mobile Park on Monday.
It took until the 17th installment of the game for a team to be shut out, and it's the fourth time this season Vegas has failed to find the back of the net in a game. Seattle goalie Joey Daccord made 35 saves, and the Golden Knights lost for the fifth time in six games and are 2-6-0 in their last eight games.
Logan Thompson made 24 saves for the Golden Knights (22-11-5).
Scroll below for updates on the game.
Gourde puts Kraken on verge of beating Golden Knights
This will go down as a Winter Classic to forget for the Golden Knights.
Yanni Gourde forced a turnover at the offensive blue line and scored on a breakaway to give Seattle a 3-0 lead 2:10 into the final period.
The Kraken forward stripped the puck from Paul Cotter, walked in on Thompson and scored on a second effort after Thompson whiffed on a clearing attempt in the crease.
Nothing has gone right for the Golden Knights to this point. They've had only one power play, generated nothing with it, and haven't been able to find a solution for Seattle's strong defense.
Unless a miracle strikes in the next 10 minutes, the Golden Knights are going to lose their second outdoor game in team history.
Golden Knights have no answer for Daccord
Through two periods, the Golden Knights have not found the back of the net, thanks in large part to Seattle's goalie Joey Daccord.
The former Arizona State product has turned away all 20 shots he's faced to secure a 2-0 lead for the Kraken heading into the third period.
Seattle has been one of the better teams over the past two weeks with an eight-game point streak, and Daccord has been a big reason why. The 27-year-old allowed just 11 goals in his last seven starts and has posted a .949 save percentage. He has a 24-save shutout against Florida on Dec. 12.
Seattle keeping this game at 5-on-5 has stymied the Golden Knights from generating any dangerous offense. If he keeps this up, Daccord is in line for another shutout and could be the MVP of the game.
Borgen puts Kraken up by two early in second
Seattle strikes again, and the Golden Knights are going to need to get to work in order to rally.
A rebound kicked out to Kraken defenseman, who fired a shot from the top of the right circle and beat Thompson far side to give Seattle a 2-0 lead 2:19 into the second period.
The first goal can be credited to a breakdown in letting Eeli Tolvanen get behind the defense. This one was a shot Thompson should have stopped but misread the puck.
Suddenly, the Golden Knights find themselves in a two-goal hole that has resemblances of two weeks ago when they struggled to find offense and couldn't find an answer defensively.
Tolvanen deflection puts Seattle up early
The Golden Knights are already playing from behind.
Seattle forward Eeli Tolvanen's deflection in front of Logan Thompson at the 4:50 mark of the first period gave the Kraken a 1-0 lead early in the Winter Classic.
There appeared to be defensive breakdown near the Vegas net with Tolvanen getting behind Alex Pietrangelo and Nicolas Hague for the deflection. There was nothing Thompson could do with him one-on-one with Tolvanen.
Golden Knights arrive in Elvis garb
Part of tradition with the Winter Classic is teams will arrive to the stadium with matching costumes to match the theme of the game, or the team's motif.
Which means, of course, the Golden Knights arrived the only way they knew how, donning Elvis Presley costumes as they entered the third-base side of the stadium.
Defenseman Alec Martinez has the mastermind behind the idea of everyone dressing like the King of Rock and Roll. Elvis is also a popular talking point within the Golden Knights' locker room. Whoever was selected as the player of the game following wins last season would wear an Elvis wig, a tradition started by Jack Eichel.
"I thought it was a funny idea, especially when you see a couple Elvises I think you get a good laugh about it," forward Keegan Kolesar said. "Don’t know what else we could have possibly done to represent Vegas. Personally, I thought Elvis was pretty spot on and we got a couple good laughs out of it ourselves."
Bruce Cassidy had a special hat in store for the occasion, but he said the plan fell through at the last minute.
The Kraken arrived to T-Mobile Park as fishmongers while carrying fake fish. Much like they couldn't be any more Seattle, the Golden Knights couldn't be any more Vegas with their choice.
"I thought it was perfect," defenseman Zach Whitecloud said. "I mean, it’s literally Vegas."
Golden Knights ready for elements, history at Winter Classic
SEATTLE — Perched near the centerfield wall in T-Mobile Park is a boat being dragged down by a Kraken.
In right field, a small lake surrounded by ice holds a small dinghy that scours the waters.
On the playing surface normally occupied by the Seattle Mariners is a hockey rink that will play host to a historic day in Seattle, with the Vegas Golden Knights front and center.
Quite the way to ring in 2024.
The Golden Knights will take part in their first Winter Classic today at noon when they take on the Seattle Kraken in the NHL’s marquee regular season game.
“It’s kind of cool being in the middle of a baseball park,” forward Jonathan Marchessault said. “There are so many seats compared to hockey.”
It’s surely to be the largest capacity the Golden Knights, or the Kraken for that matter, have ever played in. Capacity at T-Mobile Park is 47,943 and a sellout is widely expected.
It’s a game that brings out memories of yesteryear for players who grew up playing outdoor hockey in frozen conditions. Players would be outside for hours, toes frozen beyond compare, hot chocolate at the ready. Once consumed, it was right back to the rink.
Temperatures are expected to be in the low 40s with slight clouds come puck drop. It won’t be the minus-6 degrees like Chandler Stephenson played in Western Canada growing up, but the Seattle weather will call for something of nostalgia.
“I think it’s going to be a great venue,” center Jack Eichel said. “It has a nice incline to it, so it might be better for the fans viewing it, but the NHL always does a great job putting the event on.”
With the elements comes the potential for a drastic change in play. Following their practice Sunday morning, some players said the puck was sticking to the ice more than usual, meaning the game might be slower than usual and turnovers can be more frequent if not played properly.
Given the clouds and fog, that might help the puck conditions, but it’s something to be keen of as the game goes on.
“It will be the same for both teams, which forces you to play with your head down a little more,” coach Bruce Cassidy said. “At the end of the day, pass it harder and when you’re checking, don’t assume the puck is going to move.”
At the end of the day, while this is a grand game to be a part of, it’s an important two points on the line for the Golden Knights. They ended a four-game losing streak Thursday with a 3-2 win over Los Angeles at home to cap off a two-week stretch allowing three goals or more in eight straight games.
Beginning 2024 with a win would be what the Golden Knights need after a rough end to the calendar year. They have a chance to get back on track on one of the game’s biggest stages.
“It’s a huge honor to be selected for this marquee event by the league,” Eichel said. “I imagine it’ll be just as competitive as a regular season game, and we want to win.”
NHL Winter Classic
Time: Noon
TV: TNT
Livestream: Max
Radio: Fox Sports 98.9 FM
Odds: Golden Knights -130, Kraken +120 (Westgate Superbook)
Danny Webster can be reached at 702-259-8814 or [email protected]. Follow Danny on Twitter at twitter.com/DannyWebster21.
