It was a helluva goal that came on one helluvan assist from Jared McCann. Had that been a home game, that play would have earned the duo a star or two. And for Kraken fans, that's something special.
Because in Seattle, when the Three Stars—the top three players for that particular game—are introduced at the end of the night, they celebrate with the fans by flinging autographed, plush fish into the stands. It is a ridiculous and fantastic take on the T-shirt cannon … and I adore it.
The fish "yeet" is a tip of the hat to the city's famous Pike Place Fish Market, but it's also intended to shine a light on the region's unique economic and ecologic make-up, according to the team. That's why every year, a different species of fish is selected for flinging.
And it turns out, this year's fish has a rubber industry connection.
You guessed it. My guys are yeeting coho salmon.
My heart stopped briefly when I heard the news. Mainly because I didn't want to have to write about it.
There are few precious hours in my life that aren't connected to work or general adulting, and time set aside for Kraken hockey—at least until this column—was among them. But in that moment, I was certain that 6ppd-quinone was the reason that particular fish was part of the post-game ritual. And that would make hockey a work thing.
