Gameday! Duck Soup, Anyone?

This show gets on the road tonight @ 7pm on CSNCA with your lovely hosts, Randy and Drew. Jamie and Dan will also, as always, be provided us with fantastic radio coverage.
I know there's some issues about the availability of CSNCA (to put it mildly), but hopefully until everyone's providers figure this mess out (TV shouldn't be this hard!) you all will find a place to watch, or at the very least, listen.

I know everyone is still all pissed about Thursday, but to help you move on, Reader Emily created a fantastic video. You should watch it.



Really Post Game Recap:

So I didn't get to see the game, as I was in places I was at last night, while cool, only were showing college ball. From the highlights I saw, it looked like last night's game was good. Like super good. Love it when we beat the Ducks.

Our rooks all get their first points in the same game AND they all come from Ferriero's 1st NHL goal. Awesome!

Patty's shorty was so amazing Mina called to tell me about it. It was a thing of beauty.

ZOMG Joe shot the puck! ZOMGZOMZOMG!

Seto was like "watch this!" and Hiller was like "wha....dammit."

I missed Randy and Drew, and while I only got a bit of them in the highlights, it was really awesome to hear them calling a game again.

Kinda confused (having not see the game) about why Teemu got the 2nd star when Whitney scored the Ducks only goal of the evening. Anyone have a report on his performance?

The team looked faster as a whole, but like I said, I only got to see the highlights, so I'm just guessing based off those and the recaps I read.

Some Additional Thoughts On last Night

As I tweeted not too long ago,I'm really surprised that Patty's two goals got no mention from Teh Todd. He was apparently only pleased by the play of Demers and Ferriero. (Read the print article here WTC update on the game is also up but the page is currently down) I can't figure out how the guy who scores your two goals gets tossed in the poop pile with the rest of the team. Part of me is wondering if it's part of some vast anti Patty conspiracy, but that's going a little too close crazy town. No use in reading into things that I'm not even sure are there.

Also a little surprised that some expected the Sharks to come out of the gate like gangbusters. IIRC, the Sharks have a habit of losing their first games, and did so quite often under RW. It happens. Considering how much the team turned over towards the end of the off season, it will take time for all the new lines and defensive pairings to gel and learn how to communicate with each other. Yes, people were slow and missing assignments all night, but it was clear that no one was sure WHERE they needed to be, and my guess is some of that has to do with the fact that a lot of old familiar players are gone, and the older Sharks have to adjust to the newer players styles. The newer Sharks have to adjust to be Sharks. It will take a few games to shake the bugs out.

It just seems a tad early to start contemplating jumping off the bus.

I think I am going to get very tired of hearing about Heatley not scoring this season. At least until he does. haha

The second line looked good. Gonna love Joe Pa, Patty, Clowe this year. Bringing the awesome to your face!

GAMEDAY!!!!!

This thing kicks off TONIGHT! On Versus @ 7, but if I had to guess I'd say the VS will also be airing the pregame festivities as the Avs honor Joe Sakic for being, well, Joe Sakic. Come for the jersey retirement, stay for the game. It's gonna be good.

Whoooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! Hockey is back, baby! Strap yourselves in folks! It's going to be one helluva ride!

Post Game Recap:

Anderson is a beast!

Our D didn't show up. Don't know where they were but their less skilful, more inefficient clones showed up instead. "You idiots! These are not them! You've captured their stunt doubles!" So true.

Patty was the best looking player in white and teal on the ice tonight? Letters? Letters? Patty don't need no stinking letters!

It was discussed and decided that the Sharks were beaten by Sakic's right testicle, while the left had more valor than the word valor itself. Powerful stuff.

The 1st line needs some time to gel, that is for sure.

Heatley missed a shot that should have gone in with the most terrific whiff of the night. OY!

Did I mention how Anderson is a beast, cos he is.

Nabby didn't play well, but he didn't play badly, either. He had no help from his D and the Avs walked all over his net.

Pretty poor performance overall by the Sharks, BUT , Patty was great, Demers and Ferriero played well in their first NHL game.

I didn't even know Huskins was ON THE ICE until the VS guys mentioned him. Not sure if that's
good, bad, or entire inconsequential.

But despite the loss, hockey is back, and that make me happy.

GO SHARKS! And kick some Duck butt on Saturday!

Blake gets the C and the Crowd Gets Butthurt

Well, ok, maybe I am exaggerating a little but the reactions that I have been witness to have been pretty mixed. It's safe to say that despite the fact the Blake has been a C wearing man before and despite the fact that he definitely fits the role of "veteran", I'd say most Sharks fans didn't see this coming. Boyle was a shoe in, with a lot of people picking Pavelski as another likely candidate.

Blake wasn't my first or even third choice, but whatever. It's not about me, it's about who the team feels can best lead them overtly and argue calls on the ice. It's also about who stepped it up the most at camp. Your winners are Blake, Boyle and Joe.

People are sort of freaked out.

Blake? BLAKE? OMGWHYBLAKEOMGHESSOOLDOMG.

Yeah, ok, so maybe he's only got a season or two left in him. So what? If the locker room is behind him and the staff is behind him, who cares?

But he's not the best player on the ice!

Nope. He's not. He doesn't need to be.

But he didn't earn it!

Well, apparently, he did or else he wouldn't have it.

Mina suggests that Blake my have a great locker room presence we know nothing about. YOU don't have to like the choice, but understand that he was chosen for a reason, even if it seems inexplicable right now.

The reaction to Joe is a mix of "Why did he get the A back?!" and "Why doesn't he have the C?!" Mina and I are both firm believers in the idea that your captain is not necessarily the best man on the ice (see above).

Joe WAS a Captain before, and I think he's the type of guy who does better in a "secondary" leadership roll. The C seemed to hurt him more than it helped, and besides, as Mina said, he can still carry the team even without a fancy letter.It can still be "Joe's team." That based on the way you play and how you are in the locker room, not on a letter.

But why give Joe back the A and not give Patty back the C?

Because quite possibly, somewhere along the lines in discussions we were and never likely will be privy to, it was decided that it wasn't going back to Patty. That's all. He's still a Shark and still a leader even without the letter. That much has even been said publicly and I don't think it's just lip service. Not this year.

Boyle, well, Boyle probably is the luckiest out of the bunch. Since most of us figured he was going to get the C, him getting the A is alright.Though some people are left wonder if this means there will be yet another fight for the C when Blake retires, but I'm going to worry about that when the time comes.

OMG FINALLY: Teal and White Piccies

Welcome to today's edition of OMG FINALLY, a consistent feature on Couch Tarts when Mina FINALLY does something she promised to like forever ago OMG! This time it's making silly comments about the pictures she took at Teal and White forever ago.



Even from the back, Drew and Randy are the best looking announcing crew in hockey.



I don't know what everyone else is thinking. Patty totally has a little captain in him.



If he makes the team, Not Kyle McLaren could be in the running to be a favorite of mine. I love guys with a mouse under their eye in their official photo. See also: Mitchell, Torrey.



It was nice to see Joe having a super fun time. I dig the crazy Jack-Nicolson-in-The-Shining smile.



This was the best Griess looked all night: leaving the ice for a delayed penalty. /rimshot



Staubitz looked particularly pleased at the ovation he got during the intros. Two words: Jordan Tootoo. hee



My favorite part about looking at hockey photos is the awkward expressions on everyone's faces. Doug Murray = GOAL SCORER (and awkward)



MOAR AWKWARD Dandenault style.



MCGINN! I <3 YOU!! If he makes the team, I'm seriously considering a McGinn jersey. How can you not love that face?



Dude! When did Dan Boyle get sooo old. I mean I know some of these guys are young, but srsly.



This one is for you TCY. My favorite thing about Sexsmith is how he leaned against the goal all pimpstyle when the puck was in the other end.



OMG BUTTERFLY GOALIE. LOOK LOOK!! POST TO POST MOVEMENT. Lrn 2 ply Griess!



See look guy, we can have a Holmstrom too. Crashing the net: Staubitz style.



Run Short, Fat, Russian, Run! Don't let the zebra beat you!



Dear god, these kids are so little. I think I saw Not Not Graham Mink in my econ class last week.



AfroPuff, I love you but Joslin is starting to freak me out a little. That unfocused stare is just weird.



LOL Rob Blake looks like Popeye here! *insert old guy joke here*

The rest of the pictures can be found here.

It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

No, I’m not talking about Kwanzaa! I’m talking about the few days before the start of the NHL season. Every year hockey fans’ heart is filled with hope and visions of their team winning the Stanley Cup run through their heads. Despite obvious setbacks, off-season drama, court room struggles, etc. most fans continue to hope and believe. Penguins’ fans hope to win the Cup again and Islanders fans believe that Tavares will save the day and get them the Cup this year. Calgary fans hope that their super-charged defense will get them over the hump and Phoenix fans hope that a new coach will help the team ignore the legal brouhaha and win the Cup.

And then there are Sharks fans (sigh.) My teal brethren. We hope no matter what. We hope that Marleau will prove the nay-sayers wrong. We hope that Thornton will be the monster in the post-season we know he can be. We hope the Heatley drama was really just the Canadian Press and that his douche-ness was exaggerated. We hope that Nabby will find his way (and close his 5-hole.) We hope that Joslin somehow gets AfroPuffs phone number and calls her and asks her out on a date. We hope that Murray keeps getting hat tricks. We hope that the Sharks will make it past the first AND second round and into the finals. We hope that the injury bug stays the hell away from our team this season. We hope that Todd has an amazing second season as the Sharks coach. We hope that Drew, Randy, Dan and Jamie will be awesome (again.) We hope that our mix of veterans + rookies + the massive disappointment of last year = the Stanley Cup.

So much hope. But unfortunately hope does not win hockey games or the Stanley Cup. Don’t get me wrong, having supportive fans definitely helps, but it’s up to our boys in the teal to bring it home. So please boys – even though the Couch Tarts will support you no matter what – we’ve been good (well, at least good enough) girls this year so please bring us the cup…

Trouble in Huskinsville?

As per WTC. Pollak, as always, is the man.

I think of all the summer moves, the (re)signing of Kent Huskins' is one that registered on everyone mind boggle radar. He got 1.7 mil and we haven't even seen the dude play as a Shark. I long ago gave up trying to understand the moves GMs make because, well, to be quite honest they don't seem to follow the same logic I would in their transactions. Now, much of this is because I only have the vaguest idea of what being a GM takes, (Look good in a suit. Tan early and often), whereas Doug Wilson and other GMs actually do this for a living. I suspect their insight into the job is somewhat better than mine.

The hope is that a less than stellar off season does not a bad regular (or post) season make. He was out for awhile and maybe it's just taking him some time to get back into the wing of things. Maybe he's still tentative and doesn't want to risk re-injuring himself this early. Maybe it's a combo of that and not quite being comfortable with the Sharks system yet. This is what I tell myself, anyway, because good or bad, he's here and all I can do is hope he works out.


Working the Corners provides us with more insight into the Huskinsville saga. It's not so much a saga as a slightly interesting conversation one wouldn't mind over hearing at lunch.