Last Chance: Die Hard Sharks Hoodie Contest!

This is you last chance to enter the contest for a Sharks hoodie and tee sponsored by our friends at Die Hard Co. Just follow the directions in the widget below. Winner announced on Friday!

CONTEST: Die Hard Sharks Hoodie!

Our friends over at Die Hard Co. are so excited about the end of the NHL lockout, they are giving away a Sharks hoodie and a tee!

The contest is simple. All you need to do is follow the directions in the little widget below to enter. You can also get bonus entries from liking Die Hard Co. and The San Jose Blog on Facebook, following our Twitter feeds, etc. It's a neat little app and we will very likely be using it for future contests as well.

Good luck everyone! The contest runs until next Thursday morning. Winner announced on Friday the 18th.

Breaking: NHL Lockout is Over, Sharks Season is Coming After All!

More info to come soon from our Sharks fanatic, Jarrod!

Source: The Merc

Three Major Updates (for the Sharks-related posts)

Hello, Sharks fans – what a long time it has been! Although my absence has been extensive and my return way overdue, I feel that this update should be quite significant (which I think it is!).

As some of you have already noticed, I have been providing updates to the Sharks games on Twitter since the Sharks took on the Washington Capitals on January 7th. This is one significant update of three that I plan to make as I make the transition to giving you, the fans, more action-packed posts.

Here are the three major updates I plan to implement in the coming days:

1) Video updates by ME.
• That’s right – I just purchased an HD camera that will soon be the tool I use to provide the fans with my personal updates and takes on the Sharks.
• If possible, will include video highlight reels to complement the video presentation.
• Updates will likely be performed on a weekly basis, although my work schedule may change the course of events (I audit for a Big 4, so this can be very true factor).

2) Live updates to every Sharks game on Twitter (@TheSanJoseBlog).
• All goals, power plays (and penalty kills), significant events, and “end of period updates” will be contributed.
• Important updates from the official Sharks twitter will be re-tweeted.
• Team updates everyone should know about will be posted or re-tweeted.
• I will also be available to reply to Sharks-related tweets sent to @TheSanJoseBlog.

3) A New Sharks statistics spreadsheet (in progress)
• All of you interested in stats of all kinds (goals, assists, penalties, hits, blocked shots, takeaways, face-offs, shots, and more) and can open Excel documents (.xlsx) on your computer – this is for you.
• This is also for those who are sick and tired of trying to interpret the multiple PDF document pages of stats for each game, typically presented in an incomprehensible format.
• Includes significant career stats for active Sharks players and all stat types for each player for the current season.
• Once completed, the document will be free to download.

Hopefully I can deliver on all three major updates in the days to come to provide you, the fans, with a clear picture of the performance of our Sharks. As far as the video updates are concerned, I will be interested in creating an intro to the videos, but that may come with time.

Hope all is well and GO SHARKS!

Sharks Return From Road Trip For Six Game Home Stretch

The Sharks return home after putting up a successful and dominant display of skill during their six game road trip in the east coast. While the Sharks left home with a disappointing 1-3-0 record, they returned with a more favorable 6-4-0, winning five of their six away games. While the Sharks’ impressive road trip may have concluded with an unfortunate loss to the New York Rangers, their five game win streak proved their capability of being the top team in the NHL. Even the best teams have less than remarkable games and lose, and the loss to the Rangers was no exception.

Despite being away from the loud and supportive HP Pavilion crowd for six games, the Sharks return home to Silicon Valley for another six – this time with the support of the Sharks’ well-known exuberant crowd. This time, the fans should be able to see a more experienced team; a team that has ironed out their beginning season woes.

To successfully win hockey games, especially on the road, it requires the effort of the entire team to push themselves ahead of their opponents. No doubt the Sharks were hungrier and played a more intelligent game than they teams they played on their victorious road trip games. As the NHL already encompasses the most elite players, the difference between good teams and great teams relies entirely on strategy and finding crafty ways to score. Although an entire team is responsible for their on-ice victories, there were indeed several notable players who stood out that much more and must be recognized.

Joe Pavelski undoubtedly rises to the top, as he was far and away the most successful Sharks player on the road trip, notching eleven points, placing his total firmly on top of the team with thirteen total points so far in the season. It is clear his placement on the first line with Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau is clicking quite well.

In addition, captain Joe Thornton has not failed to disappoint, scoring two goals in the Detroit Red Wings game and contributing helpers in each of the Sharks’ away games, with the exception of the game against the New York Islanders. Logan Couture added a few goals as well, and the ex-Minnesota Wild duo of Martin Havlat and Brent Burns have proven to be terrific assets to the team.

While the first road trip game against the New Jersey Devils was won in a shootout, the other winning contests were more decisive; three out of the five wins were two goal victories, each capped with empty net goals to bring each respective game to their conclusion.

The Sharks may have looked extremely sloppy when they played the New York Rangers, however fans alike should be hopeful they will come back to display the chemistry they demonstrated during the first five games of their road trip.

Tonight, the Sharks begin their home stretch with a game against the Eastern Conference’s Pittsburgh Penguins. The Sharks have statistically done well versus the Penguins (with their last win in San Jose occurring in 1997), although the Penguins should not be taken lightly, especially with their currently impressive 8-3-2 record.

Let’s hope history works in the Sharks’ favor again tonight by starting off the comfortable home stretch with two points!

GO SHARKS!

Weekly Sharks Update: Welcome to the New Season!

Hello, Sharks fans!

As this is my first post of the San Jose Sharks’ 2011-2012 season, welcome to another exciting season of Sharks hockey! For those of you new to my Sharks posts here on The San Jose Blog, during prior seasons, I routinely posted relevant updates (with much more frequent post-game updates during the playoffs). Starting this season, I plan to post updates once per week to provide my Sharks game analysis and to shine light on notable updates to the team and organization. In the near future, I plan to provide video updates for those of you who wish to watch updates provided in that format.

As for my hockey “experience,” besides being a Sharks fan since their inaugural 1991-1992 season, I played in the Magnitogorsk Metallurg hockey development program as a kid (where Evgeni Malkin played), before moving to play D1 hockey in high school, before briefly playing in the WHL (Seattle Thunderbirds). Eventually, I decided to attend Santa Clara University to earn Accounting and English degrees, and am currently limited to playing an “offensive defenseman” role for adult “beer league” play on the weekends.

(Now that I have provided my new introduction, let us jump right into the season!)

As of today, the Sharks stand at 3 (wins) - 3 (losses) - 0 (OT losses), after winning their last two road games against the New Jersey Devils and Boston Bruins, respectively, to improve their once abysmal 1-3-0 record for the season’s start. During the off-season, the Sharks made a tremendous amount of adjustments, with the purpose of building a team capable of winning the Stanley Cup. Sharks fans are already accustomed to watching a team continually qualifying for the playoffs. While repeated post-season eligibility is good sign, a city with no prior Stanley Cup victories (like San Jose) leaves the fans hungry for more. The fans want to see a winning team. Even though the Sharks have yet to play in a Stanley Cup Final series, appearing there is just going to be another step in the momentum that is bringing the elusive hardware to San Jose for the first time ever.

To assist the Sharks with doing this, General Manager Doug Wilson made several notable changes. During the last two seasons, the fans clamored for “more defense,” and while this issue had partially been addressed during last season (with Ian White, who has since been signed to the Detroit Red Wings), drastic line changed were implemented, in addition to the acquisition of veteran Colin White, and the major trade to acquire defenseman Brent Burns from the Minnesota Wild for fan favorite right winger Devin Setoguchi. The trade came as a shock to most fans, as less than a day prior to the trade, Setoguchi agreed to a three year extension with the Sharks. Burns has already proved to be a real asset so far with his fantastic puck handling, strong defense, and putting up good scoring numbers. From Burns’ days in Minnesota, he was highly regarded for his off-ice activity and charitable contributions as well.

In another move, the Sharks sent Dany Heatley to the Minnesota Wild for Martin Havlat. Havlat had put up similar numbers to Heatley last season and has historically had stellar playoff production, as opposed to Heatley, who many fans saw as underachieving in the post-season (tallying only five goals in the last three post-seasons combined). In addition, it is noted Heatley would have provided a $2.5 million greater salary cap hit per season.

Along with the Burns and Havlat acquisitions, the Sharks acquired Michal Handzus from the Los Angeles Kings, the same player who had been a perennial thorn in the Sharks’ side during the regular season and Western Conference Quarterfinals against the Kings last season. Doug Wilson surely did not forget Handzus from last season.

So far this season, the Sharks have made known their ability to control and shoot the puck, evidenced by their “shot on goal” count (especially in comparison to their opponents), and their shot on goal tally can be even higher if the Sharks can keep many of their non-deflected shots from flying high and wide of the net. Although any high level hockey player can express the importance of shooting the puck at the net, the NHL (as expected) requires shots with greater accuracy and velocity. A dominant shot on net tally, however, can prove to show how well the opposing goaltender is playing. Shots need to be put in the back of the net.

If we can look at it this way, which shots are more effective? Are they the shots from the point (the area near the blue line, where the defenders stand), or the shots up close? Either way, each shot counts as one shot on net, but it is clear the more devastating shots are the ones that are up close.

Shots up close are what made the Anaheim Ducks so deadly when they played the Sharks on Tuesday, the 18th. Veteran forward Teemu Selanne tallied two goals that night (in addition to several shots on net) using the same strategy: by sneaking behind the Sharks’ defense to be in position for his shots. Although getting set up for more lethal scoring opportunities is easier said than done (especially from my “fan’s perspective”), some teams can very effectively clear out the goalie’s crease and slot to keep other players from sneaking in for a point blank shot on net.

If the Sharks can effectively deliver more accurate shots and clear the front of their net, they will prove to be a dominant force this season. The Sharks must execute more accurate shots, not counting the extremely common shot deflections that occur and bouncing/rolling pucks (that are unpredictable for every level of hockey player). I understand that, in most cases, players are attempting to pick corners and ovoid other players when blasting the puck at the net, however that means the players must be quicker at releasing the puck from each of their sticks, and handling/shooting a puck not bouncing around must be on the mark. There are no excuses.

The Sharks have real potential this season, and as I have mentioned before, a playoff entry is all I care about, as far as the regular season goes (besides the Sharks winning at home when I am in attendance for the excitement factor). As for the post season, our weaknesses must be ironed out. If the last year’s Boston Bruins squad can win the Cup, so can the Sharks.

Let us cheer on our team this year – loud and proud! GO SHARKS!

Sharks Lose Game 5 and Series in Second OT

All Sharks fans alike watched in disbelief. While many in San Jose had likely been gearing up for Game 6, either looking on Craigslist to find the first available tickets for sale or looking contently at their already obtained stubs, the Vancouver Canucks tied the game with only ten seconds left in the third period to send the game into overtime. (This, of course, being made possible by a controversial icing call that tipped off of a Canucks player and should have been waved off.)

The Sharks, then with a perfect 5-0 overtime record in the 2010-2011 playoff season, looked to have the edge, even as the overtime period began as the Sharks dominated with puck control and putting massive pressure on the Canucks’ defensive line, especially their goaltender Roberto Luongo.

Unfortunately, even with the Sharks’ offensive effort, a weird bounce during the second overtime gave the Canucks’ defenseman Kevin Bieksa a grand opportunity to take a slapshot from the point, which he did – the shot careening past a stunned Antti Niemi for the game and series win, pushing his team to the Stanley Cup Finals, where they are to face either the Boston Bruins or the Tampa Bay Lightning from the Eastern Conference.

Even though the result was unsatisfactory, the Sharks arguably played a very strong series against a very hot team. In an unusual series of events, the Sharks entered the series as the underdogs, having been seeded lower than the Canucks in the regular season. While I can point out the Sharks’ difficulties of getting players well positioned to get quality shots on net and positioning the defense to watch for open members of the opposing team in the defensive zone, the Sharks undoubtedly worked extremely hard in their forechecking, puck possession, and takeaways (most of the time while applying a physical style of play).

I want to congratulate the Sharks for a wonderful season, and hopefully they may regroup, train hard, and give us fans a heck of a 2011-2012 season, and hopefully a successful post season push.

As for now, we fans must continue our hardened and enthusiastic support for our great local team: the San Jose Sharks!

Onward to next season. Get some rest, boys. You will need it!

GO SHARKS!

As the Sharks advance to the Western Conference Finals...

It is now set. The Sharks have advanced to the Western Conference Finals, where they will play the Vancouver Canucks. In a rare sense of events, the Sharks will actually be playing a higher seeded team (as the Canucks' first place seed in the regular season and Presidents' Trophy victory is higher than the Sharks' second place finish). As such, the Canucks will gain home ice advantage, and the first two games of the series will be played in Vancouver.

What does this mean for the Sharks? As far as the playoffs have gone so far, we much evaluate the performance of both teams:

In round one,
The Sharks faced the Kings and beat them in six games. One of the victories included an epic comeback from a deficit of four goals to win in overtime. Although the Kings were without their star player Anze Kopitar (due to a fractured ankle), their goaltender Jonathan Quick was a very potent force, keeping the Kings within striking distance despite the significantly greater number of shots released by the Sharks.

The Canucks faced the Blackhawks and beat them in seven games. To start the series, the Canucks clinched the first three games, but allowed the defending Stanley Cup champion Blackhawks to come back and force a Game 7. When the final game went to overtime, the Canucks barely managed to win with a goal by forward Alexandre Burrows. To note, the Blackhawks did not have nearly the firepower they had last year, missing such impact players as Andrew Ladd, Dustin Byfuglien, Antti Niemi, and Ben Eager.

In round two,
The Sharks faced the Red Wings and beat them in seven games. During the series, Red Wings clearly showed themselves to be a reckoning force with their amazing talent, although the Sharks' youth perhaps allowed them to push through and win. While the Sharks won the first two games of the series, the Red Wings orchestrated a comeback to force a Game 7. With the San Jose crowd loud and supportive of their home team during the seventh game of the series, the Sharks narrowly won to advance.

The Canucks faced the Predators and beat them in six games. Although the PRedators have had a very impressive run during the regular reason and during the playoffs with the likes of Shea Weber, Mike Fisher, and their goaltender Pekka Rinne, the heavily offensive Canucks managed to win. Despite being the favorites to win, the Canucks did show a bit of weakness, as their defenses were not what they used to be.

So now, we have the Sharks and the Canucks: the Sharks being a relatively well balanced team with phenomenal puck control, and the Canucks being a much more offensive based team.

How will the two match up?
It is heavily argued that despite posting a 1-2-1 record agains the Canucks in the regular season, the Sharks have become a much better team, and with a victory over the Red Wings, that enough is proof the Canucks may need to fear the Sharks come Sunday. Additionally, the path the Sharks took to the Conference finals may have been more difficult. The Kings out-performed the Blackhawks in regular season play, and the Red Wings...well, are the same dominant Red Wings that have won the Stanley Cup four times since 1997. I also know plenty of Vancouver natives who are very nervous about their home team playing the Sharks.

If the Sharks manage to beat the Canucks, they will face the winner from the East, and will have home ice advantage.

As fans, let's push our Sharks to victory! This is our year!

GO SHARKS!

***

An additional note: Since blogger.com was out for the entirety of last Thursday (when the Sharks faced the Red Wings in Game 7), I never got to post the following, so I will do so now, for those who are interested.

One game, two outcomes.

The Sharks can either go in there, do their best, emulate the skills from practice, and put up a tough front in a losing effort, or they can unleash their fury by entering the game with a dominant force, owning the game, and putting away the pesky Red Wings once and for all!

As Sharks fans, we all know what our team is capable of. We have seen it all so far in the post season: our perfect overtime win record, our ability to overcome large deficits, Benn Ferriero’s overtime goal in Game 1 versus the Red Wings on his birthday, Ryane Clowe and Devin Setoguchi’s clutch goals, Douglas Murray’s thundering hits, Joe Thornton’s great playmaking and vision in the zone, Scott Nichol’s hard hitting work ethic, Dan Boyle’s amazing puck control, Jason Demers’ toughness, Joe Pavelski’s drive, Ian White’s puck skills, Logan Couture’s battles and scoring, and Antti Niemi’s amazing saves. We have seen this!

This is a team that is ready to win. The last three games do not matter; they’re worthless. What matters is tonight. Already, I can hear the San Jose crowd cheering, echoing support across the HP Pavilion, heard by everyone throughout downtown San Jose. Tonight, we strike. Tonight, we win!

The support is here, the momentum is here, and it is time to, once and for all, utilize everything that has been held back: the hunger, the drive, and the dominance.

I am tired of hearing from both Sharks “fans” and Red Wings fans alike how the Sharks have lost their touch. They’re all pathetic. It is time to cast aside the rage and fury held back. They must be unleashed tonight, in quite possibly the most important post-season game in San Jose!

We have done this before against the Red Wings, and we will do it again.

This is our game! This is our night! Time to win!

GO SHARKS!

How was Game 1 against the Red Wings?

You tell us, Sharks fans.

An adrenaline-pumped Shark Tank was ready to roll. From the onset, the Sharks played well, although a sneaky goal by Red Wing defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom in the first period kept the score 1-0 for the majority of the game. Until the third period, the Sharks were able to keep the Red Wings from scoring again, but had not been able to score themselves.

The Sharks peppered Red Wings goaltender Jimmy Howard with shots, as evidenced by the Sharks' shot tally of 46, compared to the Red Wings' 25. Unfortunately, without much screening the goalie and without having players open in good positions in front of the net, the Sharks were unable to score. Fortunes changed when the Sharks' own Joe "Pavs" Pavelski tapped in a Joe Thornton shot to tie the game on a third period power play.

Until the very end, the crowd was going wild, with intermittent cheers and jeering directed at Red Wings goaltender Jimmy Howard (mostly in retaliation for his sucker punch on Joe Pavelski earlier in the game). It only escalated from there as the eventual OT goal by birthday boy Benn Ferriero sealed the Sharks' victory.

The Sharks now lead the series 1-0.

Round Two Begins Tonight!

That's right, Sharks fans, a repeat of last year's second round of the playoffs: the San Jose Sharks versus the Detroit Red Wings! As it had been last year, this will not be an easy road for the Sharks. Although the Sharks, as expected, beat the Los Angeles Kings in the Western Conference quarterfinals, it took six games to do it. (Granted, the Kings had the hot Jonathan Quick in net to impede their progress.)

The Red Wings, on the other hand, dispatched the Phoenix Coyotes in four straight games, ending their first series of games rather quickly and setting a tone they hope to continue during their nineteenth consecutive playoff run.

In the past, the Sharks have proven to be formidable Red Wing slayers, especially in the most clutch of situations. Judging by the way coach Todd McLellan has been playing his team, the Sharks are more than ready to take on the Red Wings yet again to make their way to the Conference Finals. It was evident in the Sharks' series versus the Kings that the Sharks continued their high puck control in the offensive zone and shot output, but lacked in effective shot percentages for essential goals. In the Sharks' 3-1 loss in Game 5, they managed to get 52 shots on net, as opposed to the Kings' 22. Unleashing over twice the number of shots on net as one's opponent yet still managing that kind of loss may be the sign of a hot goalie, but in playoff hockey, that is to be expected, and shots are necessary to be more lethal as a result.

Sharks fans alike, we all are in for quite a series, especially since it is the Red Wings we face. As the Sharks were seeded higher during the regular season, there will be home ice advantage. It is up to you, the fans, to represent, and show your support!

GO SHARKS!

History ain't over till it's over.

San Jose Sharks Mount Comeback of Legend, Win 6-5

The San Jose Sharks made an unbelievable comeback against the Los Angeles Kings, winning their game in overtime, and putting them ahead in the series, two games to one.

This must have been a very interesting day for “fair weather fans” of the Sharks. First, it started with “The Sharks suck. Here we go choking again!” to “The Sharks are awesome! They’re comeback kings!” (Yes, I read most of the social web site BS from people claiming to be from Silicon Valley.)

Even as a true Sharks fan, since their inaugural season in 1991, I will admit there were times I felt disappointed, but in no way did I lose my support and energy with hopes my favorite team would not give up. To watch the Los Angeles Kings escalate the score to a 4-0 lead, even the more supportive Sharks fans felt it was, yet again, not the Sharks’ day. After all, last Saturday, the Kings beat the Sharks by the same 4-0 tally at the Shark Tank to even the series at one game apiece.

The first period ended with a 3-0 advantage for the Kings. Likewise, I did not feel too bad, as the Sharks had overcome similar deficits in the past, and two periods could have been enough for at least a three goal comeback to tie the game. After the Kings’ fourth goal less than a minute into the second period, it seemed it would not be so easy. Many of my “friends” sent me text messages, informing me they had turned their televisions off and were heading to bed. Even coach Todd McLellan had enough of goaltender Antti Niemi (who, I admit, really was not on his game) and pulled him in favor of fellow Finn Antero Niittymaki.

“Not me! I am a true fan!” I replied to each message of capitulation. The Sharks didn’t quit, so neither did I.

Soon, Patrick Marleau put the first goal on the board for the Sharks, being set up by both Dan Boyle and Joe Thornton. A few minutes later, it was Ryan Clowe, and then another six minutes of hard-nosed play saw the Sharks score yet again with a goal by Logan Couture (who, by the way, was just revealed as a nominee for the 2010-2011 Calder “Rookie of the Year” Memorial Trophy).

With the score then 4-3, the Sharks were right back in it.

The Kings’ Ryan Smyth scored only fifteen seconds after Couture’s goal to calm the Sharks’ hot streak, but as the second period unfolded, the Sharks scored twice more: once by Ryane Clowe (again, for his second, from a beautiful setup by Dan Boyle), and another by Joe Pavelski with a great front of the net effort.

Sharks fans rejoiced with their massive comeback, and the seven goal second period left the game at a 5-5 between the two teams.

Although the third period saw some close chances by both teams, the period ended scoreless, forcing the game to be decided by sudden death overtime.

Three minutes in, after a three on two break by the Sharks, Patrick Marleau slid the puck over to Devin Setoguchi for a beautiful setup, allowing him to wrist the puck into the top corner of the net, beating Kings’ netminder Jonathan Quick and sealing the Sharks’ victory.

The epic surge by the Sharks was only the fourth time in NHL Playoff history a team mounted a comeback from a deficit of at least four goals.

Now all of you fair weather fans can wake up and pretend like you’re all excited.

Sharks Take Game One, Lead Series 1-0

The California rivalry matchup ended with a 3-2 victory for the Sharks, as clutch player Joe "Pavs" Pavelski scored with 14:44 into the overtime period to seal the victory, giving the Sharks a 1-0 lead in the series.

The Kings, although missing their regular season scoring leader Anze Kopitar, recently got forward Justin Williams back from injured reserve after he suffered a dislocated shoulder. Williams had been the second leading scorer for the Kings during the season, with Kopitar being the first. Kings' goaltender Jonathan Quick had played a phenomenal game for the Kings, definitely keeping them in the game, as Sharks goaltender Antti Niemi had similarly done for the Sharks. Given both teams' goaltenders strong performances, scoring goals for either team had to rely on strategic in-zone passing plays and very accurate shots.

Joe Pavelski's high glove shot on Quick clearly had been no exception, as far as accurate shots go.

During the game, the Sharks controlled the first period, scoring right away with a Dany Heatley goal just 28 seconds in, although a very chippy and physical playing style led to strong defenseman Ian White getting injured by a blatant cheap shot by Kings forward Jarret Stoll. Through video replays, Stoll was clearly seen targeting Ian White's head, driving it into the boards from behind. Currently, the NHL is looking into it, and given an infraction is fairly dealt, I see no less than a four-game suspension.

The Sharks slowed down their playing style during the second period, which the Kings took advantage of, allowing them to score twice, although an equalizer goal by rookie star forward Logan Couture (with a fantastic five hole shot) left the score 2-2 by the end of the second period.

The third period saw no scoring, however an exciting overtime period followed. For those of you playoff newbies out there, no shootout occurs in the NHL Playoffs, so the game continues until the next goal. Fortunately for the Sharks, the Kings typically dominated in shootout wins during the regular season, and given no shootout occurrence in the playoffs, the Sharks could work their overtime period magic.

That they did, with Joe Pavelski scoring the final goal to give the Sharks the win and the series lead.

The Sharks play again at the Tank this Saturday (the 16th) for Game 2! GO SHARKS!

Special Note: James Hetfield (of Metallica fame) was in the building, and apparently a Sharks fan. (He was given a special nod on the jumbotron.) ALL RIGHT! ROCK ON!

The Indomitable Quest

Sharks versus Kings, baby - the playoff craze begins tonight!

With the Sharks' home ice advantage, fans are due for a fantastic run this year, with a revamped team, defensive lines, Stanley Cup winning talent, and a strong will to win (we can all hope, of course). Many players previously on the injured reserve list are back and ready to help the Sharks deliver this year.

The game begins at the Shark Tank at 7:00pm Pacific (just over a half hour from now).

In honor of the upcoming playoff season, here is a little something I call the Indomitable Quest:


The voices of vict’ry come calling,
As the stars of fortune align.
Twenty years of fruitless stalling
Will come to rest, it is now time.

As certain as our desire,
Our hunger within shall reveal,
Intensity potent as fire,
And true hearts emblazoned in teal.

The momentous push begins today –
All opponents look and cower!
It is dominance we shall display,
For the Cup is within our power!

An adroit display of true skill
It what all fans alike shall see.
Tenacity, boldness, and will –
The atmosphere will all agree.

While the LA Kings are the first
To visit the dreaded Tank,
Their progression is only cursed –
The San Jose fans there to thank.

It is time to make our marks
To boldly start our epic run.
For our team spirit, for the Sharks,
We shall persist until we’ve won.

Two Games To Go

The regular season is about to end for the Sharks in two short games, both against the Phoenix Coyotes: today in Phoenix, and tomorrow in San Jose.

Two things we know for certain: the Sharks are in the playoffs and Sharks have again won the Pacific Division title.

What we, as Sharks fans, must do now is to hope for a successful post-season campaign. If the playoffs started today, the Sharks would face the Ducks, the same team that defeated them last game 6-2. Many would argue, however, that Coach Todd McLellan used that opportunity to give the Sharks added practice time and to give goaltender Antero Niittymaki some time in the net, due to the certainty of the Sharks qualifying for playoffs and the Division title.

Fortunately, the Sharks are also anticipating the return of both Ryane Clowe and Scott Nichol. Clowe had missed the last game due to a lower body injury, while Nichol had missed nearly twenty games due to an upper body injury. Both players will be vital to the Sharks’ success in the postseason.

For the Western Conference, only the Vancouver Canucks, the Sharks, the Detroit Red Wings, and the Los Angeles Kings have already qualified for postseason, meaning there is a close fight between five other teams scrambling to fill in four spots – one of those teams being the Phoenix Coyotes.

Fortunately for the Sharks, they have had relative success against the Coyotes this year, outscoring them 17-7 so far this season. The next few days will determine rather quickly just how the Western Conference teams will fill out.

The Sharks play the Coyotes tonight at 7:00pm PST in the first of their last two games of the regular season.

Sharks Clinch Playoffs With Home Blowout Victory

That’s right – the San Jose Sharks beat their rivals, the Dallas Stars, to the tune of 6-0.

In preparation for the game, each team had something to fight for: the Stars to lift themselves back into the playoff race (as they are currently placed ninth in the West), and the Sharks to guarantee placement in the post-season top eight. During this 2010-2011 season, the Stars have had much success against the Sharks, but perhaps last night was not their night. Either way, a game that emerged as a hard-hitting playoff-style game resulted in an absolute blowout by the Sharks.

(Even though I tend to give an update once every two to three games, this game rightfully deserves its own accolades on The San Jose Blog.)

No scoring occurred until the last five minutes of the first period, when a carry in/spin-o-rama setup by the very effective Joe Pavelski allowed a pinching Dan Boyle to score his seventh of the year.

Near the beginning of the second period, the Sharks were given a power play, allowing Logan Couture to tie the rookie goal lead with his 31st of the year. Most impressively, however, was during the middle of the second period when the Sharks were shorthanded on three different occasions (with minor penalties), and the Sharks proceeded to kill each penalty. The second period ended with a nifty goal by Marc- Edouard “Pickles” Vlasic to put the Sharks up to a 3-0 lead.

Naturally, as a D-man myself, it is always great to see the defensemen score.

During the third period, the Sharks extended their lead by yet another three goals. Patrick Marleau, currently on a miraculous scoring streak, contributed two of them. Additionally, Marleau released an unbelievable twelve shots on net during the game, a new Sharks franchise record for shots on net in one game by one player.

Both fans and players alike, however, were most likely to be awed by Ben Eager’s goal with just under six minutes left in the period. A pass by Jamal Meyers that went slightly behind Eager was picked up by him, put between his legs, sent over to his backhand, and shot right into the net past a stunned Dallas defenseman and goaltender.

Rather than explain this further, here is a video as proof of its "amazing factor":



As far as the performance of the other players, it is very hard to single out names and honorable mentions, because, quite frankly EVERYONE played well. Over 75% of the team had at least one point. Although not tallying goals, forwards Dany Heatley, Jamal Mayers, and Joe Thornton each had two assists.

If the Sharks were lacking on point totals, this game definitely evened out the playing field, so to speak.

With five games left on the horizon, it is now important for the team to prepare for the playoffs.

GO SHARKS!

San Jose Sharks: The Final Six Game Stretch

With a win tonight against the rival Dallas Stars at HP Pavilion, the San Jose Sharks can guarantee qualifying for playoffs. Not that Sharks fans alike have any doubt; the Sharks are one of the hottest teams in the NHL right now, with an amped defensive line and a slew of hard working forwards putting up respectable point productions: namely Logan Couture, Ryane Clowe, Joe Pavelski, and Patrick Marleau.

The Sharks are currently seeded third in the Western Conference, just one point behind the Detroit Red Wings, a team that just last night suffered one of its worst losses in a 10-3 embarrassment to the St. Louis Blues – at the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, no less. Fortunately, the Sharks have one game in hand, so with a win tonight, they can potentially be one point ahead of the Red Wings with equal games played.

Since the last Sharks-related update on The San Jose Blog, the Sharks have played two games: the first against the Los Angeles Kings (resulting in a shootout loss), and against the Phoenix Coyotes (resulting in a 4-1 Sharks victory).

The Kings game had been particularly exciting due to the third period scoring; more specifically a three goal outburst during the last three and a half minutes of play. As the Kings held on to a 2-1 lead for most of the game, Patrick Marleau tied it up with just 3:32 left in the third period, giving the Sharks and Sharks fans hope they could rally for a victory against the Kings. Not long thereafter, Joe Thornton took a penalty, giving the Kings a power play, and allowing Kings captain Dustin Brown to score with 1:42 left, lifting them back to a one goal lead.

As the game came to a close, and with Sharks goaltender Antti Niemi pulle for the extra attacker, the Sharks executed a successful last-minute effort, with Marleau scoring again to tie the game – with only four seconds left in regulation. Although the Sharks ended up losing in the eventual shootout, Marleau’s goal guaranteed the always helpful standings point.

The game versus the Coyotes saw the Sharks dominate, as usual. Niemi played extremely well, saving many hard-to-block shots, despite not having an incredibly large shot on net count. Logan Couture tallied twice, further making a strong case for himself as a top Calder Trophy contender. Ryane Clowe tallied as well, also adding a couple of assists and a fight (against none other than Twitter celebrity Paul Bissonnette @BizNasty2point0) to complete a Gordie Howe hat trick. The final score was a 4-1 Sharks victory in Phoenix.

Six more games are left for the Sharks to play before the end of the season – all against other Pacific Division teams. The Sharks are currently atop the Pacific Division with 97 points, two ahead of the Phoenix Coyotes, three ahead of the Los Angeles Kings, four ahead of the Anaheim Ducks, and ten ahead of the Dallas Stars. With the Pacific Division performing so well, it’s entirely possible that all five teams could be in the top eight by the end of the season – a rare feat, no doubt, but incentive for the Sharks to never stop playing well.

San Jose Sharks: The Last Eight Games

The San Jose Sharks are in a great position right now: first place in the Pacific Division, third place in the Western Conference (only one point behind the Detroit Red Wings), and currently riding the momentum of a four game win streak. Additionally, today's main roster is full of healthy players (with the exception of Scott Nichol, currently on injured reserve) ready to take on the post-season. All-star defenseman Dan Boyle recently made a return after missing several games due to an upper-body injury, and talented rookie Logan Couture had been able to play the very next game after suffering an ugly spill into the boards during the Sharks’ game versus the St. Louis Blues.

Many feared Couture would be out indefinitely due to his difficulty leaving the ice, although reports confirmed, in addition to Couture himself confirming on his Twitter account, that his injury was not as bad as expected and he would return for the very next game. Not only did Couture return, but he did so with flair, scoring another goal to contribute to the Sharks’ 6-3 victory over the Calgary Flames last night.

For the rest of the season, the Sharks will be pitted against their tough Pacific Division rivals: two games against the Los Angeles Kings, three games against the Phoenix Coyotes, one game against the Dallas Stars, and two games against the Anaheim Ducks. The Sharks by no means have their first place position in the Pacific Division clinched, especially since their Division is, by far, the strongest performing in the Western Conference, with four out of the five Pacific teams currently in the top eight.

Fortunately for the Sharks, their current year acquisitions have all been big winners, each performing well: Ian White stepping up as a tough offensive defenseman, Kyle Wellwood as another Scott Nichol-type hard working player, and Ben Eager as a solid checking line player not afraid to use his size to his advantage (as many of us remember from last year’s playoffs when he was playing on the Chicago Blackhawks).

The Sharks’ scorers have also been performing.
- Patrick Marleau, after not scoring for much of the season, has had a recent point-scoring burst, hitting the 30-goal mark for the season during the game against the Flames last night.
- Joe Pavelski has displayed his masterful ability to set up plays, similar to teammate Joe Thornton.
-Fan favorite Ryane Clowe, the gritty corner master and enforcer, is very close to hitting sixty points already for the season (as is Dany Heatley).
- Veteran defensemen Douglas Murray, Marc Edouard Vlasic, and Jason Demers have been handling the blue line well, keeping standout netminder Antti Niemi well protected from wayward pucks.

Niemi has also been doing well in his own right, now being particularly famous in San Jose for his ability to see through screens to make amazing saves.

To give a proper “shout out” when it is due, based on last night’s game, I would like to congratulate on Torrey Mitchell’s two-goal game and to Mr. Number 69 Andrew Desjardins for his first NHL goal.

The Sharks play the Los Angeles Kings TONIGHT at the Staples Center, the start of the Sharks’ eight game campaign against familiar Division rivals. Let us hope the rest of the season goes well for the Sharks so a favorable playoff spot can be clinched!

Sharks Rally From Two Goal Deficit To Trample Stars

The San Jose Sharks’ game last night against the Chicago Blackhawks is now all but forgotten. Exiting Chicago from a disappointing 6-3 loss, with five of the Hawks goals coming from the second period, the Sharks knew they would have to significantly ramp up their focus and intensity if a difficult rival like the Dallas Stars were to be defeated.

And ramp up they did.

Following a scoreless first period, where the Sharks led in shots on net, the second period opened with a Stars two goal lead. The Stars scored a very controversial first goal, which developed after Stars forward Jamie Langenbrunner blatantly boarded Sharks defenseman Niclas Wallin from behind, head first. Adding insult to injury, Langenbrunner’s actions went unpenalized, and the Stars were credited with a goal. (Wallin never returned for the duration of the game, and it is likely the hit caused a concussion.)

After the Stars shortly thereafter scored a shorthanded goal to raise their lead to 2-0, the Sharks unleashed their intensity. Following the disappointing start to the second period, the Sharks considerably increased their takeaways, dominated puck control, and scored two more goals before the second period ended: the first from a Joe Thornton slap shot, and the second by Dany Heatley in front of the net on a five on three power play. If the Sharks’ tying effort wasn’t enough, defenseman Douglas Murray demonstrated his superior fighting skill by controlling a fight versus Stars forward Steve Ott, eventually tackling him to the ice, after Ott attempted to cheap shot him (for a massive hit Murray delivered to Loui Eriksson).

The Sharks’ intensity continued through the rest of the game. Ryane Clowe and Torrey Mitchell each got a tally within the first four minutes of the third period, both set up by Joe Pavelski, the Sharks’ adroit playmaking forward. While the Stars managed a power play goal by Jamie Benn in the middle of the third, the remainder of the game stayed scoreless until the Sharks’ Logan Couture took a penalty and the Stars pulled their goaltender, giving them a six on four advantage with the empty net.

Rather than convert their power play to a goal, Joe Thornton fired a shot from the far blue line to score, making the score 5-3 Sharks. Despite the game’s then predictable outcome, the Stars tried their six on four advantage again, this time with Dany Heatley scoring on the empty net. Given the Sharks’ player disadvantage and the Stars’ pulled goaltender, both Thornton’s and Heatley’s goals were credited as shorthanded, empty net goals.

Heatley and Thornton would each end up with two goals apiece.

Honorable mention goes to the clear first star of the game, Joe Pavelski. Despite not scoring, he managed four assists, and was solely responsible for setting up each goal he assisted on singlehandedly. I additionally would like to credit the fantastic defense, namely Douglas Murray (who rarely fails to disappoint) and “Pickles” Vlasic. Both players proved to be extremely fearless when it came to taking the body and blocking shots. Vlasic, near the end of the game, took a puck to the face, but fortunately managed to shake it off later.

Sharks Fall To Hawks In High Scoring Second Period

A disappointing second period from the San Jose Sharks allowed the Chicago Blackhawks to score five, giving them the decisive lead that would carry through all the way until the end of the game. With the final score of 6-3 Hawks, the Sharks were unable to complete their season sweep, ending with a three games to one record this season against the Hawks.

Tomorrow, the Sharks head to Dallas to play in a tough matchup against the Stars at the American Airlines Center.

The game began well for the Sharks, both with skill and fortune, as the Sharks gained a five on three opportunity with two Hawks players in the penalty box early in the first period. Joe Pavelski scored for the Sharks, giving the Sharks their 1-0 edge. Although Blackhawks forward Viktor Stalberg scored later in the first, the Sharks’ Joe Thornton scored with a minute and a half left in the period, after being set up beautifully by Patrick Marleau. Marleau had first gained the zone, before drawing two Blackhawks players his way and feeding the puck to Thornton, giving him a clear scoring opportunity. With the first period over and the Sharks showing promise, the Sharks entered the second period with a 2-1 scoring edge.

All would change, however, during the second period.

Instead of the recognizably dominant Sharks team from the first period, a visibly weaker Sharks team allowed the Blackhawks to net five goals (two of them on the power play) during the second, bringing their total up to six. High-scoring Blackhawks forward Patrick Sharp managed an incredibly impressive four assists during that period, assisting on goals by Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane (who scored his 100th career goal), and Marian Hossa (both of them).

Logan Couture ended his short goal drought with his 26th of the season late in the second, although it was not enough to lift the Sharks to a lead.

With no scoring in the third period, the Sharks’ fate was sealed with a 6-3 loss.

The Sharks play again tomorrow night with hopes they can turn around their loss and start solidifying their place in the post-season standings as the season winds down.