Happy Holidays Sharks fans. Your team is currently the best team in the NHL with 57 points and regained their swagger with a convincing victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday. Now that Santa Claus has left the building, the Sharks are challenged by a three game road trip that on paper doesn’t look like that big of a deal. The worst team (by record) in the Western Conference tonight in St. Louis, the 13th place Dallas Stars and the 9th place Minnesota “I’m Not” Wild “About This Team” (I hate the Wild). So why am I quietly nervous putting away my stockings with care….

St. Louis has challenged the Sharks both times they’ve met this year, with San Jose winning both games 5-4 on home ice. The Sharks have a history of playing well in St. Louis, having not lost there since 2006 and San Jose has won seven in a row against the Blues. Nothing to fear, right? The Sharks beat St. Louis last year right after Christmas, so it’s gonna happen again this year, right?

Of course it will. Did I make you nervous? The Sharks are going to roll tonight against a damaged St. Louis team that has dropped seven of their last eight. No way the Sharks lose tonight.

SHARKS 5 BLUES 3

Did you know the Dallas Stars are 6-3-1 P.S.A. (Post Sean Avery). That includes being 4-1-0 at home P.S.A. I think the Stars, unfortunately, are finding a little bit of that team spirit that made them dangerous last season. They are slowly getting healthier and I could see the Sharks dropping their match up to a team in Big D that will want to make a point.

STARS 2 SHARKS 1

The final game features the most boring team in the NHL, the Minnesota Sucks. They are have more trouble scoring than Gary Coleman on his wedding night. The Sharks love playing in Minnesota, having won all four games there the last two seasons. It must be all that fresh moose meat, you betcha!

SHARKS 3 WILD 2

So…no hangover here. A tough loss in Dallas to a team looking to make a point and two wins over sub-par competition. Sharks stay true to form and roll into the New Year ready to bring us fans the only thing we want in 2009. A Stanley Cup. That’s it from me until after the ball drops (insert joke here). I’m off to Mississippi to see family and some high class minor league action!