‘Twas the night before hockey, when all through Seattle,
Kraken players were stirring, ready for battle.
Torrent jerseys were hung by the lockers with care,
In hopes that a victory soon would be theirs.
Climate Pledge fans were nestled all snug in their seats,
While scoreboard visions of Buoy played on repeat.
And mamma in her ’kerchief, and I in my cap,
Were ready to boo a neutral-zone trap.
When out on the ice arose such a clatter,
Torrent or Kraken, it didn’t much matter.
Away to the glass I flew like a flash,
To see Matty and Hannah stick-handle a pass.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a full-size Zamboni to make the ice clear.
Coaches Lambert and O’Rourke arrived not with presents,
But a promise that players would display netfront presence.
More rapid then eagles their coursers they came,
Spectators whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;
Now Jordan! Now Jaden! Now Jared and Joey!
On Julia! On Jessie! And Jen Buglioni!
To the Red Line! To the Blue Line! Tall teammates and small,
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!
So down to the crease-top the coursers they flew,
Kakko and Kartye, and Cayla Barnes, too.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on P-A,
Our heroes were getting their first power play.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
To see Brandon Montour, with Emily Brown.
Teammates eyes – how they twinkled! Their dimples how merry!
Their cheeks were like roses, their noses like cherries!
Carpenter’s droll little mouth, drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin – that’s Freddy Gaudreau.
Grubauer guarded his net, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself.
A wink from his mask and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.
The crowd sensed delivery of something momentous,
From The Big Cat, The Big Rig, and Mikyla Grant-Mentis.
Shane spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
Lexie filled twine with puck, then turned with a jerk.
A whistle quieted cheers, one the referee blew;
“Your score” he soon cautioned, “is under video review.”
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, the ref said “Good goal.”
But I heard him exclaim, ere skating out of sight,
“Merry Kraken to all, and to all Hilary Knight.”