Revelations From Episode Two Of "Road To The Winter Classic"
"I like being busy. I like getting a lot of work. The more action you get, the more settled you feel."
That's Seattle Kraken goalie Joey Daccord, featured in episode two of "Road To The Winter Classic" on TNT and the Max streaming service.
Daccord may want to be careful what he wishes for. On the very same night the show premiered, Daccord was forced to make 20 saves in the 1st period Wednesday against the L.A. Kings. Then again, he saved them all, stopped 42 total on the night, and led the Kraken to a 2-1 victory.
As episode two begins, Daccord is visiting a Christmas village near the Space Needle with his girlfriend of two years, Lexi Dickinson. She reveals that Daccord's shyness when they first met wasn't a reflection of his true personality.
The pair shop for ornaments, but when Dickinson gets a plate of crepes, the goalie doesn't partake. "I wish I could have some. Too much gluten in there for me," he says. "He rarely has 'cheat' days," she explains.
Inside Climate Pledge Arena prior to the Kraken game with the Chicago Blackhawks, we see Daccord in an open area underneath the stands. He's wearing a pair of virtual reality goggles, moving laterally and gesturing with a controller in each hand.
"The virtual reality headset, I've really incorporated it. There's drills where I can pick exactly where I want guys to shoot. Towards the end, I get into 'live' shots, where I don't know where they're going."
"I feel like it's almost cheating a little bit," Daccord says, smiling. "I get to make a bunch of saves before I even go on the ice."
Over footage of the Dec. 14 Kraken-Hawks game, Daccord talks about his position. "The first save of the game, any goalie will tell you, we love a long shot, right into your glove, just to feel good about ourselves."
Kraken skaters score early and often, swamping Chicago 7-1. At the final horn, Kraken teammates surround Daccord to celebrate their second straight win following eight losses.
"Goalie hugs are some of my favorites. I love getting those," says the netminder, this time with an ear-to-ear grin.
