EL SEGUNDO, CA – Seattle’s first competitive puck was dropped here in Southern California Saturday afternoon at the 2024 Rookie Faceoff. The Kraken prospect team squared off with Colorado’s young players in a matinee game. Seattle’s Julius Miettinen notched the game’s first goal on a powerplay 1:22 into the middle period. Jacob Melanson and David Goyette earned the assists.

Seattle looked to be controlling the pace and offensive possession in the first period, elucidating several aahs and ohs from the Kraken amateur scouts seated inside at a rink-long viewing table. The Kings’ training center is the venue for the weekend, with a crowd populated by the 50 to 70 scouts attached to the seven teams, plus front-office executives of the matching NHL and AHL franchises. Some Kings fans were on hand (the larger fan counts will be at Kings prospects playing evening games) while many seats were occupied, not in action Saturday but sitting down to watch practices.

Colorado received the first power play with three-plus minutes left in the opening frame. The aforementioned forward Melanson and one of the day’s alternate captains were whistled for tripping. Seattle snuffed the powerplay with strong efforts from penalty killers Ville Ottavainen and Caden Price on defense and Goyette, 2023 4^th-round Andrei Loshko and AHL/NHL-tested Logan Morrison, who served as the other alternate captain Saturday in Southern Cal.

Morrison Doubles the Score, Then 2024 Pick Triples

Kraken prospects Shane Wright and Ryan Winterton practiced at rookie camp on Thursday and Friday but didn’t join the traveling party. One reason is Morrison is a natural leader as an undrafted free agent who earned NHL games in his first year as a pro and was an AHL standout.

A great keep-in by defenseman Tyson Jugnauth started the second Kraken goal just under four minutes into the middle frame. Jugnauth’s elite effort sent the puck to 2024 Western Hockey League player of the year Jagger Firkus, who made sure to make good his teammate’s gritty move by sending the puck net-front to Logan Morrison to make it 2-0 Seattle.

Czech-born defenseman Jakub Fibifr (last name pronounced “fib-ah-grrr”) follows a basic hockey position by sending a shot on the goal from the left point when no other pass makes sense. The shot, a bit of a knuckler, beat Colorado goalie Jake Barczenski, who played 31 games for NCAA Michigan last season. Melanson picked up the second primary assist, and 2024 2nd-round Nathan Villeneuve earned an assist, too.

Kokko Stars in Goal

Niklas Kokko, who starred for his Pelicans team in Finland’s top pro league’s playoffs, got the start in goal. The 2022 second-round draft choice turned in a solid game, especially turning away several potential Grade-A chances that could have halved the score in the second period and a scoring chance in the opening period that would have Colorado to an early lead.

Minutes after Morrison upped the margin to two goals, Kokko kept his zero by stopping not one but two point-blank shots by two Colorado running high-motoring in transition to achieve high-danger attempts. Kokko, who will likely play for Coachella Valley this season, notched 23 saves in the first 40 minutes, surrendering just one goal in the 3rd period.

Colorado’s Jake Barczewski held form with Kokko in the scoreless first period, but his day turned sour with three goals in the second period and one more in the final frame, with the aforementioned Loshko notching a goal on another high-quality keep-in, this time by fellow 2024 draftee and defenseman Lukas Dragicevic.

Another high-quality keep-in, this time by 2024 4th-round pick and defenseman Lukas Dragicevic, powered Seattle’s fourth goal. Loshko, solid on the PK, took a pass from 2023 1st-round pick Eduard Sale to make it 4-0. Colorado ruined the shutout with a late goal by forward Jason Polin, who scored in the Avalanche’s Friday loss to Anaheim. Sale then notched his second assist by setting Finnish sensation Jani Nyman for a 5-1 final.

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