A Grip on Sports: Kraken does something historic and the M’s do something pretty normal these days
A GRIP ON SPORTS • Tuesday was a pretty historic night in the Northwest. No, not because the Mariners’ offense struggled again and they lost at home to the Brewers. It was a bright night thanks to the Kraken, Seattle’s second-year NHL team and first-time postseason participant. Make that first-time postseason winner.
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• We decided to go with the two TV setup, even though the Mariners were playing just another game in a season with 162 of them. But, befitting their status, the Kraken were on the big screen downstairs. The M’s were exiled to the little one in the kitchen. It seemed right.
You know what else seemed right? Seattle winning 3-1 over the defending Stanley Cup champions. After all, the Kraken were the aggressors throughout, beating Colorado to the puck often. But that wasn’t all. Seattle basically beat the Avalanche into submission one hard strike at a time.
Winning in playoff hockey takes fortitude. It takes guts. And, most importantly, it takes a hot goaltender.
Enter one Philipp Grubauer, Mr. Up-And-Down during the regular season. He was up in this one and that’s a big reason why Seattle heads into Thursday’s game two of the series with a 1-0 lead.
The defense made it easy for a while. When it didn’t, Grubauer came through. That’s a good formula. A winning formula, actually.
• When will the M’s find their winning formula? We’re beginning to believe it won’t be the same one as last season. Remember those heady days, when Seattle seemed to win every one-run game? When, if the game went extras, you could go to bed before it was over because you knew – not think or hope or pray, but knew – they would win?
These days aren’t those days.
The bullpen isn’t what it was. It may not be all season. Such are the vagaries of that part of the game. But even more scary is the lineup. Yes, there was an RBI delivered last night by the DH. First of the season. Eighteen games in. Celebrate that. Then there is the black hole that is Kolton Wong. More than 10 percent of the season is done and the new second baseman is hitting less than half the Mendoza line.
Two spots in the lineup that are, basically, recess for the opposing pitchers. And rally killers.
Tuesday night’s 6-5, 11-inning loss featured a mid-game stretch in which the Mariners, once in possession of a 4-3 lead, went 24 consecutive outs without a hit. Oh, sure, there was a couple walks and, in the 10th, a game-tying Ty France sacrifice fly, but no hits. That’s no way to win. And they didn’t.
• Nothing historic happened on the college scene yesterday but there were a couple of notable additions.
Washington State began filling its depleted basketball roster, adding a Division II All-American, Sonoma State transfer Jaylen Wells. Wells is just the type of guard Kyle Smith likes, a slashing scorer who can put the ball into the hoop from all three levels. He’ll have an impact next season.
It’s just the way of the NCAA these days that the Cougars, who had their program poached of their best guard, TJ Bamba, went into the portal and took quite possibly the best lower-division guard on the West Coast.
Similar things have happened in the coaching ranks for decades, but that’s not how Gonzaga filled its open assistant position. Instead, Mark Few brought back to the Northwest a Florida State assistant.
R-Jay Barsh is Tacoma through and through. But his basketball coaching journey took him to Tallahassee last season. Now he’s back in Washington, filling Roger Powell Jr.’s spot on the GU staff.
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WSU: Besides the Wells’ news, covered in-depth by Colton Clark, we also have this story on the baseball team’s 4-2 win at Gonzaga. … Elsewhere in the Pac-12 and the nation in football, The Athletic took a look at the most overlooked conference players in the draft. We find it hard to believe the Seahawks, with their history, won’t take at least one of these players. … A Washington linebacker is excelling after overcoming injuries. … Jayden Grant spent seven years at Oregon State. He’s ready for a chance in the NFL. … Oregon is giving a few defensive players the chance to play tight end. … It’s so different at Colorado right now. The Buffs have shaken up their program. John Canzano takes a look at Deion Sanders’ impact. … There is not nearly as much going on with Utah. … The UCLA defense is trying to lay a foundation built on intensity. … In basketball news, Jon Wilner put together this conference-wide roster churn summary before Well’s decision. Wilner did, however, add a caveat that his thoughts were preliminary and more was to come. … Proof of that? Another Oregon player is headed to the portal. … Washington transfer Cole Bajema is headed to Utah. … Arizona State wants to give coach Bobby Hurley a raise. … On the women’s side, Stanford’s top recruit from last season is headed to UCLA.
Gonzaga: Jim Meehan has much more on Barsh’s hire in this story.
EWU and Idaho: Around the Big Sky, Matt Logie’s hire is exciting the Montana State faithful. As well it should. … The Bobcats lost a quarterback to the portal, as well as a women’s basketball player to Nebraska. … Idaho State is trying to determine who its quarterback will be.
CCS: Our friend Janet Skaife will be inducted into the NWAC Hall of Fame this summer. That news leads off the latest S-R local briefs column.
Preps: We can pass along Dave Nichols’ roundup from Tuesday.
Indians: Dave was in the Tri-Cities and has coverage of Gabriel Hughes’ start. Spokane ended up winning in 10 innings.
Kraken: Seattle started quickly and never really slowed down. … Dave Hakstol tells Kraken fans to enjoy themselves. … The other pro franchises in Seattle have experienced pretty special first runs in the playoffs. Will the Kraken follow suit?
Mariners: The M’s have yet to win an extra-inning game this season. … Robbie Ray is encouraged by his recovery from an arm injury.
Seahawks: The odds seem pretty good Seattle will use its first pick on a defensive lineman.
Sounders: Seattle will have to bounce back from the smack-down delivered by Portland.
Sea Dragons: Seattle defensive end Chris Smith, 31, died Monday, though no details were available.
Running: A handful of local runners finished Monday’s Boston Marathon.
NBA: Yesterday morning we mentioned Draymond Green’s dustup with Domantas Sabonis. The league decided Green was the one to be punished, sitting the Golden State star for a game. Sacramento’s Sabonis will be playing.
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• A change in plans. We will be here Friday after all. Don’t ask. Just realize you don’t get to change your schedule. Until later …