RECAP: Kraken drop four of five, M’s prep for spring training and WNBA free agency
IAN BIVONA | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 1 year, 9 months AGO
The Seattle Kraken got back in the win column with a 4-3 victory over Philadelphia on Tuesday, but have dropped four of the past five games since the NHL’s All-Star break.
AP PHOTO/DERIK HAMILTON
After winning the 2022 WNBA title with the Las Vegas Aces, forward Theresa Plaisance, a nine-year veteran, signed with the Seattle Storm last week.
Ian Bivona serves as the Columbia Basin Herald’s sports reporter and is a graduate of Auburn University in Auburn, Alabama. He enjoys the behind-the-scenes stories that lead up to the wins and losses of the various sports teams in the Basin. Football is his favorite sport, though he likes them all, and his favorite team is the Jets. He lives in Soap Lake with his cat, Honey. | February 15, 2023 5:15 PM
SEATTLE – The Seattle Kraken wrapped up their East Coast road trip with a loss on Tuesday night, the Storm added another forward and the Seattle Mariners begin spring training on Thursday. Check out this week’s professional sports recap for an update on the three squads.
Kraken
The Seattle Kraken began a five-game road trip across the East Coast with a 4-0 loss to the New York Islanders last week and followed that up with back-to-back losses to both the New Jersey Devils and the New York Rangers.
Against New Jersey, Seattle defenseman Adam Larsson scored his fifth goal of the season just over four minutes into the first period, but the Devils scored the equalizer 24 seconds later to tie the game at one. New Jersey added another goal on a power play midway through the third period to take the lead, and scored again on an empty netter to down Seattle 3-1.
Goaltending was a problem for Seattle in its 6-3 loss to the New York Rangers on Friday, allowing three goals in the first 15 minutes of action before New York added another early in the second period to take a 4-0 lead. Kraken right wing Oliver Bjorkstrand scored in the second period to get Seattle on the board, with left wings Jared McCann and Brandon Tanev scoring in the third period to cut the Ranger lead to 5-3. New York added an empty netter in the final three minutes to hand Seattle its third-consecutive loss following the NHL’s All-Star break.
Seattle managed to get back in the win column with a 4-3 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday. After a Philadelphia goal on a power play just over two minutes into the game, Seattle right wings Jordan Eberle and Eeli Tolvanen scored to give the Kraken the lead. The Flyers tied the game at two in the second period, but two goals within a nearly two-minute span of game time by center Jaden Schwartz gave the Kraken the lead for good, ending their brief losing streak.
The Kraken took on the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday night, falling 3-2 in a shootout loss. Winnipeg’s Blake Wheeler gave the Jets a 1-0 lead in the second period, later answered by back-to-back Seattle goals by center John Hayden and McCann in the second period. The Jets managed to even the game at two midway through the third period, later winning in shootouts.
Despite earning a point, the loss dropped Seattle to 30-18-6 and into third place of the Pacific Division.
Up this week for the Kraken are back-to-back home games against Philadelphia and Detroit on Thursday and Sunday, followed by a road game against San Jose on Monday.
Storm
The Seattle Storm continued their free agency period with the signing of six-foot-five forward Theresa Plaisance, formerly of the 2022 WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces. Plaisance averages 4.5 points and 3.0 rebounds per game since joining the league in 2014, when she was a third-round pick by the Tulsa Shock.
Mariners
Pitchers and catchers report to spring training on Thursday, with position players reporting on Tuesday, Feb. 21. Spring training games begin for Seattle on Feb. 24 against San Diego.
