Pre Game:
A group of us met at TCY's fabu house for a pre game party. There was an epic round of Foosball and a lot of general joking around. First clue that one shouldn't play a game TCY has at his house.
Plank gave Mr. K the business for wearing the same jersey after being warned against it. Apparently two away Joe Pa jersey's was a bit of a fashion faux pax.
We all split up and headed to the game around 6:20.
Mina did NOT attended the game with me. Instead I went with another friend of ours, AfroPuff, who we hope will be a contributor here. We cut it close for various reasons, but we made it to our seats in 209 without getting yelled at.
Game:
The crowd's energy was amazing. Whatever you may think about San Jose, the team has a passionate and loud following. It made itself heard last night, I assure you.
Nowhere near as many Ducks fans at this game as there were at game 1. We sat near a guy in a Devils jersey. I wasn't sure he knew what game he was at.
I begin to wonder what constitutes goaltender interference in this series. I'm thinking one has to sit on Nabby for a period before they'll get called for anything.
Much of the game itself is a blur of chanting, “DUCKS SUCK!” followed by the rhythmic blare of a duck call, and the other hypnotic chants that emanate from 209. (many of which are NSFW and therefore NSFOverheard at the Game) There's something about an elimination playoff game that's hard to put into words. It's such a different experience that one really needs to be there to understand it. There's something about spending 60 minutes on the edge of your seat, filled with adrenaline, that makes recording memories difficult. One thing I am sure of is that I booed Pronger as if there was no tomorrow. The rest of the Tank did not disappoint in this regard.
One particular linesman was in the way ALL NIGHT. He also had a spectacular check on Grier at one point. If I remember correctly, he also has an assist on one of the third period Ducks' goals. 209 unleashed their wrath on him more times than I can count.
The Sharks first period goal came on a power play. Try as I might, I can't recall how it went down, but I do remember jumping, cheering, and slapping AfroPuff high five after it. The Tank exploded with that goal. You knew it was going to be a good game at that point.
We went into the first intermission feeling good. The halls felt packed with more people than normal. The Tank seats 17,496, but it felt like 30,000 people were packed in, trying desperately to navigate through the sea of teal that filled the halls.
Some FTF folks met up during the first intermission, but I was not able to make it. The ladies' room line was epic in length despite nearly everyone being Tank veterans who knew the secrets of the back stalls.
The second period is equally as blurry as the first. More chants, more cheers, more jeers, more boos, more goals. Well, one more, and it was for the home team. Just a few minutes in, Seto whipped one past Hiller to send the Tank into a frenzy once again. The rest was a blur until second intermission, when Lurker Shark headed over to our seats and we discussed how good we were feeling about the game. After he said those words, a dark thought cross my mind. A premonition of things to come. I knew we weren't going to win with a shut out, but my certainty of a win, or at least the possibility of one, did not waiver.
The third opened with two quick Anaheim goals, both of which I believer came after some sloppy work from the Sharks, and with the inadvertent help of a linesman. A tense air filled the building. I spent the vast majority of the third clutching my rally towel between two tightly clasped hands that I held at my chin. There was numerous chances for both teams to get that game winner in regulation, but the post denied the Sharks once more, and providence and Nabby denied the Ducks. The horn sounded to end the third. This game was going to OT.
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