Recapping An Epic Game 5. Part the Third

Part the first here
Part the second here

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Nothing can really accurately describe last night, save maybe a video camera. I have to leave a bunch of stuff out because I'm a) fairly certain Plank doesn't remember most of it and b) much of it was NSFW.

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We all rolled in to TCY's high on victory (don't you love the smell of that in the evening?) and proceeded to celebrate with a few drinks and some rounds of foosball. Plank got pwned yet again. The games were epic in both skill and comedic value. At one point Plank decided the best way to combat being down a few goals was to speak in gibberish. Next time he decided to try out a British accent. Perkins and TCY were inadvertently hilarious. Workthecycle had mad skillz and helped a slightly handicapped TCY take the W home.

After this, and a few more celebratory libations in TCY's kitchen, it was decided that we should play Rock Band. Sadly, the disk was booched, so we instead settled for Plank and one of his friends putting on ACDC and rocking out. There was air guitar, there was air drums, there was rock band fake guitar to make the original air guitar more awesome, there was Plank busting out on the Rock Band drums, and then there was Plank dancing.

It was the type of dancing only too many beers and a Sharks playoff win can provoke. It was strange convulsion filled with spastic gyrations and rapid, unpredictable movements accompanied by singing. We all expressed the desire for a video camera, but alas, there were none to be found.

One of Planks friend's brought two ladies back from a bar with him. I never did get their names but they seemed incredibly uncomfortable in a strange house filled with strange Sharks fans. I could tell it wasn't their scene. One departed rather soon after arriving, but the other was forced to endure the drunken rantings of Plank and TCY and co before finally departing in haste with Corey. It's the first and ONLY time I have I ever seen a girl go and wash he hands after shaking someone else's. In her defense Plank shook her hand for about a minute and she was pretty put off by that. I don't think he realized he was doing it, honestly. Watching this all through sober eyes, it was very hard not to giggle at the absurdity or it all.

After most of Plank's friends rolled out, and Ang and Workthecycle had left for a train and a bar, the remaining members of the party settled into the kitchen/breakfast nook area for what turned out to be a very heated discussion, mostly between Plank and TCY, about the Sharks, the players, game 5, and the series in general. Plank wouldn't let TCY talk, which was frustrating him to no end, and the two kept flip flopping their arguments, unable to recall what stance they'd taken just moments before.

Speaking of unable to recall things, despite asking more times than I could count, I don't think Plank ever caught the score of the Blackhawks/Flames game. We told him, but he never did seem to remember.

There was much discussion about which players Plank had a man crush on and to what lengths he'd be willing to go to prove it. We tried to find out who was on his “anti list” so to speak, but we only got one name out of him before the conversation was once again thrown off course by his wandering mind. That player was Parros.

It was at this point that Plank said something that temporary threw everyone off, and then caused us all to burst out laughing. It's NSFW and he doesn't remember it, so I'm not repeating it here. Needless to say, it was classic.

We discovered the yearbook said Ehrhoff was born in 92, or something else equally incorrect, and spent much time pondering the ages and accomplishments of the players versus our own. This discussions were constantly interrupted by TCY and Plank arguing over some minute point. Their arguments were hilarious. None were entirely serious, just loud, drunken, and funny.
I learned to never play dominoes with TCY, ever. But watching him school everyone was quite fun. Watching Plank try to do math while 3 sheets to the wind was also fun.

At several points Plank drunk dialed K, who made the mistake of answering. He was given crap for skipping out on the party, and then the conversation dissolved into an argument between him and TCY, who hung up on K. Plank was very remorseful about this, and called K back. When he eventually reached him again, the conversation ended far more amicably.

The rest of the evening was Plank, TCY, and several other folks arguing about the Sharks some more. AfroPuff and I could only guess what it would have been like in this house after a loss.

She and I left around 2, but the party went till about 4, with Plank dominating TCY in what I hear was an epic round of NHL 09.

That is about the long and short of it. As I said before, I had to leave a lot of details out, but the party was truly epic and I would gladly hang out with folks again. Thanks for letting teh interwebs into your house, TCY. Hope we didn't destroy it too badly.

Recapping An Epic Game 5. Part the Second

Part the 1st found here

Part the Second. In Which We Enter OT.

There's an instant when the clock starts to count down the third period intermission when your brain suddenly realizes that there isn't a five minute break leading two 4 on 4, followed by a shoot out. No, this is playoff hockey. You could be here for 5 minutes, of 5 more hours. There was some discussion between us and the folks in our row over how long we'd stay. How many OT periods could we ride out? Everyone had watched all 4 OTs of game 6 against Dallas, and it was the consensus that if we go do it then, we could do it now. The Tanks didn't clear out. It stayed packed as the minutes ticked down to the start of OT. A few people trickled out here and there, but most folks stayed. This was potentially the last game of the season; we wanted to be there to witness it.

I don't know how it happened. I saw the play develop, I've seen pictures of it since, but if you were to ask me what happened I would just tell you that the lights flashed, the horn sounded, and AfroPuff and I turned to each other and stared stunned for a moment before we went nuts and started jumping up and down hugging each other and cheering. I didn't know at the time why there was some discussion over the validity of the goal, and I didn't care. All I knew is that it was in, the replay showed the ref calling it on the ice, and we were going to game 6. The Sharks apparently had the same opinion as they headed off the ice long before the Ducks did, leaving only Grier to settle business with the Zebras.

If you've never left the Tank after a playoff win, picture a seas of people flooding out onto the streets after a concert, only they're all cheering, chanting and waving towels. The blue coats smiled as we all pours out chanting “DUCKS SUCK!*clapclap*DUCKS SUCK...” The celebration exploded out onto West Santa Clara and folks headed towards the various off site lots. There's a freeway overpass not too far down from the Tank and tradition dictates that you get as loud as you can cheering after a playoff win when you cross beneath it. Cars honked in shared celebration, towels spun wildly, and everyone was in a good mood. AfroPuff and I escaped the garage and made our way back to TCY's house for an after game party.

Recapping An Epic Game 5. Part the First

There's a lot to cover from last night, so this will likely be one of those TL;DR posts. I'll mark the sections so you can read about the game and scroll past the other stuff if you feel so inclined.

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.