Bart's Hockey Musings

Summer - Still

2009-08-25T21:34:00.000-07:00

Getting tired of all the Shark-bashing, though admittedly, some is most assuredly deserved. But to bitch and moan because the GM hasn't made all the big trades people expected is stupid. Sharks don't have the cap-room to make half the proposed trades. Let's take what we have and move on.

Sharks-a-Swimming

2008-12-04T09:06:00.000-08:00

So, the Sharks have (using new math) tied the ages old Canadians record for points after 25 games. Nice job boys, but as you well realize, it's the games after the end of the regular season that count. Don't get me wrong, I'm very happy to see them doing so well. I thought there would be a bit of a slow start due to the new coaching staff and personnel, but I was wrong. And I too get tired of reading, "just wait until they flame out in the 2nd round again" whenever the Sharks are mentioned on a message board or in an article. All I can say is, come on Sharks, let's get it done this year so we (the fans) and you don't have to hear that stuff* (insert you're favorite perjorative word here).

Sharks Update

2008-11-13T08:21:00.000-08:00

So, the Sharks finally lost one at home. Of course it came in OT, after 57 shots on goal, but Dan Ellis just raised his game up rather high the other night. The Sharks should get used to this type of games from goalies though; the "better" you are perceived to be, the bigger the game for the other team. It will be harder for the Sharks to keep their focus sharp than the underdog that comes to play them. That, I feel, will be their biggest challenge throughout the season.

Nabokov is still out, though Cheechoo should be returning tonight. While I hate to see Nabby injured, and wish him a speedy recovery, if there was ever a time for him to be injured, this would be it: After the Sharks gained a pretty good lead in the Pacific Division, after they played Detroit & Pittsburgh, and before a lot of other big-games come around. It makes the team overcome some adversity and to rally around Boucher (and therefore concentrate on D a bit more). This type of work is what will be needed in the long run if the Sharks hope to a) make the playoffs and b) make it past the 2nd round.

Wild game in Philly

2008-10-23T08:11:00.000-07:00

Wow. That's about all I can say after last night's game. Marleau had some good moments (4 pts) and bad ones (turnovers & a bad penalty). Nabokov could've been better, but in the end came up big in the shootout. Pavelski & Roenick were big money in the shootout and the Sharks walked away with the 2pts and the win. What a crazy, but fun to watch, game.

For all the craziness though, I thought Erhoff, Goc, and Clowe played well last night. Even Semenov, who can scare the bejesus out Sharks fan at times, looked decent. Who would've thunk he'd crash the net and help Setoguchi get the rebound goal. Nice job there. Another positive would be the fact the PP is starting to look better. It would be nice if the PK would improve a bit, but it's still early.

Can't wait to see what happens Friday in Florida. The DVR is already set.

Sharks roll on Marleau's 2 goals

2008-10-15T14:38:00.000-07:00

It is so nice to see Shark Captain Patrick Marleau getting involved in the games - shooting (and scoring), assisting, hitting, penalty killing, etc. His speed is quite evident when he's on the ice and last night that quickness along with Grier's work gave him the second shorthanded Shark's goal of the game. I realize Marleau can be a streaky player, but man, it's just good to see him being the player he's expected to be.

Marcel Goc was back and looked decent in his first regular season game of the year. He didn't seem to be bothered by any back problems and did a pretty good job on the PK, etc. Yes, he and Murray were in the wrong spot on the first goal, but according to others, he was interferred with and couldn't get in position. Regardless, good first game.

Jody Shelley threw his weight around too, getting five hits in the game. Two of them were on the same shift and back to back. That was great to see. It was good to see him being active in the game in the limited minutes and he and Jeremy Roenick gave some energy to the Sharks.

The Sharks seem to be playing 40 good minutes a game now - here's looking forward to seeing closer to 60 minutes of play.

But, even if the Sharks only play 40 minutes of good hockey, it's still way better than the Ducks who are still winless. And it's not even like the Ducks are losing those "close ones." They're just flat out sucking at the game. We'll see what happens tonight, but I'm not holding out much hope.

Thoughts before Game 2

2008-10-11T12:57:00.000-07:00

I managed to talk myself out of spending the $300+ on a new sweater yesterday at the Sharks store. I mean, I do plan on getting one of them eventually (with Nabokov's name), but I really should wait for the third jersey to come out first just to make sure I don't like that one better.

I've been chilling out here in San Jose, spending the last day at my cousins' house, enjoying the noise only two young kids can make (3&6). But I'll be back at the Shark Tank tonight for game 2 against LA. My cousin is going with me which is cool. She's a good Shark fan too, though perhaps not as fanatical as I am.

I'm hoping the Shark-head works tonight, I missed seeing that the other evening. I'm also curious to see if the Sharks have any type of let-down after their big win over Anaheim on opening night. It'll be interesting to see what kind of energy they can bring to this one. I really hope to see them beat up on LA.

I was tempted to go to LA's home opener tomorrow (against SJ), but am already posed to go to Anaheim's. And if the last preseason game against Phoenix was any example, there should be some hard hitting, etc. In short, everything the Ducks forgot to bring with them to San Jose. (Except for Guigere, he brought his "A" game, but not many other Ducks did). The only reason I even considered going to LA's opener was to see their reaction to Blake in the teal. Ahhh, oh well, the DVR is set so I'll get to see what they do later. [Prediction: I hear a lot of boo's in Blake's future].

Ok, it sucks when the two teams you follow most closely are in the same Division, but don't worry, the Sharks will always be number one for me.

First Game a Hit

2008-10-10T10:40:00.000-07:00

What a night. Totally worth the drive up from So Cal to attend the Sharks home opener. The opening was cool, except for the lack of the Sharks head (I guess there was some sort of problem, so it wasn't used). The player introductions got even better when Nabby was introduced and the place got loud. Soon after, the Sharks regular season began.

The first period was so-so, about what I expected to see from a Ducks-Sharks game. What I hadn't expected to see were the great hits tossed out there by Roenick and Thornton. I did expect to see a fight, especially with Parros and May in the Anaheim lineup and Shelley and Murray in for the Sharks. But didn't happen, shocking.

Now the second period, from a Sharks fan's point of view, was great. Nice to see Cheechoo being a pest in front of the crease ala Holmstrom, and then manage to put two in the net. Thanks to the Ducks for not figuring out how not to play. The third period was almost as good as the second, I mean, who could have expected to see Erhoff put one in the back of the twine. And even though Blake didn't get a goal, it wasn't for a lack of trying. I was disappointed that Nabokov did not get the shut-out he deserved. And I would have liked to have seen a Cheechoo hat-trick, but a 4-1 win was still way better than I expected.

So, in the end, 1 down & 81 more to go. Just keep getting better boys.

Note: Who would have thought Toronto would pull off a road win against Detroit? I sure didn't. I'm happy for Toskala and Ron Wilson. I didn't hate Ron, but can see why a change of coaching perspectives can help a team. I wish him well in Toronto.

Bernier also showed some nice grit and scoring touch in Vancouver's game: fighting Phanuef and scoring a goal. Way to go Bernie, my fantasy team appreciates it.

And the season begins

2008-10-08T10:15:00.001-07:00

So, while we wait for the roster to become finalized and the puck to be dropped, some random thoughts on the upcoming season:

I've only seen the Sharks in one pre-season game, but I liked the tempo. I'm hoping to see the improvement a few weeks together in the new system has brought about. (If none is seen, I'm going to be very depressed). Watching the puck move quickly up the ice and seeing bodies planted in front of the goalie made me very happy. I hope it sticks.

Where will Kyle end up? I like the guy and appreciate the time he spent in SJ. It's too bad his knee(s) are so wonky and limit his time. I hope he ends up with a club that will let him play.

How will the new lines work out? Will they stay? After years of the Ron Wilson revolving lines, I'm not sure what I'll do if I'm able to actually recognize lines that stay together throughout a game. (I'm not knocking Wilson's habits there, it's just his philosophy, game plan, what have you). I hope the Michalek - Pavelski - Cheechoo line really is developing some chemistry as I know that has been questioned in the past. If they do, watch out, cause that'll bring two big lines capable of throwing pucks in the net. Also, who ends up on the first line RW? Setoguchi made his case, but we'll see if he can keep up the work ethic he needs.

Wow, only 33 more hours 'til the game. (Sigh)

Start the Season Already

2008-09-02T21:30:00.000-07:00

Ok, Soupy's gone, Blake & Boyle are in; Rivet's out (boo), but Blake bought his home and the kids are already in school. Boyle is due back soon, Vlasic's made some cash, and the boards are getting ridiculous right now.

I soooo can't wait for the season to start. I've got season tickets this year...finally broke down and did it - I'll at least give it a try, but living 400 miles away may make this seem like madness. Oh well.

RUMORS

2008-06-19T18:00:00.000-07:00

Man, I hate rumors like these: Campbell has quit talking, DW shopping his rights all around since last week (how come we don't hear about it until today?); Marleau to Columbus for Zherdev and a 6th, no Brule and a 19th, no, Marleau + Carle for _________. Take your pick. It's getting old. How many more days until July 1st?

Update

2008-05-22T23:52:00.001-07:00

Wow...I obviously got overwhelmed in November and never found my way back. Too bad, I missed a lot of great hockey moments and some disappointing ones. I must say, I think I only missed watching 3 of the Sharks games this year, though many were TIVO'd and watched when I got home.

I made it to about 10 games in SJ, all but 1 in Anaheim, 1 in LA, and 1 in Dallas (last game of the regular season: helped the Dallas NHL staff figure out who was on the ice for the Sharks during warm-ups...that was fun).

I admit I didn't spend a ton of money to make it to the first home game 7 in Sharks history, but I watched it from afar. I was prepared to make it to game 7 in the 2nd round, but alas, that was not to be.

I did watch the IIHF games and followed the Sharks players who made the trip; I was happy to see Nabby help bring home the gold for Russia. (The US was done by then, so what the heck; I do admit, cheering for the Russian team seemed a bit odd for someone raised during the Cold War).

I look forward to seeing what develops with the Sharks over the next few months including the introduction of a new coach and the signing of new and old players.

Recap

2007-11-21T07:39:00.000-08:00

So, 21 games into it, the Sharks are atop the Pacific Division, not saying too much thanks to some less than stellar play by all teams right now. Thornton has been OK, Michalek prior to his injury was looking pretty good, Setoguchi has played well, and Cheechoo and Marleau have been slumping. Nabby's played every game (and looked pretty good). The biggest surprise has been the play of Douglas Murray and his wopping +15 which ties him for the lead within the entire NHL with Ottowa's Chris Phillips. Just freaking amazing. Mr. Murray's play has been very impressive and I'm happy to see the growth in his game.

Another impressive defensman is Sandis Ozolinsh...that save he made against the Ducks the other night, impressive. Sign him up to back up Nabby and put Patzold on the blueline. Ok, just kidding, but really, if you haven't caught that...check it out. I'll try and post the link here later.

Let's get going!

2007-10-04T11:30:00.000-07:00

So, I've watched hockey played in England. Watched a Center Ice Online feed in French. Attended several preseason Ducks games. Read everything I could find about the Sharks and hockey in general. Therefore - it must be time to start the season!

Since the Sharks have been jinxed numerous times already (Thanks Melrose, Cherry, etc.) about winning the cup, let's see what they can bring. Of course this is all just a warm up for the playoffs, cause it doesn't really matter until then (unless of course your team fails to score enough points and starts golfing way earlier than expected).

What I expect to see on the ice: Speed, speed, and more speed.
What I hope to see on the ice: Grit, tenacity, snarl.
What I don't want to see on the ice: Lacksadaisical play, half-assed play, timid play.

So, let's see what team the Sharks bring. No pressure there boys. No pressure on the coach or the captain, or the other players. Nope. None at all. (Ok, maybe I'm lying).

Patty Staying Put

2007-09-03T14:49:00.000-07:00

So, the Captain stays - thank you, I've been saying that all along. Regardless of the last playoff series, Marleau has been a mainstay for the Sharks. A nice two-year extension prior to the end of the existing contract, combined with signings of Thornton and Michalek, make for a nice team for the next several years. Add another D-man or have a youngster step-up (Carle - come on, Vlasic did his bit last year, your turn to do it this year - of course Vlasic cannot regress either) and watch out, the Sharks might make it out of the second round of the playoffs. Now maybe, all those "Trade Marleau" threads on various boards will go away - please!

SharkPack Tickets

2007-08-31T08:08:00.000-07:00

So this year I was going to be a responsible southern California fan and watch most of the SJ home games via Center Ice. I had decided not to renew my SharkPack (10 games) and figured my cousins and I could just purchase tickets to a few home games whenever I could make my way back up north. Well, that worked well for about 1 week - until I saw the e-mail from SVSE reminding me I had a "non-refundable" deposit down on tickets. Needless to say, my cousins and I are not the proud "lessors" of two seats. I did consider buying a season ticket package too, but since I'll be attending most of the (Sharks fans, cover your eyes) Ducks games thanks to my buddy, (Ok, you can open them again) I figured that would just not make any sense. That and I'm still broke from my trip to England. Maybe one of these years after I finish grad school. Oh well.

Long, Hot Summer

2007-08-29T08:56:00.000-07:00

Free Agency:
So, a whole summer waiting. A whole summer reading fan sites calling for the Sharks Management's head because they didn't spend all the way up to the cap to get a big-name d-man. Personally, I think they tried, but didn't get the guys they wanted. And rather spend money on a lesser-quality d-man, just to appease the fans, so far, management has decided to wait. And I'm OK with that. I'd rather they take the wait and see attitude and then do a trade later on in the season, or at least closer to the start of the regular season. Yeah, there are some holes in the Sharks depth chart, but I have confidence that the team will fill them when it makes sense to do so.
Uniforms & Logo:
So, a while summer waiting. A whole summer reading fan sites calling for the Sharks to change back to the original colors & logo because change isn't good. I even read where someone was whining that some of the teams did this purposely for the money. I'm sure that's in there somewhere, but regarding the sweaters, that was league-mandated, at least the change to the rbk system. So, if you're gonna make that change, you might as well make the uni change (if necessary) at the same time. Now admittedly, I don't think the Sharks needed to make a change. I do like the new Shark logo, but the one with the tail could be tweaked to have a real Sharks tail, not the sideways thing they put on it. And I'm not gonna whine about a uniform change before I've seen it. So stay tuned....that could be down the pike here fairly soon.

Very Late Edition: Ducks win the Cup

2007-07-06T00:23:00.000-07:00

Ok, by now everyone knows the Ducks won the 2007 Stanley Cup Finals. (If you were not aware of that fact, what are you doing on a hockey blog anyway?) Now, my Sharks got knocked out in the 2nd round by the nasty Detroit Wings. I prefer them bbq'd, but these were hot wings that took momentum and ran with it...all the way to the WCF where they put up a fight, but couldn't get past those pesky Ducks.

Now yes, I'm a die-hard Sharks fan, but I attended all but one Ducks home playoff game (that really long-one involving some guy named Luongo or something like that?! - school sucks sometimes). Thanks to my die-hard Ducks fan friend, I had a ticket to every game. And friends, the Ducks deserved to win the cup this year, regardless of what people wanted to say. They played hard, they hit hard, they worked as a team. While I wasn't happy to see them become the first team from California to bring home the cup, it was pretty cool to be standing in the building, cheering them on and then participating in the celebration after game 5. (And to those Canadian fans that said we cleared the building within minutes - that was the few Ottowa fans slinking out; we were there for over an hour afterward, and most folks moved down to be closer to the ice).

Next year, I hope to be in San Jose witnessing the cup passing. But it will be one long, hard, road to Stanley.

Sharks 2, Red Wings 1

2007-05-01T14:07:00.000-07:00

Finally, I saw the boys playing with some fire last night. Well, for 1 1/2 periods anyway. Not to say that they haven't played with any fire during the series, but last night it was more than 1-2 guys. Angry Joe re-emerged, and Cheechoo found his way to the front of the net, putting one in. Clowe just plain rocked last night and Goc looked good too...he'll get one in the net soon enough. Grier, well, he just played the same intense game he's been playing throughout the playoffs. And Nabokov, well, he's playing pretty darn good right now.

Round 2, SJ vs. Red Wings

2007-04-25T08:12:00.000-07:00

So. The Preds have been dispatched. The Wings overcame the Flames. And The 'nucks are set to play the Ducks, thanks to their game 7 win over the Stars. Let the 2nd round begin.

Again, San Jose has the distinction of playing in the "most interesting" series offered. You know, the one where it could go either way. Where if you read two different "experts" take on the series, one picks the Sharks, the other the Red Wings, with it all taking 7 games. So, we wait and see who will be right.

I, for the record, pick the Sharks in 6, though it could go to 7. I offer the four lines, each of whom averaged at least 11 mins a game against the Preds. Four lines, any of which can score. The key for the Sharks is to play their game, and not get caught up in the Wings' game. They need to finish their checks and grind out the game, flashing their speed as the situation offers it, preferably around the Hasek's net, drawing those penalties they are so good at taking. Of course, if the refs don't bite, the Sharks need to be prepared to just keep grinding it out and taking it to the net. Throw it toward the net and go for the rebounds. And D, keep playing well in front of Nabokov, who will continue to play for Warren.

Sharks swimming in Nashville

2007-04-20T16:12:00.000-07:00

So, the question is, will the Sharks be able to close out the series tonight in Nashville? They managed to get back to playing their game of hockey in SJ, after that nasty game 2 in Nashville. Game 3 was clearly won by the Sharks who out-hit, out-played, won the majority of the faceoffs, and more importantly, won the goals scored category. Game 4 was a little different, but for the first time in the series, the team that scored first managed to win. Now Barry Melrose has said he believes San Jose led that game throughout, meaning, the Preds didn't dominate at all. Looking at the stats, I believe they won the face-offs, were even in the hits, out-played at times, but again, they were outscored. Nabby kept the Sharks in the game when the Preds were trying to bite, but he didn't give in. The two goals he did let in were great shots. But, I personally can't say the Sharks totally out-played the Preds in that game; they had a hot goalie and lucky bounces that came with creating chances.

If the Sharks plan to win tonight, they have to remember to play their game, not the Preds game. Keep up the good forechecking, hit the little Preds, and put the shots on goal. Grier, you just keep doing what you've been doing...you'll get it in the net sooner or later.

Thoughts on Fans

2007-04-15T17:36:00.000-07:00

So, after two heated games between San Jose and Nashville, I find myself getting annoyed by both sets of fans. Well, those on the bb boards anyway. Some seem to seek intelligent conversation about the games and respect the differences of opinions. Others are complete morons just trying to incite either their own team's fans or the other teams. Either way, they are just plain irritating to read.

While I agree the Sharks need to get back to the physical game they bring when they are playing well, I disagree that they should be out on the ice looking for the big retaliatory hits. Play the game, get the big, legal hits, when the opportunity presents itself, don't take any guff from the other team (e.g., yeah it's the playoffs, but a little face washing and/or pushing shows you still care). Don't let them run the goalie and best of all, convert those 5-on-3 power plays!!!! Forget fancy, I don't mind dirty goals. The Sharks tried a bit the of the retaliatory stuff in Game 2 (no, not the fight), and it didn't work for them - got them off their game. And they only fought when it was clear they could not come back to tie it up or win it in regulation. If they weren't gonna go for a big scrum at the beginning of the game, then I'll settle for the end....adds some more spice to all the other idiocy displayed on the ice.

San Jose vs. Nashville, parts 1 & 2

2007-04-15T17:22:00.000-07:00

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.

Catching Up

2007-04-05T09:45:00.000-07:00

Alright. Been busy, apologize for not writing anything for a looooooooong while. School, life, work, etc. Much has happened though. Sharks went on a great streak, Nabokov stepped up, and now look at where they are at...still have a shot at the division, but need help from Ducks and Stars. But have clinched at least a #6 seed with a chance to move up still.

Last nights game in Anaheim was a good one for Sharks fans. Still some concerns: Nabokov wasn't sharp early on, though got better as the game progressed; D had a few too many turnovers near the net; refs stopped calling until the end of the 3rd; our top two lines couldn't score. On the plus side: Sharks battled back and won the game (though fun to watch, I still hate the shootout); Nabokov got his act together and even made 2nd star on nhl.com; the "checking" line of Clowe-Goc-Bernier really stepped up their game.

Ron Wilson stepped up and asked for the stick check on Selanne - Ducks fans can whine about him winning the game for the Sharks, but hey, better than losing. Ducks could have still won it, just not with a man advantage. Ducks were up 2-0 yet let the lead go and then couldn't put the game away. How is all that Wilson's fault for using a legal request to get a penalty on Selanne and thus negating the 4-3? Get over it, your player got caught cheating...it was not the end of the world.

Nabokov saves for the Sharks; Sharks find some Grit

2007-03-08T07:39:00.000-08:00

It's funny how all the Nabby-bashers on various chatboards have declined to post in a while. After the Calgary game, so many were lamenting the loss of Schaefer and moaning about putting up with Nabby's huge salary, hampering our salary cap, and calling for the quick return of Toskala (name, usually mispelled by many of these same posters, but we'll save that for another rant). However, Nabokov looked pretty good in Anaheim, and posted back-to-back shutouts in Dallas and Minnesota. Since then, mostly all you read about is the lamenting about his huge salary and how he is not worth the huge contract.

Maybe he's not worth the $5 million a year (is anyone really?), and he has not had a stellar season, but he has done pretty well. Playing back-to-back games has brought back some consistency and he has looked much sharper in the net. He looks like he wants to be the playoff goalie this year...and is playing that way. We still have a few weeks, but if Nabokov keeps playing this way, he may have won it.

Finally, it's about time, but the Sharks have finally started to show some grit again. Big Joe Thornton has played with a chip on his shoulder and put a little "nasty" back into his game. The addition of Rivet to the blue line has appeared to clean up a few things and strengthened the play in front of Nabokov (and helped preserve his shutouts). Too bad the Sharks didn't play this way for the past few months...they probably could have overtaken Anaheim for the lead. Alright, I know, injuries hampered us too, but the team is getting back together and is almost intact. Now they just need to get Marleau back to 100% (didn't look like it in Minnesota) so he can play without some of the tentativeness he's shown. The Sharks need him healthy (and all the rest of the players) if they want to even think about going far into the playoffs.

Just my thoughts and opinions.

Guerin & Rivet in, Gorges & Neimenen out

2007-03-01T16:42:00.000-08:00

Well, I certaintly was not surprised when the Sharks traded Gorges to Montreal for a defensman. I think most of us were surprised it was Rivet and not Sourey that came west, but we'll take the help, regardless of the player. (Ok, they have to be able to play fairly well and have some experience). I was surprised to hear that Bill Guerin became a Shark too. Nice!

The Sharks have lost their scoring confidence and the addition of another good forward helps the team out. The fact Guerin has been on a SC winning team helps, as does his experience. Hopefully, with the experience brought to the Sharks by Rivet and Guerin, they can gain confidence and become the offensive threat they were predicted to be early in the season.

Gorges gone, Rivet in.

2007-02-26T00:53:00.000-08:00

Well, all the Gorges-haters on Chompboard will be happy. Josh and a 1st round pick left for Montreal while Craig Rivet and a 2008 5th round draft pick will make their way through immigration to California. Rivet has spent his 12 years in the league with the Canadiens and now finds himself the oldest player on his new team. A major reason the Sharks acquired him. Many believed his teammate, Sourey, would be a Shark, but the names being tossed around for him (Carle, Pavelski, etc.) were not about to be traded by GM Doug Wilson. Hopefully Rivet's leadership will strengthen the D-line and provide the much needed depth on the blueline. While he may not have the stats the Sheldon Souray holds, he does (apparently) have the leadership. What remains to be seen is how far he can help the Sharks go in the playoffs. (Also, will he stay after the season, or is this an expensive rental player?)

Sharks go up in Flames

2007-02-26T00:50:00.000-08:00

I missed the first 10 minutes of the game...came home from dinner to find the Sharks down 2-0. Saw some signs of Shark-life near the end of the period and cheered when they finally made it on the board. But what the heck happened? We scored 4 goals in the 2nd, only to have Calgary score 2 themselves, leaving us tied at the 2nd break. When the 3rd started, I though the Sharks still had a chance. Believe they were still on a powerplay. But a defensive breakdown by Murray put the Flames up by one and they never looked back. The Sharks outplayed them for much of the game, but too many defensive and goalie miscues broke their backs. Nabby, I love ya man, but that was a lousy time to have a bad game. And the D - just showed their youth.

Sharks Win! (Finally)

2007-02-22T08:30:00.000-08:00

Finally, the Sharks won, though they sure didn't make it easy on themselves. I recorded the game since I had to work past the 4 p.m. pst starting time. I got home with less than an hour left on the recording to go, but resisted the urge to watch the last 30 minutes. Finally, I sat down to watch the TSN (Centre Ice) telecast.

The game had a nice flow to it as the commentators continuously remarked upon throughout the broadcast. They had been in Washington for three days so many of the comments were about the Caps and Ovechkin. And, after the Sharks went down by 2 goals in the middle of the 2nd, it seemed like much would be said about the Caps. The breakdown by the D from clearing the puck from our zone allowed those goals, but it seemed they got their act together eventually.

For once, the Sharks gritted it out, helped a lot by the hard-hitting play of Bernier, Murray, and McClaren. Grier got things going when the Caps D helped out by taking out one of their own players, resulting in SJ getting a 3-on-1 opportunity and actually cashing in on it thanks to a great pass from Grier to Rissmiller.

Hannon shutdown Ovechkin for most of the game, not allowing him many scoring or even shooting opportunities. ( I can't recall if he was on the ice when AO finally got a shot on goal in the 3rd). Carle was able to cash in on a 3rd rebound attempt as Cheechoo wacked away at the goalies pads, tying the game up. A later penalty gave the Caps a chance to win the game during a power play but Nabby and the PK did a great job of preventing this.

We went to OT and still, Nabby didn't crack. Unfortunately, neither did Johnson, so to the shoot-out we would go. The only positive was the Caps were 1-7 on the year in shootouts. Of course the Sharks were 0-1 (and sucked last year too). But, Coach Wilson was laughing as he handed the shootout sheet to the refs, giving Clowe, Pavelski, and Cheechoo the opportunity to win the game. Nabby let in the first goal, did a great poke-check on Ovechkin to prevent the 2nd and cut off the corner for to prevent the 3rd attempt (with some assistance by the post). Meanwhile, Clowe missed, but Pavelski and Cheechoo put it in, giving Cheech the gamewinning goal. The team then mobbed Nabby who finally had a shoot-out win.

It was the first time in a long time that I'd seen Hannan play some great defensive hockey. It was the first time in a long time that I saw a Sharks team that didn't give up when they couldn't seem to put a puck past the netminder. It was the first time in a long time that saw a team with some grit put it to use, banging their bodies around on the forecheck and controlling the puck in the offensive zone. There is still work to be done - the TSN commentators mentioned several times about Sharks players yelling at each other in confusion on the bench and the D had some problems figuring out their changes. But hopefully this win, along with the return of some needed players, will help bring this team back together.

Sharks Woes....Hope they end tonight

2007-02-21T16:13:00.000-08:00

Well, the Sharks haven't been able to win lately: 3 losses in a row. The lines have been looking mighty thin thanks to injury and illness. The players on the ice have looked listless at times and I sure haven't seen much hustle (other then Grier). Let's hope tonight the Sharks figure out a way to beat Ovechkin and get the much needed win. I'd hate to see Dallas overtake the Sharks for 2nd in the Pacific Division.

What do the Sharks need to win the Cup?

2007-02-09T11:50:00.000-08:00

So, we're on the final stretch toward the playoffs. I've read a variety of hockey analyst's suggestions for what each team needs to go for the cup. One, on the Globe and Mail, suggests the Sharks don't necessarily have to trade for anything and have great depth. Fans on one boardsight would strongly suggest the Sharks need a veteran D-man to come in and lead the way. What is your opinion or comments?

I think that if the Sharks play the way they did at the beginning of the year, and some players like Cheechoo and Michalek get their scoring touch back, the Sharks will be contenders. I think some veteran defensive presence would be a help, but for all those saying the Sharks D could not keep up this year due to their youth, we're still no 2 in the league for GAA, and that isn't just our goalies keeping us in the game.

I grant you that there have been some major defensive lapses in the game lately, see the Dallas and Ducks games. This definately has to be solved if the Sharks plan to go far in the playoffs. Some of these most likely have to do with the young d-men who are still adjusting to the NHL grind. But even the veterans and the forwards are showing lapses of concentration and judgement. If the team can get their focus back, and keep it, they should go far. If they don't, I don't expect much come playoff time. Just my opinion mind you.

Sharks & Ducks

2007-02-08T15:56:00.000-08:00

Well, Tuesday night the Ducks made their way to Northern California where, in the 2nd period, they quickly set up several scores to go up 6-1. San Jose would eventually score 3 more times to close the gap but the final shorthanded, empty net score by Getzlaf led to the Ducks win over a Sharks team that frankly, didn't deserve it. I was nervous before this game, wondering much like Ron Wilson, how the Sharks last week could go from playing great to just plain "awful" within a 48 hour period. At least I was sitting at a bar in Dana Point, sipping a Guinness to deaden the pain somewhat, while watching the Ducks skate to victory. (And frankly, it was one time I was very happy to have few fellow hockey fans around, as I figure they would most likely be Ducks fans...luckily, I ran into a fellow SJ fan and I was hanging out with a Buffalo fan). I did see a few things during the game that gave me some hope for the future though, especially Cheechoo's 2 goals. However, in my opinion, Toskala did not play well, regardless of the defensive slip-ups.

So, that left my sojourn to the former Pond, now known as "The Honda Center." I was still nervous as both teams made the southern trek for this game, but held out hope for the "good" SJ team to show. I even wore my Marleau sweater and faced the slightly obnoxious Ducks fans. (Most were ok, but the guy who kept saying "Visa" for "Vesa" should figure out which is a credit card). Anyway, sitting in the section directly above the visiting goal for periods 1 & 3, I had a great view of the Cheechoo goal that took over a minute and a half to get posted. That was one I thought I saw but couldn't figure out why the lamp didn't light while play continued on. Oh well, at least it was figured out. Things were continuing to look ok, though the quick up and down led to some scary moments, though at time, exciting play. The nervousness returned when the Ducks killed the 1:55 min 5-3 penalty kill and increased greatly when Selanne scored to tie it up. Then, shortly after, thanks to the recent track record, I held out little hope for the Sharks to win when Thornton, Shawn, not Joe, scored to put the Ducks up by one just 43 seconds or so into the 3rd. I mean, I felt the momentum shift. That goal, to me, was just symptomatic of the defensive problems that have led to the recent slump by the Sharks. Hannan made a careless play and next thing you know, we're down to the top team in the Pacific division. Let me tell you, the young kid and fellow Sharks fan sitting in front of me, and I were pretty deflated at that point. But, the Sharks decided to show a little resiliency and Vlasic made a great shot toward the net that Michalek deflected in to bring us Sharks fans to our feet. Man, what a silence in that arena expect for the pockets of Sharks fans cheering. But, my nerves took another hit when Rissmiller dumped the puck over the glass while clearing it, to give the Ducks the last minute on the power play. Thank God the Tiburones held on, but man, are my nerves shot from that game!

Sharks seeing Stars

2007-02-01T07:59:00.000-08:00

So, I make my way up to San Jose for the game. My cousin and I get our food, our beer, and sit down to enjoy a good game. We watch the Sharks work just hard enough for a 2-0 lead. Think they could hold it? First, a shot goes past Toskala's glove, letting the Stars close within 1. Then, with like 2.2 seconds left, the Sharks couldn't get the damn puck out of the defensive zone and what happens? Dallas scores. The team that "doesn't do overtime," and hadn't in what, 48 games, did. And, after a scoreless overtime period, ends up in the shootout - something our team just plain can't do. Clowe and Pavelski did their part, but Toskala wasn't able to stop one goal and the three Dallas players all scored. Thanks to large parts of lack-luster effort, the Sharks let this game slip away. How disappointing.

Part 2

2007-01-26T16:51:00.000-08:00

Well, let's see how the boys do for the remainder of the season. Plihal was called up today to add a bit of depth to the forward corps and because of the opening created when McClaren went on the IR. We'll see if he makes his NHL debut...Will we still have a goalie rotation? I think we will, at least until one totally disintegrates consistently over several games. (No, Nabby, while not great, did not have total melt-downs...some of it was a team effort). Can we overtake the Ducks for the Pacific Division lead? The poll on the SJSharks website was an overwhelmingly "YES," but the Ducks have some of their players coming back from injury. It should be a great second-half, barring ill-fated things.

PS - I have always rooted against Marty Turco and booed him as necessary at the Tank and at the Pond. However, after listening to him enjoy himself at the ASG and his willingness to talk during the game, I find that I like him. I respect his goaltending ability, though he can feel free to "tank" anytime he plays at the "Tank." He appears to have a good sense of humor (see ASG and his NHL commercial) and is fun to watch....as long as he isn't playing the Sharks...then I'll just have to boo him and heckle him as necessary.

At the Break - Random Musings

2007-01-24T07:35:00.000-08:00

Well, I haven't been able to access this as much as I'd like. Ok, I've been too busy watching hockey and playing WoW. But just when the Sharks started to go on a slide, they got their @#$ kicked by Phoenix. Since then, 7-1. Too bad the All Star break came up but then again, time to get over some of those little nagging injuries.
*Marleu has just been flying lately. He's stepped it up as leader too, evidence by his first fight in 4 years. He seems to score every game and is picking up the points.
*Erhoff had his firs NHL fight a few weeks ago and picked up the Gordie Howe hat-trick. He's been a good threat on the power play.
*Speaking of the PP, oh, my, God....incredible. What, over 50% for several games and still over 26% for the season. Teams know not to make a mistake against the Sharks.
*While there has been a shortage of 5-5 goals, the Sharks have showed, at times, they can manage to accomplish these too.
*Cheechoo is finally starting to hit the back of the net again; hopefully he'll continue to regain his confidence while remembering to work hard and play defense.
*The rookies, Pavelski, Vlasic, and Carle have helped stabilize this team. Ryan Clowe's emergence as a scorer on the line with Thornton and Marleu has been great too.
*Bernier's broken foot bites, but at least the Sharks have depth. Hopefully he'll have the hunger to score and play a hard game when he returns in 6 weeks.
*Nabokov and Toskala have been great, with like a 2.16 gaa. Not bad for a platoon. I'd like to see more consistency from Nabby who's had some rough outings, and it will be interesting to see if the rotation continues.
**Anaheim's Andy McDonald scored a nice goal in the All Star Shoot-out competition last night. Not bad for a last-minute replacement who had to borrow Selanne's gloves and where brand new equipment thanks to his stuff getting lost on the flight from LAX to DAL...I'm guessing it was non-stop, so how do you lose that?
**Anaheim's had a chance to try and recoup from a bunch of injuries to some major players: Pronger, Neidermeyer, Giguere, Beauchemin...let's see how they play once they start to get some of these guys back. Sharks have moved within 4...can they pass them by? We'll have to wait for Part 2 of the Season.

Marleau and Club set Franchise Records

2007-01-05T07:48:00.000-08:00

Congrats to Patrick Marleau for his new points record with the SJ Sharks, as well as the team for its 9 unanswered goals and 6 power-play goals, both franchise records set last night.

Sharks start to rise from the dead

2007-01-05T07:35:00.000-08:00

Wow, what a crazy end to the old year and a great way to start the new year. First, the Sharks lose 2 to Phoenix, the second time in an 8-0 drubbing in front of many of the players' fathers. That resulted in several meetings the following day, a change of lines, and ultimately the send-down of Carle and the Bear to the AHL. The Sharks came out the following day and in an inspired 1st period of hockey, threw their weight around and shot the puck at Turco, chasing him out of the goal. The result, a 4-0 period and Turco having been replaced by Smith in goal. The next two periods were OK, but the Sharks let Dallas score 2, but held on to win the game.

The Sharks returned to San Jose where many, but not all (see Carle & Bear), celebrated the New Year. I was afraid the Sharks would have forgotten the results of all those team meetings last week by the time they played the Red Wings. And, when they started play last night, it appeared I was right. The first shift was great and then it went downhill from there. The Wings quickly took a 3-0 lead and I thought all the shifting around and shake-ups had gone for naught. Nabby was chased from the game again, for team psychological reasons more than his play according to Ron Wilson, and Toskala came in to finish the game.

Boy, was I wrong about the way the game was headed. Josh Georges, whom I've read many malign on several boards, finally scored his first goal in the NHL. The Sharks went into the first intermission down 3-1 instead of shutout. They came out for the second period and Cheechoo and Pavelski showed some good work together, getting Cheech a score to close it within one. Soon after, Ryan Clowe, back after what, 12 games on IR, scored to tie it up and we had a whole new game. In the end, the Sharks scored 9 unanswered goals, chasing the "Dominator" (Hasek) from the game after 8. The Wings scored one with a few minutes left in the 3rd, but this game, after the middle of the second period was a route.

Thanks for making me wrong guys. Great game and great way to show some heart and grit. Now KEEP IT UP!!

Sharks vs. Ducks, Round 3

2006-12-26T07:50:00.000-08:00

Ok California fans, tonight is round 3 of the Sharks, Ducks outings. It will be interesting to see which game the Sharks bring to the rink tonight after the Christmas holiday. Will they be the team that showed up for the games against the Ducks (in SJ, not Anaheim) and the Flames, or the one that showed up for the Ducks (in Anaheim, not SJ) and Dallas? I would like to see a good hard-fought game that, (of course) results in a SJ win. I do not want to see a game where the teams "don't show." That would cheat us all out of what should be a great game.

Sharks show effort in win

2006-12-26T07:46:00.000-08:00

The game against Calgary was a complete 180 from the Dallas game as the Sharks outworked their opponent, winning the face-offs and throwing the hits around. It was good to see Goc and Hannan score too. The defense played well and for all the Gorges naysayers out there, I thought he played a good game. Yes he's small and tends to get knocked around, but he played pretty smart hockey and some good D against the flames. I would like to know what got Cheechoo back into Wilson's doghouse as it appeared to me that he was working pretty hard.

Dallas blanks Sharks

2006-12-22T07:32:00.000-08:00

So, what does a long layoff after a very intense game (Sharks) + a team who had three separate "team-only" meetings after a lackluster loss (Stars) = ??? A loss for the Sharks who never really got it together and a win for a much more inspired Dallas Stars team who were seeking redemption for their less-than-inspired play the night before. It was a painful game to watch for Sharks fans, though I saw a few glimpses of hope in the third. While the Sharks were obviously rested, I didn't see them taking advantage of that fact. Dallas outskated them to get their goals. And I sure didn't see many Sharks laying the hits down on the Stars except for McLaren and a very nice one by Marleau. The intensity just wasn't there and Dallas deserved that win.

General Musings

2006-12-20T11:04:00.000-08:00

So, it's been a while. A lot has happened since my last post, but due to non-hockey related duties, I haven't had time to post. Or rather, been to tired at the end of the day to type stuff up. Since then, I've missed a few games thanks to my work schedule and attended a few. My last game was the exciting to watch Sharks vs. Ducks in San Jose. Other than the slightly inebriated fan sitting two seats down, I had a great time, sitting almost center rink in those expensive seats that I usually look down upon. The crowd emotion was neat and while not quite playoff-intense, was enough to elevate the game above the usual intensity. Of course the fact the Sharks were playing the Ducks who had last slapped them down 5-0, I'm sure had something to do with the atmosphere too. Finally, the Ducks lost in regulation again. Oh well, two down, six to go, followed by (hopefully) a meeting or 7 in the playoffs. But first, we have to finish out this half of the season followed by the next. Let's see what happens. (Good hockey I hope).

Short Update and Musings

2006-11-24T09:07:00.000-08:00

As you can see, I've fallen a bit behind in my postings. Too much travel time between SoCal and NorCal. In between, the Sharks have played some decent games and then, as evidence by their pummeling by the Ducks on the 21st, failed to show up except in body only. They recovered the next night to beat up on the Kings, but boy, did they miss out on an opportunity to show what they could really do. (Note: The Kings played well when they met SJ for the second time in four days, winning that game; the Sharks returned home to play PHI and played a fun-to-watch game (and win) against a not-so-great team).
It's frustrating, but how can you really gripe a lot about their play when you look at the standings and see we are still only 4 points behind Anaheim right now. The Sharks are still one of the top 5 clubs points-wise. Of course, its obvious that some change is needed, even if only mental, because most believe the Sharks can play better than they are. (I agree).

Sharks chew up the Kings

2006-11-11T19:58:00.000-08:00

A bit of a delay, but finally a post. I watched the game the other night on Fox. It was funny to listen to the LA announcers talk about the Sharks doing things the "right" way as opposed to the Kings. I was afraid the Sharks might come out flat, but apparently, even if they did, the play of the Kings was worse. (No offense Kings fans, but they made the Sharks look great). And for once, I did not really notice the refs at all...McGeough and all! Anyway, great to see Marleau's hat trick and Cheechoo's two goals (ok, I was hoping to see him get a hat trick too, but we'll take what we can get). Rissmiller and Michalek looked great too. That was worth not doing some school work.

Sharks take 2 of 3 at home

2006-11-08T09:20:00.000-08:00

Well, the last two games were much more entertaining than the NY game. The Sharks just didn't have it when they played NY and it showed. That was a very disappointing game.

The Pittsburgh game though, wow! I was at the game and it was fun. The Cheechoo misconduct wasn't though - they didn't call anything until they realized Eaton was down for a while. Then changing it to the game misconduct. I understand it was a bad deal for Eaton, but it was not a malicious hit. Oh well. Cheechoo is just not having a good year so far. The rest of the game was fun - quick, big hits, and some scoring. (Well, once we got out of the penalty-filled first period). Toskala played great and the outcome was a win.

I was worried about the Wild, but liked the energy the Sharks brought to the rink last night. Cheechoo had another bad incident resulting in stitches thanks to the errant deflected puck into the head, but came back to make some decent shots on goal. One hit the cross bar - getting closer to the net. Nabokov was sharp when he had to be and made some great saves to preserve the win. Much different outcome than the last game against Minnesota. It was good to see Parker out on the ice again and he almost scored - not bad for an enforcer-type. Clowe also got robbed by Fernandez who had some great saves to keep the game close throughout the night. I was not comfortable until the final buzzer rang out.

Next up - LA Kings. The Sharks better come into LA with the energy they showed last night - they can't afford to let their guard down just because they are playing a losing team.

Sharks finish road trip with 3 wins, 2 losses

2006-10-31T23:54:00.000-08:00

Been a bit busy lately, so haven't posted anything. I did watch all the games during the road trip. The two losses came when the Sharks played with less-than-inspired play; the last two wins came when they decided to play with some grit and take it to the other team. The game tonight in Florida was a prime example. Only Toskala's play kept the Panther's from scoring, while the anemic offense couldn't figure out how to get the puck into the other zone. Florida figured out the goalie first, but finally, after a fight to spark things up and a just-off-the-power-play goal by Jumbo Joe, you could see the life in the Shark team. Man, I was sweating as the minutes ticked down in the 3rd: I didn't want it to go into OT. Thank the hockey gods for the crazy shot by Erhoff that ended up being the winning goal. The Sharks needed to win a dirty won, and the come-from-behind win on the last leg of the long road trip should be a good wake-up call.

It was cool seeing Ron Wilson on the headset talking to the studio in the 2nd period - they were amazed he did that, but seeing his coolness as the team began play was, well, cool. Just my take on things. I will endeavor to keep up a bit better, but seeing as I have to move my Mom down from SJ to Riverside over the next few weeks, please bear with me if I'm tardy.

Wings down the Sharks

2006-10-26T13:47:00.000-07:00

I've got to hand it to Detroit - they outplayed the Sharks during their 2-1 win Wed night. I thought the Shark's were lucky to be up 1-0 when the 1st period ended, the way Detroit was out-shooting them. Nabokov was the only reason the game stayed so close. I left to go to the Duck's game and by the time it started, found out the Shark's had lost. Thanks to DVR I was able to view the game afterwards. Detroit out-hussled and out-played the Sharks, though San Jose was finally able to get some quality scoring chances in the late 3rd period. Detroit played their game plan, while San Jose did not. We can only take so many wake-up calls. I thought Nabby played much better than Saturday, he just didn't have help...the puck was kept in the San Jose zone far too long. Tonight will hopefully be better.

The Duck's game was similar in terms of scoring chances - Edmonton outshot the Ducks (what, 31 to 20), but unlike the San Jose game, they managed to get them by Roloson. It was a fun game to watch, but I had mixed emotions knowing that Anaheim was going to pass the Sharks up in the standings. But, it's still early and I'm sure there will be plenty more changes in the standings throughout the year.

Tosk gets his first Shutout of the Season

2006-10-23T20:27:00.000-07:00

Much better game tonight. Of course, Columbus is now in the midst of a 4-game losing streak, but the Sharks played a much better game. Toskala made some good saves, but more importantly, blanked the Blue Jackets. It was nice to see him finally get his shut-out too...he deserved it.

The power play started off right with two goals. The penalty kill was good too, killing them all off. Marc-Eduard Vlasic got his first NHL point tonight too, with an assist on Marcel Goc's goal. Nice cap to the night for the youngster who learned he is staying up with the big club instead of returning to his junior team this year. I'm sure those who feel the Sharks "D" is too young as it is, will just use this as another reason to explain why San Jose won't make it to the cup finals.

Wild 4 - Sharks 1

2006-10-23T20:19:00.000-07:00

So, I broke down and bought a ticket for Saturday's game. I figured it would be a good one, with the undefeated Wild coming into the Tank. Well, apparently the Wild were ready to avenge their one loss to Anaheim while San Jose was not mentally ready for the challenge. Minnesota controlled the game throughout the 1st and 2nd periods. I didn't see "Shark's Hockey" until the 3rd. By then it was too late.

I was disappointed at the fans who booed Nabby throughout the game, even when he didn't deserve it. Now the last goal, he should have had, but again, the D wasn't up to par and sure didn't help. These fans seemed to have forgotten how well he played when not hurt. Hey, we got to good goalies, I think we should be supporting both. Just my 2 cents.

Sharks (b)eat the Red Wings

2006-10-21T11:18:00.001-07:00

At least the Shark's won. Of course, with 16 power-play opportunities, they better have won. I missed seeing the first two goals, thanks to a delayed flight from So Cal. My 4:45 flight out of Ontario didn't leave until 5:30 p.m. By the time I got my luggage and the shuttle to the rental car place, it was already 7:15 p.m. Add in the clueless customers at the rental car desk, and let's just say, I missed the first 10 minutes of the 1st period. At least one of the reps could relate though (and provide directions so I could find the Shark Tank) as she was supposed to be at the game too, but was forced to work a double shift. I'm not used to getting to the Shark Tank from the airport, so I tend to lose my bearings. Luckily, I could hear the game on the radio so I heard about the first score. I was standing on the steps waiting for a break in play when the second goal scored.

The game looked much like the one in Detroit the night before. Sleek, I don't know if the officiating was any better (or worse), but I'm thinking there had to be something to Detroit's inability to skate through the neutral zone without taking a penalty. I was going to see if the officiating crew followed me up here to San Jose, but just didn't get around to it. We'll see what happens next week in Detroit.

I had a great time at the game, as did my 3-year old cousin. He watched the game, but was really a bit more intersted in the whereabouts of SJ Sharkie. Since he also ice skates, I'm hoping he'll remember his hockey-fan cousin if he ever decides to play hockey. (Hey, let me dream, ok?).

Next up, the Wild. I must say, I appreciate the fact that Anaheim has had the opportunity to beat up both these opponents before they make it up here to the Tank. Oh well, until later.

Annoying Fans, Part I

2006-10-19T08:15:00.000-07:00

Last night I attended the Anaheim-Detroit game. My pal has season tickets, so even though I'm a Shark's fan, I've been going to a lot of Duck's games. I don't even mind rooting for the Ducks, provided they don't pass SJ in the standings! Anyway, like I said, we went to the game, sat in our season seats, and proceeded to listen to the annoying Detroit fan bag on everything that was positive for Anaheim. The entire game. I was trying to figure out how I could throttle him and keep my job, but in the end, I decided he wasn't worth it.

I can appreciate good heckling. I hear a lot of that up in Section 422 in Anaheim, especially toward the visiting goalie and the refs, but Detroit Fan was anything but creative. He was behind the times, constantly referring to the "Disney" team and "Mickey Mouse" even though they no longer own the team, who wouldn't meet Disney's standards of conduct (See Brian Burke's, "We won't apologize for fighting", comments). Then he blames all the goals and "ticky-tack" calls on the refs. But of course, only when they go against his team. Then, near the end of the game, he starts to criticize the banners (or lack thereof) hanging in the rafters at the Pond, er Honda Center. Well of course Detroit has more, they've only been around a lot longer. I appreciate the legacy of the Red Wings, but jeez man, get over the fact you are about to lose a game!

The best part of this whiner's night though: He was so busy arguing with a Duck's fan across the aisle, he totally missed the only Detroit goal of the night. We had to tell him. What an idiot!

Anyway, I'll get back to other annoying fan items throughout the season. (Like the gaseous fan who let's one go in the stands, but that's a whole other story).

Nabby blanks the Stars

2006-10-18T17:02:00.000-07:00

Sweet. That's all I can say about that save with about 4:30 min left in the 3rd period last night. Nabokov somehow made that stacked pad save. Like I've said before, Nabby's my #1 goalie and he showed why I still have faith in him unlike many of the fickle fans in the stands. Get over it people. Right now we have two #1 goaltenders who have been playing well.

Turco looked good last night too (damnit). Luckily the pressure down there gave that great goal by Michalek and Cheechoo's pass to bell was just plain SWEEEET. Defense still has some work to do, as does the forechecking, but hey, it was a "W" now wasn't it.

Sharks douse the Flames

2006-10-10T01:25:00.000-07:00

SJ 4 - Cal 1

I was hoping to see Toskala get a shutout, but alas it wasn't to be tonight. So close. But I guess Calgary had to finally get a powerplay goal after 10 previous tries (and that was just tonight - they were like 0-23 or worse before they finally got that goal). SJ penalty killing looked good, even if some of those calls against were a bit, soft. In my opinion anyway. Glad to see the #2 line get some good scores - I know Cheechoo will get his soon. He's been looking good out there anyway, grabbing pucks and working the boards. Plus the attention paid to him opens up another player. He'll get going soon, hopefully Thursday against Edmonton.

I had to tape the game since I was at the Ducks game. Nice win, 2-0 over St. Louis. Giguere got a nice shutout. The chant "We want McGough" was pretty funny, especially since the fans ridicule him every chance they get. Oh well, so be it. It was fun to be at the game - my first of the regular season for any team.

Nice going Nabby

2006-10-08T01:06:00.000-07:00

Thank goodness for DVR on the cable box. A late night at school led to my sleeping through the first two periods of the game against the Islanders. A much better defensive game tonight than opening night. The team did a good job keeping the Isles from scoring, especially on all the power plays. Vlasic is looking very poised out there for a rookie. I liked the good, physical play by the Sharks tonight too. Seeing Brendan Whitt out there again reminded me how annoying he can be.
I was thrilled to see Nabby get the shutout. I like Tosk a lot too, but Nabokov is one of my favorite players. He was moving well and seeing the ice well. Good athletic play combined with the defense led to this shutout. Hopefully, we'll only see more this year.
I can see how the attention to the Bell-Thornton-Cheechoo line is opening up the opportunities for the Michalek-Marleau-Bernier line; I think as they get/stay hot, more attention will be paid to them, opening up the other line again. What a nice trade off through the season as teams have to decide which line to try and mark.
Finally, I wasn't sure how McSorely would do in the booth for us, but he seemed much more comfortable tonight...not too surprising. His ancedotes and stories add some nice touches. Randy and Marty should be fun to listen too, though I'm still going to miss Drew.
Enough for now.

SJ 5 - CAL 1

2006-10-03T11:52:00.000-07:00

I was hoping for the shutout, but I'll take the "W." My first home game of the season. Well, I did drive up to Fresno too, but that was a little different. Too bad it was preseason, but I'll be back for the Detroit game. It was good to see the Shark's penalty-kill get a good workout. I was impressed when they kept Calgary from getting over the blue-line for over a minute. I was equally impressed by Vlasic's play - he looked pretty darn good and kept up his end of the game.

Good physical game too, with Bernier taking the "W" in the fight column too. What a reaction in the crowd when the Calgary helmet went flying up after the uppercut. The take-down afterward was nice too!

Hopefully this energy will carry over into the regular season and there won't be a drop-off like last year.

New Site

2006-09-29T07:21:00.000-07:00

This site is new, but I will try and cover my "musings" about the games I see this year. I am a Shark's fan, living in So-Cal. Thanks to my friend (and Duck's fan), I'll be seeing most Duck's games. I will be making the trip to SJ at least 8 times to use my 10-pack tickets though...and thanks to cable (sports-indemand) I hope to see many more Shark's games.

Talk at ya soon!
Bartcal