This was a dress rehearsal for everyone. The Kraken entertainment team tried out personnel and material the same way the hockey team tried out personnel and tactics, seeing what worked and what didn't.
The pregame video montage used nautical and hockey images. The catchphrase was "UNLEASH THE POWER," not "RELEASE THE KRAKEN." But soon afterward, PA announcer Sharon Nyree Williams asked the fans, "Spokane, are you ready to release the Kraken?"
Some of the music had Seattle roots. Grubauer led the team onto the ice to "Loyal" by Odesza. A Vancouver penalty prompted "Man in the Box" by Alice in Chains. And then, of course, there was nirvana -- the goal song by Nirvana.
Jonny Greco, senior vice president of game presentation and live entertainment, said before the game that the Kraken would try a couple of goal songs in the preseason before deciding on one for the regular season. We'll see. Was this the obvious choice? Too obvious?
There were some fun items too. SpongeBob Squarepants wrote a note to the fans at one point on the video board, urging them to "MAKE SOME NOISE." How can you root for a team called the Kraken and not love a cartoon character who lives in a pineapple under the sea?
"It was unbelievable, to be honest," Donato said. "For me, coming in here and seeing all the Kraken jerseys and how everything's grown so fast, it's truly awesome to be a part of."