A Grip on Sports: The Kraken’s win wasn’t the biggest upset in the NHL playoffs Sunday though it was around these parts

A GRIP ON SPORTS • We weren’t strong enough. Folded under the pressure. Couldn’t sit and watch the final minutes of the Kraken’s 2-1 win in the deciding game of their playoff series at Colorado. Or we’re we just doing a service to the superstitious followers in the Northwest?

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• We are one of those people. The superstitious folk who sort-of believe what they do at home can impact a game a thousand miles away. We understand it is coincidence. We sit down to watch and Colorado scores the tying goal. Get up, leave the room in anger and, magically, the goal is overturned.

Yes, coincidence. But we don’t want to be blamed by the hockey fans in the house for a game seven failure, so we banish ourselves to the office, where we keep track of the happenings in Denver from even more afar than we should be.

As the clock ticks down on the ESPN app’s play-by-play, we listen to the moans and groans coming from downstairs, all the while hoping for a celebratory explosion of sound, not the half-expected profanities after the defending champs tie it up.

Neither come. Though time seems to stand still, it does move. And ends. At least on the app. After a last 5 minutes that seems to take a year, the word final suddenly appears. Out of nowhere.

Sort of like Seattle’s hockey team.

It wasn’t too many years ago we were covering the machinations of a new Sodo arena in the city. The fight over a spot to build a new home for the reincarnation of the Sonics. A losing battle. But a clash that seemed to get the powers-that-be in the city to move forward with a much-needed Key Arena remodel. The hoped-for place for an NBA franchise, either through expansion or … no, we don’t believe Oklahoma City will ever return the green team.

Anyhow, pouring millions upon millions into a building has to be founded on more than hope. It has to include a tenant. Hockey. NHL hockey. An NHL expansion team. The Kraken.

A honeymoon year with little success. A second year of progress. Enough to make the postseason. But a daunting task. Defending Stanley Cup champion Colorado. You know, the former team of Kraken goalie Philipp Grubauer. Ya, the same guy who danced around the ice Sunday night, stopping 33 of 34 shots and basically willing Seattle into the second round. In Denver’s Ball Arena. In front of thousands of folks who may or may not have been sad to see him go.

Ironic, huh?

We would like to say fitting. Being a postseason goalie in hockey is, for all but a handful of all-time greats, one of the most up-and-down jobs in professional sports. A magical run to the Stanley Cup, with unbelievable save after save, can be followed by years of early exits and inexplicable soft goals. And then another run.

Grubauer has been incredible at times with the Capitals, the Avalanche and in Seattle. But he’s also been meh, at best. It’s part of most-every goalie’s resume.

Last night, when he needed to be something well above meh, he was. And the Kraken have their first postseason series win.

Maybe we’ll be allowed in the TV room for the next one.

• That next one starts Tuesday night in Dallas. The Stars finished second – a point behind Colorado – in the Central Division and eliminated the Wild in six games.  

The teams played three times in the regular season, all in a 10-day span in March. The first two were in Seattle, with Dallas winning 4-3 in overtime and 5-2 two nights later. The Kraken returned the favor, taking a 5-4 overtime decision in Dallas a week later on Adam Larsson’s breakaway backhander.

Grubauer played just the first of those three, due to rest and an illness.

But, as we’ve said all along, the playoffs are different. Winning on the road is hard – unless, maybe, your sweater says Seattle on the front. Three wins in the first round proved that.

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WSU: Around the Pac-12 and the nation, not many conference players were drafted. But that means, as Jon Wilner points out in the Mercury News, most of the football talent will be back next season. That includes quite a few players in Pullman. … The amount of change in Colorado is staggering. And still happening. … Stanford won three football games last year. It had five players drafted. … Washington won a lot more and had no players drafted. Advantage, Huskies.

Gonzaga: We knew this was coming. Not the destination, but McKayla Williams leaving the Bulldogs after she entered the transfer portal. She will play at California next season. … The baseball team swept Pacific over the weekend.

Indians: Spokane’s weather is heating up and so is the Indians’ offense. Dave Nichols was at Avista on Sunday for their 15-8 win over Everett and the split of the six-game Northwest League series.

Bloomsday: The tradition returns Sunday, with the registration numbers rising a bit thus far over last year. Kip Hill has an update of what’s in store for runners and spectators.

Kraken: The 2-1 win came with some anxious moments, including on the ice. The Avalanche exerted unrelenting pressure late, but Grubauer wouldn’t let the puck in. … The win lets Seattle – and its players – continue to enjoy – if that’s the right word – playoff hockey. … There were lamentations in Denver, as Colorado’s dynasty ended with one Cup.

Mariners: We watched the top of the first yesterday. Saw Taylor Trammell hit a grand slam – after the plate umpire helped the M’s load the bases by blowing a couple strike-three calls. Then laughed. Turned to the other person watching, mentioned the recent 1-0 games and said, “what do you bet this one ends up 11-8?” He passed. He should have wagered, as the M’s had to rally to win 10-8 in 10 innings. Thanks Cal Raleigh, Toronto killer.

Seahawks: How does Washington Post columnist Jerry Brewer view the Russell Wilson deal now that the drafting is done. “It looks like one of the greatest heists in recent NFL history,” he writes. … Just where do the draft picks fit in this season? That’s one of our questions. … The haul was met with praise. Though some, like Jim Moore, have a wait-and-see attitude.

Storm: Training camp opened. We’re surprised the players weren’t wearing name tags.

NBA: We usually skip the playoffs until the finals. But Steph Curry’s performance last night in Sacramento was too good to ignore. Fifty points? Wow.

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• Another heads up. We will be on vacation soon. A family trip. Headed to a magical place. And, as part of the agreement with the aforementioned family, we are actually taking our first extended hiatus from this space in a dozen years. Starting Thursday, we will not be writing in the morning for nearly 10 days. We don’t anticipate posting a column from May 4 through May 12. Only a huge news event – Pete Carroll retiring, Mark Few entering the transfer portal, the Mariners trading for Mike Trout – will get us here. Until later …