San Jose vs. Nashville, parts 1 & 2

So, two playoff games down. Two SJ players injured too, though it looks like both won't miss any games. Cheechoo really should not have played Friday night. He looked tentative on his bad leg and it was obvious his skating, something he's really not know for, was not close to par. I thought he had trouble stopping and turning, but he started to look better in the 3rd - after he gained some confidence with that bum leg. I don't like Hartnell's hit - didn't like it when I saw it the first time, still don't like it now, but there's not much one can do now about it. At least he got a game misconduct.

Now the second game was much worse than the first. Not just because the Sharks lost (they didn't play well enough to deserve the win), but because of the junk all over the ice. Radulov's hit on Bernier was intentional. At least the NHL agreed on that one and have him one game to sit. Even if one believes he did not intend to hurt Bernier to the extent that he did, he skated around some players to get to him before leveling him against the boards. And Trotz is on drugs if he thinks Bernier saw that hit coming.

Between Cheechoo's hit and Bernier's hit, the remaining players lost their game. They started to play Nashville's game. I'm not a coach and don't pretend to have ever played hockey, but from a fans point of view: a big legal hit or two near the beginning of the game, followed up by scoring on the power-plays and/or 5-on-5, would have gone a long way to shoving off the Preds.

To those Nashville fans who thought two Sharks went after Hartnell at the end, Clowe went for him, clearly asking for a fight, but Hartnell, knowing he'd get another misconduct and thus suspension, declined by skating backwards away from Clowe who had grabbed on to his arm. Grier was behind them and got nearby, but, if I recall correctly, really didn't get into it with Hartnell until after Tootoo had come over and began wailing on Clowe who only let go of Hartnell when it was clear he wouldn't fight him and Tootoo was punching like a mad man. I've got to give Tootoo credit, he knew Hartnell's predicament and bailed out his teammate. That said, I still don't like him.