Sharks V Devils

I know, not too creative. I was going to give him horns or something but I decided not to

Today @ NOON. Radio, TV, Interwebs. Noon. Seriously?

It is a blustery, stormy day here in the South Bay. We lost power multiple times throughout the night. Snow (YES SNOW) covers the mountains around us. I'm pretty sure my neighborhood is down a tree or four. I am forced to wonder if this is some sort of large weather driven metaphor for how the game will go against the Devils today.

Even without Brodeur, these guys have been good. They're second best in the east, fourth overall and not to be taken for granted. Considering how the Sharks got manhandled by a very aggressive Buffalo team, this could get downright messy. Much like the streets surrounding my humble abode.

Post Game Recap:

Best way to describe this game:

The weather was a bit of a foreshadowing for this game. A night of wind and rain battering power lines and homes was a metaphor for the penalties and goal downpours that occurred in this game. You knew from the start this was going to be a tough one. The Devils scored 30 seconds into the game. Immediately, your heart dropped. Blake tied it 4 and 1/2 minutes in, and from there it was a back and forth battle.

The second was more controlled than the first, but the Sharks managed to score two and take the lead into the dressing room. At this point you were cautiously hopeful.

The third started and things started to fall apart. I think the Sharks spent half the period in the sin bin. Joe Thornton was in there a bunch. I guess he was tired and needed to sit down, who knows. The Devils capitalized on the Sharks lack of control and scored two goal. Suddenly it's 4-5 Devils up by 1. Then Joe Pa gets a big shorthanded goal to tie it back up at 5-5. It was a thing of beauty. But that feeling of "we can do this" wouldn't last. What looked like a game that was dead set on going to OT (and knowing out luck recently, the shoot out) suddenly went to 6-5 when the Devils went 5-hole on Nabby. Crushing. There was hope, true, but time was ticking down. Things didn't look good.

The Sharks pulled Nabby for an extra guy. It nearly worked. Blake finally got stuff set up and sent one to the net. Just missed. And that was it. You knew it was over then. Sharks lose 6-5 in regulation.

Sad times.

The Anatomy of a Slump

It's the thought that weighs heavy on every Sharks fan's mind. Is this a slump?
This is inevitably followed by other questions:

Is this just a bump in the road? Is this who our team really is? Are we feeding off past disappointments of yesteryear and redirecting them to now? Do we buy into our own hype too much, despite desperately trying to avoid that this year? Are we too sensitive to hat other in the hockey world say, that we often feel that our team has to win all 82 regular season games? I won't mention the ever present post season concerns. Those are well documented and not yet applicable to this situation.

The fact is, in most Sharks seasons, this wouldn't be a slump. In most of the recent Sharks seasons, it's been up and down from the start. This is par for the course. It's mid season, everyone' tired, a bunch of guys have the flu, we have injuries, the team slows down, it happens. February has also usually been a harsh month for the Sharks. That's nothing new.

So here's the question, is it really a slump if you can come back from some terrible play and take the game into OT? The Sharks, despite dropping several games this road trip, have gotten at least a point in all of them. They have battled back from less than stellar play and been able to keep themselves in games that, if you only saw the first, you'd think they had no business staying in. That alone could be considered a victory. The Sharks are often accused to tuning out, sitting back and not playing with heart and grit. They have shown they have heart and grit this season, though it hasn't always resulted in a W. And maybe the high standard set in the beginning of the season are the true root of all our insecurities this season. We didn't want to fall from the top, we didn't want to be seen as human, and now we are.

The hockey season is long and full of glorious highs and heartbreaking bumps in the road. To write it off in February seems suspect. Is this a slump? Maybe, but if it is, it's not the worst we've ever seen and it won't be the last. We knew these days would come, all we can do is wait them out and try to enjoy the ride.

Sharks V Sabres

This east coast game brought to you at 4:30pm by Radio, TV and teh interwebs

In the interest of full disclosure, I don't know much about the Sabres. I know they're the team that got Craig Rivet (CFR!), whom we miss, and made him their captain. I also know that they were the team Steve Bernier went to for Campbell, and they kept him for all of five minutes before sending him off to the Canucks. I watched them face the Pens on a snowy New Years Day for the inaugural Winter Classic. The Sharks last faced the Sabres in 2007, (in a game we'd like to forget), and we don't often see them on the west coast, so it's hard to get to know them.

Obviously something's been up with the Sharks lately. Maybe they have the flu, or maybe it was the bad chowder I suggested last time. I really don't know. What I do know is that they need to points to stay ahead of the ever looming presence of Detroit. That hot breath on your back? That's the Red Wings. (unless you're in a House of Leaves. In which case it's something far, far worse)

Hopefully for those in the Buffalo area this game will provide a welcome distraction from the tragedy of yesterday. Here's to a good game tonight.

---

Clowe and Boyle are likely out with the flu. We'll be seeing some of our friends from woostah get some more minutes tonight according to Mr. Pollack.

Update: They both decided to skate today, after resting all day. We'll see how that goes.

Post First Period:

Why is this a house of leaves?

This period was scarier than a Minotaur following you down a five minute hallway.

Buffalo scored 3 times, twice on the PP. That is some serious pwnage right there.

Icing called on Nabby? This is because it's Friday the thirteenth and we entered bizarro world right? Bizarro will not save you.

Sharks finally get a goal at 18:17 into the period on the PP, but the Sharks go into the locker room down 3-1. I hope some theraflu is waiting for them in there because it looks like they need it.

Post Game:

That game wore me out. The third and OT were nuts. I have no idea what we just witnessed other than it was insane.

I'm not sure I can recap this game in a way that would do it justice. Dan Boyle's goal was amazing, Joe Pa's was as well. Patty had two goals. Seto gave us the lead in the third. I have no idea how it happened, but the Sharks broke out of bizarro world just long enough to make the game 5-4 Sharks between the second and third. It was the most amazing comeback, until they lost it with 3 seconds left to a goal by Pominville. 5-5. Tie game.

There were chances of both sides in OT, but nothing found it's way behind either net minder and to the shoot out we went. Shootouts are so stressful and it didn't help that we all got the sense that "all this had happened before, and all this would happen again." Just like the SO against the Pens, it went down to the wire. Patty did manage a goal, but the Sabres got two at the end, and that was that. It had happened before and it just happened again. We deflated while Buffalo went nuts.

At least we got a good ride and a point out of it.

I'm starting to think the east is full of Cylons...

So say we all.

Sharks V Pens

Today @ 4:30 pm Radio, TV, Interwebs

After yesterday's epic, I'm not even sure where to begin.

We're all looking for Boosh to be in the net tonight for the Sharks. That guy needs a start like nobody's business.

The Pens haven't been doing as well lately, but they are still last season's Eastern Conference champs and they are still dangerous. They have some good weapons on their team. Malkin is insanely good. Crosby is too, MAF is solid in net.

We were at the game when the Pens hit the Tank earlier this year and it was a great game. Playoff atmosphere really early in the season, lots of Pens fans in attendance. I expect it to be equally as energized tonight.

Post Game Recap:

Apparently, the Sharks didn't know where to start either.

Word of the game: Lackadaisical

The Sharks played great in the first, but after that they fell asleep. As Drew Remenda said, they were extremely lackadaisical.

Alright, so I have had dinner and regained some mental fortitude. Let's tackle this beast, shall we?

So as I said above, the Sharks came out roaring. If the game stayed like the first all night, you knew what the outcome would be. The Pens were also firing on all cylinders, and it looked like we could all settle in to what was going to be a great game. Didn't work out like that.

The Pens first goal was a fluke, but those count just as much of solid goals. It went in off Blake (who had a pretty poor night all around, IMO) The goal didn't come until the second period when the Sharks came out looking terrible. Maybe the adrenaline from last night wore off, maybe they had some bad chowder, who knows. Whatever it was the wheels fell off in the second. It was a fairly unremarkable period, aside from the poor play of the Sharks. If I were a Pens fan, I'd have been giddy.

The third continued much the same way as the second, with the Sharks getting up just enough energy to tie thanks to a goal by Joe Pa. But that was about all they had in them. After some chances for both teams in the OT period, it went to the shoot out. Shoot outs have historically not been good for the Sharks in recent years and tonight was no different. It took to the Pen's third shooter, a flu ridden Sid, to get the goal, but he got it and thus ended the Sharks night with a loss.

The Pens deserved the win, they fought harder for it and wanted it more. It was hard to watch the Sharks shrink back into themselves, but that's life as a sports fan.

We'll be back for the next one on Friday.

---

Just a quick thanks to everyone who sent their regards and well wishes to Mina this week. I know she appreciated the good thoughts. She's still sick, but she was released this afternoon. She'll be recovering at home for the next few days.

Sharks V Bruins

Today @ 4pm. Radio, VERSUS, Interwebs

It's here. The game we have been waiting for. I approach this game with a mix of trepidation and excitement. Earlier this season, worry would have been far from my mind, now, the seeds are there, firmly planted by a series of lack luster performances. I know what I fear but I have no idea what to expect. There is only one thing I know for sure...


Tim Thomas is a Cylon.

brought to you by Gray

There's no other way to explain a .932 save percentage. Not to mention his being second in GAA and all those acrobatics he does on the ice. There is no way a mere mortal could preform such feats. He has to be a Cylon.

There's only one man who knows for sure

care of about.com and scifi

And he's not telling.

---

Post Game Recap:

Cylon powers activate! Wait...wrong show...

Apparently Nabby is a Cylon sleeper agent. Someone send him to season 1 Baltar for testing. Perhaps the Tim Thomas we saw was a different Tim Thomas who isn't yet aware of his Cylon nature.

Lucic scored both goals for Boston in the first. How many other people were thinking he'd get a hat trick? Dude was looking crazy good!

There was waaaaaaaaaaaayyyyy too much hype surrounding Joe Thornton for this game. He was traded in 2005. I thought we'd all gotten over/past this. I see that I was wrong.

That said, I'm not unhappy that the NHL promoted the heck out of this match up due to both teams being on top. It's good to see the Sharks get some attention.

I don't mind Versus as much as some folks, (aside from the watering down of stuff during the first to introduce viewers to teams they might not be familiar with), but I did really miss Randy and Drew. I sat through OLN broadcasts which were rough. I can handle Versus.

So most of the first, if you weren't Boston, was kind of blah. Sharks weren't really clicking, Boston was dictating the play and the pace and while Nabby was making saves there were some scary scary moments. Boston was also very psychical. The Sharks didn't seem prepared for that.

The first wasn't all bad though; Blake got a PP goal (I think a Bruin actually had it go in off his body/stick/skate) and the Bruins took the 2-1 lead into the second.

The second was a mixed bag. It started off shaky, and I think the Sharks had a player in the box for the first 10 minutes of it (Not true, but it FELT like it). After spending an eternity killing penalties (including a 5 on 3) the Sharks started to come together and really fight back against Boston. More chances of both sides but nothing went in for the Sharks and the game remained 2-1 Bruins.

The third was a great period, and not just because the Sharks scored 4 goals. could you imagine if the whole game was played by at that level of intensity? Wow.

In contrast to the first, the Sharks really started to control the game in the third. Boston was still as dangerous and tricky as ever, but (from my P.O.V.) it seemed like the Sharks spent more time in the Bruins zone than theirs. It looked like perhaps the Sharks would put up a good fight but go down 2-1 until
the skies opened up a few minutes in and Patty scored. He was followed shortly by Michalek and Joe. There was a review of Joe's goal, because it went in off his skate, but there was no distinct kick (it was doubtful he even knew where the puck was until after it hit his foot) and the goal was allowed to stay. Right before the end of the third "No Goal Grier" broke his empty net curse and scored. He nearly had a goal earlier in the game, so I was happy he got this one.

Both goalies made some amazing saves. Highlight reel material.

Your three stars are: (3) Marleau, (2) Lucic, (1) Clowe (who had three secondary assists)

Since Mina is in the hospital with an angry pancreas, I'll be doing the word and stat of the game.

Word of the game: Cylon Perseverance
The Sharks looked improved but still somewhat listless in the first. They stuck with it though, and stuck to McLellan's overall plan to rally in the third. They could have easily given up, no one (but Sharks fans) would blame them. They were facing the best team in the league after all. But they stuck it out and played their game. For those looking for heart, it was on display tonight.

Stat of the game: 100%
The Sharks killed every penalty successfully. You had better believe that saved them from giving up a huge lead in the second.


Next game is tomorrow @ 4:30. I'll try to be back for it but I'll be at a job fair during the early afternoon, (frakking economy!), so no guarantees. Since we're down one, this may lead to abbreviated coverage of tomorrow's game. Apologies in advance.

Overheard At The Game, Radio Version

Version, edition, I can't decide.
This exchange occurred during the first period of the radio broadcast of the Sharks v Columbus game this past Saturday.

Something to Pass the Time

Here's a nice video to tide you over between games and comics. (h/t to schtimpy27 over at Fear the Fin)