Sharks vs. Wings...

[.m2]

Nice game one.

The Shark Tank is without question the loudest arena in the NHL.


Sharks / San Francisco Bay Area 1

Wings/ Detoilet 0


Bring on game two.

[MuchoBulls]

The Shark Tank is without question the loudest arena in the NHL.

No, it isn't

[Screw_Michigan]

Yeah, no shit. What is the capacity there? 18? Bell Center in Montreal gets 21.

[MuchoBulls]

The Bell Centre was my first thought. Went there when it was know as The Keg (Molson Centre) and the the place was rocking.

[Screw_Michigan]

The Bell Centre was my first thought. Went there when it was know as The Keg (Molson Centre) and the the place was rocking.

They talk about the Verizon Center being loud (and it does), but hearing the Bell Center in Game 6 after the Habs went up 2-0 was SO FUCKING LOUD through the TV. I couldn't imagine being there in person.

The United Center gets pretty loud, too. When I heard the crowd drown out the national anthem at the game I was at in 97, I was blown away. I bet last year's Western Conference Final Game 3 was pretty incredible.

[Shoalzie]

Oh look...it's an actual Sharks fan!


I'm a glass half-full guy from last night...the Wings were the better team outside of that 3-goal barrage. In fact, I sat there after it was 3-0 and thought to myself, they can still get back in it...it was too early to panic. Pavelski was excellent...a carry over from his great play from the Colorado series. He's the guy I worry about right now on their side.

Each team had a built-in excuse...Marleau didn't play for the Sharks and the Wings had a quick turnaround for the start of the series. The early part of the game looked like a team with fresh legs going against a team that played a Game 7 just 48 hours prior. With the extra day of rest, I expect the Wings to be much sharper from the start in Game 2 and I'd expect them to get the split.

(Wings in 6)

[ucantdoitdoggieSTyle2]

I hear the Sharks are wearing Chainmail +2 under their uniforms, so I like their chances.



Sin,
RenFaire2

[.m2]

Oh look...it's an actual Sharks fan!

(Wings in 6)

I think the wings will take the series as well.


In game one the Sharks played with an intensity seldom seen in the regular season. They were flying and hitting all over the place.

Oh well, its 4-3 Sharks in game 2 with 1 minute to go.



edit: 2-0 Sharks !!!


Great game... I thought the Wings had that one.

[Shoalzie]

Too many penalties and an untimely broken stick made the difference tonight. It's been a little while since the Wings have been down 0-2 in a series but at least they go home for the next two.

Fuckin' Pavelski! :brad:

[.m2]

Too many penalties

Some of those penalties were extremely questionable...

The thing that scares me right now is how well Detroit is controlling the puck. Some of their passes have been just awesome.

[Shoalzie]

You just can't get yourself into too many 3-on-5 disadvantages like they have in the first two games. They survived for one round but the Sharks have better finishers. They were talking about it last night...it's been the secondary scoring that has carried them. It's not like the Thornton/Heatley/Marleau trio has lead the way offensively. The series is far from over...all the Sharks did was hold serve. Given the recent track records of both teams, I wouldn't give up on the Wings nor would I start printing up conference finals tickets in NoCal.

[Screw_Michigan]

Why is Brad Stuart even dressing? God he sucks.

[Goober McTuber]

Fuckin' Pavelski! :brad:

Former Badger.

[.m2]

Fuckin' Pavelski! :brad:

No more "Little Joe", "The Big Pavelski" is starting to get a lot of attention from the Red Wings, as they try to get him out of his game. As the attention shifts to his line, the reunited big 3 will have to step up to the plate!!!

[Shoalzie]

Why is Brad Stuart even dressing? God he sucks.

He's been the Wings the best defenseman all season...try catching a few more games before tossing around blanket statements on dudes. He's been steady with Kronwall out most of the season, Lidstrom beginning to show his age and Rafalski being hot and cold and dealing with some nagging injuries. If anything, Lilja and Ericsson are the defensemen that kill this team.

The Sharks have another stigma to shake tonight and that is playing well in the Joe during the playoffs. Outside of the first series where they stunned the Wings in Game 7 on that goal by Jamie Baker...the Wings have been able to defend home ice against them. I feel quite confident this series can be evened up in Hockeytown.

[Screw_Michigan]

My bad. He didn't look to hot in Game 1 and against the Yotes.

[Shoalzie]

My bad. He didn't look to hot in Game 1 and against the Yotes.

It's all good...

He makes several great plays in a game but some of his mistakes are fatal. He was one of the goats last year in the Cup Finals. The guy hasn't lived up to his 3rd overall pick status but he's developed into a pretty steady guy as the Wings' #4 defenseman. He's a very unheralded player when he surrounded by the likes of Lidstrom and Rafalski.

[Shoalzie]

It's been a little while since the Wings have been down 0-2 in a series...

This is the first time since Babcock took over as coach. The last time was '02-03 when they were swept by the Ducks following the '01-02 championship...Dave Lewis' first season.

[.m2]

Unreal !!!

3-3.... with 2:56 to go in the Joe !!!

[.m2]

Wow... nice 3rd period by SJ to come back from down 3-1 to force OT w/ a 3-3 at the end of regulation.

Go Sharks!!!!!

And again, Nabby had a pretty bad save % early on, but he made a few huge saves in the 3rd.

[.m2]

Fuck yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sharks 3-0 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Detroit's.... own


The Stranglehold

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Pssst....

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[Shoalzie]

What sucks about that loss was that the Wings played their best game of the series and still found a way to lose.

I won't complain about the overturned goal from Zetterberg...I knew the call was going to get reversed after seeing the first replay. The Wings got a break with the penalty shot opportunity but failed to convert. They kept Pavelski off the board and killed off each Sharks power play opportunity...both things they had to do.

In the end, blowing the 3-1 lead in the third and the poorly defended 2-on-1 in the overtime will stick out. They did a lot of things right but it wasn't good enough. I'm not giving up but the Sharks took the Wings best shot and hung on. Maybe this is the year they break through. Things went their way last night.

[MuchoBulls]

Out of curiousity, when was the last time mtool posted in the hockey forum before he started this thread

[Shoalzie]

Out of curiousity, when was the last time mtool posted in the hockey forum before he started this thread

I think this is his first time here. I'll be honest, I don't mind the banter coming from the opposing team.

I miss the old Smack Chat days when WingFan and AvFan would have some good back and forth. Where have you gone Podge, storm, WAR_FORSBERG, etc?

[MuchoBulls]

Nope. Just watching mtool pull the same shit in here that he does in other forums.

[Shoalzie]

Not tonight, NoCals...the Mule is on the loose!

[.m2]

I just got in 20 minutes ago and turned on the game... it was 6-0. What the... !!!

Then turned it to the Giants game... and it was 6-0 Giants. Whew.

Then back to the Sharks and saw them get a goal with a 5-3. 6-1 Wings.

Then back to the Giants game and the Marlins lined a single to make it 6-1 Giants.


I'm seeing a trend.


By the way, was it as bad as it looks ?

[Shoalzie]

By the way, was it as bad as it looks ?

The Wings were up 4-0 after 11 minutes...Franzen had a natural hat trick in 3 minutes. It's the ultimate performance by a desperate team. Game 5 will be key for the Sharks because I don't think they'll want to come back to Detroit again.

The only black eye for the Wings was Brad Stuart getting knocked out of the game with an apparent knee/thigh injury after taking a Rob Blake ass check.

[.m2]

Johan Franzen 4
San Jose 1...

There goes the sweep....

Sharks better not mess this one up.

[.m2]

The first two periods have been outstanding all around hockey.

Good offensive movement on both sides, the D is limiting opportunities and sweeping away second chances, the goalies are making big saves, and the crowd is bringing it.

Awesome.


1-1 going into the third.

[.m2]

The Shark Tank

I never thought that the Sharks would dump the Avs and Red Wings in the same playoffs...





......bring on the Western Conference Finals....

[.m2]

It seems Sholize is consoling his sister in a Michigan way at the moment.

We'll have to see how long it takes him to make his sister happy.

[Shoalzie]

And you wonder why no one here likes you...

Another narrow defeat. 4 losses by one goal. 4 losses decided in the third period or overtime.

When it's that close it comes down to the little things...winning faceoffs, converting mistakes and taking advantage of some good fortune. Both goals involved those three things. The first goal was a well-executed faceoff win leading the puck being worked at the point allowing a shot on goal and with two defensemen still standing on the glove side of Howard, no one was there to engage Thornton and he had an easy scoring chance and he buried it. On the second goal...Murray clearly hit Franzen away from the play and he should've been called for interference. The puck goes the other way on an odd man rush and thankfully nothing came of it. However, with Howard having to cover that puck and the ensuing draw in the Wings' end...Rafalski makes a fatal mistake on the attempted breakout play by leaving it for no one and leaving every Red Wing out of position and with precision passing, the puck found Marleau's stick and the puck found the back of the net.

Considering the Sharks fail so often in the playoffs, I suppose it's a reason celebrate. I've experienced 4 championships since '97 but I've also experienced disappointment. This team always regroups and comes back hungry. Enjoy your series win but I wouldn't want to run into the Blackhawks, who are 60 minutes away from another trip to the Western finals. That team was thoroughly beaten last year by the Wings in that same round and I can't see them failing again. They're a younger version of Detroit. The Sharks beat a very battle-tested but battle-worn team by a narrow margin. A younger and more hungry team should be able to overtake them.

[Goober McTuber]

Nice post, Shoalzie. And when San Jose falls to Chicago, the extra-chromosomed oned will disappear from the hockey forum until the next time a Cali team wins a playoff series.