Date With Ducks Is Destiny
April 12th, 2009, 2:02 pm
We have returned from Vegas and will give a full update on this weeks upcoming podcast. Many good stories and we met many great hockey fans from around the league in various sportsbooks.
I’m sitting here on Easter Sunday doing what any good hockey fan should be doing after church. Watching NHL Center Ice. The game of interest of course is the Blue/Avs, and I’m losing hope that the Avs can pull off a miracle. So, it’s meant to be. The first California playoff series since 1969 (Oakland Seals/LA Kings) will be upon us starting next week – I’m guess Wednesday and Friday are the home games since the brilliant and rarely funny Jeff Dunham is playing The Tank on Saturday night. My head says this is a terrible draw for the Sharks, the toughest that could have come their way….but my heart feels different. This is going to be some good hockey.
The Sharks will never overcome the stigma of being playoff losers unless they can make a deep run and beat the best along the way, so why not start with out biggest rival from down south, the Ducks. It is a fitting way to march to the Cup – and what scenario would make Sharks fans more proud than to make it to the Finals by beating the Ducks, Flames and Red Wings? That is the fantasy draw, the three teams we love to hate and to knock them all off on the way to our first championship would be extremely sweet…..but also extremely dangerous. Now, I think there’s little shot of us getting one part of this scenario because the Flames are severely beat up and the Blackhawks have owned them this year – but sub in the Hawks and that is still a thrill ride that would be fun to watch.
I’m not going to get into how we match up with the Ducks, playoff predictions, etc, because there are still two periods to play in Colorado and stranger things have happened this weekend…but it sure looks like West Coast hockey fans are in for a treat next week.
Listen to ChompTalk for a special playoff edition featuring both Mike and I tonight at 9pm on AM 1220. You can stream the show at http://1220kdow.com.
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I’ve got to be honest… although the matchup scares me, I’m so freaking excited to face these guys and exact some revenge.
Pollack mentioned off the cuff that the Sharks players preferred this matchup, so we should trust them. If the Sharks find a way to shut down the Katie Perry line the Ducks will crumble. I don’t think the Ducks goaltenders will be standing on their heads every night either, which was a fear if we drew the Blues.
And, oh man, the Tank is going to be rocking! Not to mention the online forums…. as far as an electric, exciting matchup, we couldn’t have asked for a better draw. GO SHARKS!!!
This is going to be absolutely amazing.
GO SHARKS.
Truthfully? I’m pissed.
It’s certainly the worst 1-8 or 2-7 draw of the postseason, and only the 2nd worst possible first round matchup- Detroit being the first, which became impossible around November. I know I said Columbus would be bad before, but their recent skid and the Ducks recent surge turns the tables on that.
Agreed. Totally pissed!
Why do I get the feeling this series is going to come down to Claude Lemieux?
I disagree this is the worst matchup. Against a depleted Sharks lineup, playing their best hockey all season, with one game against the Sharks backup goalie, the best the Ducks could do was split the home-and-home. In the one other loss the Sharks had against the Ducks this season, the Sharks controlled the game but now-backup Jiggy stole the show. The Ducks main strength is a stud top line and a stud Power Play. The Sharks will have the statistical edge as far as special teams, and I’d be surprised if the ducks had more that 10 PP opportunities the entire series. The Sharks top line is just as talented as the Ducks’s. Lines 2-4 is no contest. Unless something unforeseeable like Perry/Getzlaf absolutely undressing every Sharks line or Hiller stealing a few games, I don’t see this going past 5 games (yea, I said it!). I hope I don’t jinx it, but I think the Sharks are gonna come shooting out the gate and won’t look back!