I’m not going to dwell on it and we’ll certainly cover it tonight on the podcast, but the Sharks were outclassed last night. We were hoping to record our 100th episode tonight under more jovial circumstances, but as they say, the hockey fan podcast must go on!

We will be recording our 100th episode tonight at Coach’s Sports Bar on Winchester Blvd. in Campbell tonight at 7pm and you’re invited to join us. So in the comment thread, share with us your thoughts on the depressing Game Two and throw in your favorite moment from the first 100 episodes of Dudes on Hockey. As always, this blog and podcast are nothing more than two dudes talking to each other without your feedback.

Go Sharks and look for #100 tomorrow!

Keeping the Dream Alive.

REASON #1

Did you know that the teams that have won Game 1 of the previous 12 playoff series this Spring have only won four (33%) of the series outright? Did that settle your stomach a little bit? Surprising stat actually, but it’s the way this wacky Stanley Cup playoffs has gone in 2010.

REASON #2

Did you know that when Antti Niemi plays a beauty of a game in a series he sometimes follows it with a stinker? It’s true.

April 18th shutout vs. Nashville, April 20th 4 goals allowed and .886%.

April 22nd shutout vs. Nashville, April 24th 4 goals allowed and .810%.

May 5th 5-2 win and .939% vs. Vancouver, May 7th 4 goals allowed and .867%.

Please fill in the blanks for tonight, Mr. Niemi.

REASON #3

The Sharks got 45 shots on goal, which was 10 shots more than any team has earned against the Blackhawks this entire playoff run. For a team that prides itself on limiting shots on their rookie goalie – 29.4 average shots allowed in the playoffs and a league leading 25.1 shots allowed in the regular season – you gotta figure if the Sharks can keep this up, they’re gonna win this series.

REASON #4

The Sharks haven’t lost back to back games in two months. It gets better…

REASON #5

Did you know the Sharks haven’t lost back to back home games since December 5th and 9th? They’re not going to suddenly forget how to win at home. It gets better…

REASON #6

The Sharks lost Game 1 vs. Colorado, they won Game 2. They lost Game 3, they won Game 4. They got crushed in Detroit, they closed them out the next game. Enough said.

REASON #7

Every time I write a post like this, the boys win. I’ve done my part…

Just a little.  My initial reaction to the game yesterday was opposite of other postseason losses so far.  Previously, I figured the Sharks were starting the downhill slide and would lose the series and would then trade all their good players and fire the rest and OH MY GOD IT HURTS THE SHARKS ARE TERRIBLE.  This time?  Not so much.  They seem to be shaken by their losses much less than I am, to their enormous credit.  I have no doubt that they are mentally tough enough to put it behind them, and go out and win game 2.

But that doesn’t mean they are going to win it.  In my view, they have to solve the Toews ‘n’ Kane problem.  The young, fresh-faced players are like adorable Cabbage Patch Dolls, except with dazzling puck skills and manscaping.  Kane in particular looks like a younger, mulleted version of Pavel Dasyuk out there.  I’m not saying the Sharks should play the trap, but they need to find a way to keep that pair from getting a head of steam in the neutral zone.  Inevitably, it leads to a long painful offensive possession.  Sometimes you see Keith or Campbell do the same thing, with mostly the same results.  That has to stop, or at least lessen, if the Sharks are to win the series.

Other than that, it’s hard to be too down on the Sharks effort.  They put 45 shots on a team that averaged 25 against during the regular season.  Against a goalie with a .910 save percentage, that’s four goals per game, easily enough to win.  The Dustin Byfuglien boogeyman didn’t really appear, his goal from 40 feet out notwithstanding.  This guy is bigger than Tomas Holmstrom, but not nearly as dangerous in the slot.  The bigger danger is the load of ice they take at will.  If the Sharks let them pull the Globetrotters routine every game, it could get ugly.  By the same token, if the Hawks give up tons of scoring chances and get pushed around  by the larger Sharks forwards, it could get ugly the other way too.  It’s going to be a great series.

Don’t be afraid to come out and see us at Coach’s this Wednesday for the 100th episode.  Think of it as a first date in a public place.  We don’t bite.  Except for Doug that one time, but he was on mescaline and his record has since been expunged.

Oh, and we have the best GM in the league, and he in turn has the best progeny.

After the Sharks lose game 1, they aren’t quite as down as you might expect.  They got 45 shots on Antti Niemi, which would normally be good enough for the win.  Mike and Doug think that, like the Colorado series, if they keep getting lots of scoring chances, they will win.  But the NHL isn’t only about the Sharks, the Dudes break down the epic collapse of Boston in round 2 vs. Philly, and talk about how the honeymoon may be over for the Cinderella Montreal Canadians, losing 6-0 in game one of the Eastern Conference Finals.  The Dudes also talk about the teams that lost in the second round, and what changes they might make.

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Game 1 is in the books and the Sharks came up just short. It’s exactly the type of game we all probably expected, hard fought and evenly matched. Listen to us break it down tonight from 9-10pm on KDOW 1220AM or online at www.kdow.biz.

Give us a call at 1-800-516-1220 to talk about the Western Conference Finals and all things Sharks. The show is so much better when we hear from you on the air. We’ll be giving away more stuff tonight, including a Versus sweatshirt, so tune in and win!

We’re reaching a truly momentous milestone this coming week on the podcast- our 100th episode.  As promised, we are having it at a public place, so we hope you can all come and hang out with us.  We will be doing it on the Wednesday the 19th, 7pm at Coach’s in Campbell (2240 Winchester Blvd).  It’s a friendly neighborhood bar, great for watching Sharks games.  I actually saw the US-Canada gold medal game there, and it was jumping.  Unfortunately, it’s difficult to stream the thing, but we will be recording everything (and posting the podcast that night, of course).  Come on down, enjoy a beverage or two, schmooze with some fellow Sharks (and DOH) fans, and whittle away a night with no playoff hockey.  Who knows, you might be on the air with us, take home a prize of some sort, or wake up in a ditch somewhere.  It’s all good.

The Dudes collect on their bet they made about the Sharks-Wings series.  They still can’t quite believe it, but it’s time to look ahead to another Sharks nemesis this year- the Chicago Blackhawks.  Time to break down the matchups from the Hawks, and try to identify how the Sharks can continue onto their first Stanley Cup Finals berth in franchise history.

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Via Hockey or Die:

First, San Jose Sharks defenceman Niclas Wallin, who has been limited to two playoff games thanks to an unspecified lower body injury, is apparently going to return to Europe in the near future.  According to a report, Wallin has agreed to a two-year contract with Lulea of the top Swedish league, but it’s unclear if he’ll be going there next season or if he’ll play another year in the NHL first.

I hope this isn’t true.  I say we take up a ‘Hamburgers’ collection- sweeten the pot a little.

Podcast tonight.

The Dudes are celebrating after the Sharks vanquish the mighty Red Wings in the conference semifinals in five games.  Mike and Doug break down how it all happened, and have a conversation with Mark Smith about it.  ‘Smitty’ gives his perspective on this year’s Sharks, and fills in some personal anecdotes about some players he’s faced, and what kind of adversity he and other players have gone through in the postseason.

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The party train to the Conference Finals continues tonight from 9-10pm on 1220AM KDOW as the Dudes take to the airwaves to talk all things San Jose Sharks. We will be joined on the air by former NHL player and San Jose Shark, Mark Smith, as we check in with him and get his take on what could be the most exciting win in San Jose Sharks franchise history to date.

Listen tonight on your radio in the Bay Area on 1220AM, or stream the show live from anywhere at www.kdow.biz. The show is always better with your calls, so pick up the phone and talk to us tonight at 1-800-516-1220. As we said on the podcast, we’ll be giving away a Dudes on Hockey t-shirt to the first caller of the night and to another caller during the show. You know you want one…

Talk to you tonight. It’s going to be a great show.