Hell of an effort against the 'Hawks :(

Oh, man, where to start?  I think this might have been the most intense regular season game the Sharks have ever played.  That wasn't like a playoff game, it WAS a playoff game.  What we learned:
________________________________________

-  Joe Pavelski has been known to be a gamer and it isnt surprising that he showed up again tonight.

-  Does the scoresheet have Joe Thornton on it?  Didn't think so.  Come on, Joe.  You have to show up too.  Okay, that's not totally fair, he did generate a lot of opportunities or near-misses.  But still, the point remains, get those points in the big games, kid.  I feel like Joe needs a breakthrough moment where he just unleashes the beast in a big game to break through, yet, I know this is a pipe dream because the root of the problem isn't effort.  The problem is that Joe's style of playing along the boards can't work against The Good Teams in the NHL.  Those teams have very strong top-pairings who can shut down the front of the net.  I covered this in a previous post.

-  The fourth line deserves many kudos for being the only line to show up and deliver from 0-63:25.  The pairing of Mitchell and Couture looks good and Shelley was in the right place at the right time and was an able distributor out there.  Who knew Jody could dish from behind the net?  Seriously, that was an extraordinary effort from the fourth line.  I hope Logan Couture realizes he just reserved himself a spot on the playoff roster.

-  The third line showed their importance from the second period through the end with their tenacious forecheck and hard-hitting style along the boards.  There were two or three shifts where the third line handcuffed the Hawks in their own zone, hit them hard in the corners, stole the puck, and created a shooting opportunity.

-  How clutch was our D?  Pretty clapworthy effort tonight from the whole D corps, running half the game undermanned against the fastest and most explosive offense in the NHL.  Combined with the forecheck, they were able to pretty much shut down the Hawks for thirty minutes.  They played smart by  closing space on the faster Hawks after keeping them to the outside as they entered the zone.

- Shut up, Quinneville: That was obviously an interference penalty.  Your entire cycle is predicated on interferences in the corners.  I can't wait until the NHL puts you on blast in the first round for interference penalties and you end up losing a game or four to the Kings/Wings.  I hate this system how the good teams are the ones that skirt the line of interference in the offensive zone.  The "soft interferences" in the zone are obvious penalties and should be called as such.

-  Special MeowClaps to the best Sharks defenseman tonight (prepare yourself, GBF) Kent Huskins.  He was masterful out there and made the most of his limited skills by demonstrating his willingness to leave his feet and take one or two in the ribs for the team.  I like you now, Kent.  Way to earn your keeps, that was a hell of an effort from you tonight.  The guy looked like Bobby Hurley out there, flying on the ice, chest first into the puck, pushing guys, punching guys, doing whatever it took to keep them away from Nabby.

-  Jason Demers will be good in a few years but he is the lesser-ready between him and Leach.  The missed passes, getting abused in the boards and deked out of his shoes all highlight that he's a little above his level defensively.  He will get there, I am sure.  He did show some moxy by hammering some dudes in the second period when we were down by two.

- Once the Sharks started slamming on the Hawks' shoulders and stood them up, they were able to generate  more opportunities and handcuff them in their own zone.  That's how they have to play against teams like Chicago, Vancouver, and Detroit.  TM always talks about how the Sharks feel like they have some need to play fancy when they are playing skilled teams.  The Sharks need to learn this.  I hope tonight was the night.

- In future games against teams like the Hawks, 'Nucks, and Wings, the Sharks should press them with their forwards deep in the other team's zone, then have their D-men pinch back tight to the center of rink to keep the other forwards on the outside of center, putting them in a strong position to deny the zone with speed.  Slowing teams down is the most important thing.

-  Dany Heatley is a playoff player.  I like the slashes and interferences and the hard shots in close.  They all

- I think my neighbors are all aware that I am a Sharks fan, if they weren't before.  My apt sounded like a one man version of section 212.

- And, sadly, the Hawks are the better team right now.

Good for Goc!

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=4864333

The greatest de-facto trade the Sharks and the Predators never pulled off was the Goc for Nichol trade of this past summer.  While in reality it was just a coincidental signing of third/fourth line centers, this virtual swap has worked out very well for both teams.  Both fan-bases are enamored with their new player and both players seem to be having great years for their new team.

So, will the Sharks lock up Nichol long term???  I think they sign him to another one-year deal after the season.

Oh yes, sweet drama.

The Chicago Blackhawks Outed By A Gossip Rag. Love it.

Apparently, these few Hawks went dumb in Vancouver the night before their 5-1 thrashing at the hand of the Canucks.  Nice move, guys.  Enjoy hearing about this the rest of the season.

I love that this is now all over the interwebs.

Huff Post Link: "Patrick Kane Takes a Sexy Limo Ride in Vancouver."

Apparently, it started from here: http://communities.canada.com/theprovince/blogs/kurtenblog/default.aspx

Also, in case you're wondering how these players played the next night?  Combined, they had four shots on goal, were a minus-2, and had zero points.  Although, John Madden did win nine of fifteen face-offs.

Still, I don't know what Twenty Cent is thinking.  This is only going to add to it.  Roasted.

Mike Grier, if only you could dunk on the breakaway or open net, we'd miss you more.

I'll be honest, I clapped pretty loudly and even hollered a little bit when Griersy popped up on the jumbotron midway through the first period.  Although I did boo Craig Rivet, it was only out of my desire to have him on our current team that my boo's rained upon him.

Mike Grier's best year with the Sharks was probably his first year, where he had the least injury problems and was the most impactful on the ice.













As it turns out, Griersy didn't look forward to playing against the Sharks so much.

http://www.mercurynews.com/sharks/ci_14252110?nclick_check=1

It was nice seeing you, Griersy.  Wish you well.

Hockey Players are Normal Like Me and You...that is if you are a 20-something with no job.

The Coyotes Wage a Flip Cup Battle v. G-Town Hoyas

Original Article:
Here's the Original NBC Washington Blog Iteml

At least they won the flip cup challenge, right?

One of the Best Sporting Events of My Life

In my life, I have been to a few World Series games, a World Series blowout, an AFC Championship Game, and a couple Stanley Cup playoff games (all elimination games, one an overtime game).  I've even spent a year working for a professional baseball team and spent many of those games either on the field or in the dugout.  Of all of these experiences, the Sharks game I attended on Saturday night is somewhere in the top five.

I would agree that, regularly, a regular season game somewhere in the middle of the season should not belong on this list.  Yet, somewhere between the excellent seats, my brief conversation with Tom Holy, the Molson's, and the Sharks kicking some ass laid the groundwork for a top-flight sporting experience.  Much props to Randy Goettsch for selling me excellent seats at a very reasonable price and for possibly letting me buy them from him more regularly.

On to quick hits:
-  Jed Ortmeyer stood and delivered like a champ the day after he was the subject of some discussion here on Meows.  His first goal was an instinct play that surprised him when it went in as it did.  A nice instinct play from a hockey lifer.  Extra points for the strong visual post-goal, celebrating on his knees.

-  Greg is not much of a fan of Nabby's but I think even GBF can acknowledge that Nabby has played exceedingly well this season, especially in the past month or so when Nabby has been playing frequently.  TM has said, and I agree, that certain goalies play better when they play more.  RW thought this was true and in 2007 played Nabby to a record 77 starts.  Now, will Nabby tire heading into the playoffs?

-  Patrick Marleau kicks ass and must be retained.  He deserves to be a career-Shark.  The only problem?  With Nabby also being a free agent and a much less likely to return player, the Sharks would risk some locker room discord if they locked up PM to a contract anytime during the season and hadnt even made an offer to Nabby.

Okay, I'm tired and I'm out.  I'll post more youtubes of interest later in the week.