After such a disappointing end to the season, we were both a little surprised you all were nice enough to leave appreciative comments on the last post.  Thank you all for that.  We weren’t going to record a podcast tonight, but it’s such a (crappy) momentous occaision, we couldn’t help it.  Here it is.  And stay tuned- it’s still “Sharks” Hockey Analysis, and we’ll be checking in on the Worchester Sharks, since they are still alive in the Calder Cup playoffs, and it will give us some insight as to the makeup of the SJ Sharks next season.

The title says it all.  The dudes break down yet another untimely Sharks demise.

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Here lies the body of the San Jose Sharks 2008-09 team. They died on the ice in a disappointing loss to the #8 seed, another early exit to add to their collection of post-season disappointments.

We’re disappointed, naturally as I’m sure all Sharks fans are tonight. So, instead of taking quick, cheap shots and proposing all kinds of wild trades and changes, I’m going to lie low for a few days. This punch to the stomach hurts more than years past. In the end, the Ducks were better. You can’t take that away from them and I think they’ll give Detroit one hell of a series.

To sum it up: This sucks.

Here’s Randy Carlyle’s post-game comments on Marleau’s OT goal:

The action that took place, the reason the puck went into the net was their player pushed our goalie’s pad. The puck was loose behind him, and their player pushed the goalie’s pad. As he pushed the goalie’s pad, the back of his foot, the back of his skate knocked the puck in the net. I think there needs to be some clarification because they are not allowed to push the goaltender and the puck into the net to cause a good goal.

The league didn’t elaborate, saying it was a good goal.  So I did the research, and let me take a crack at why this was allowed to stand.  Here’s the relevant line from the NHL Rulebook, Rule 79.5(ix), stating a goal is disallowed, “When a goalkeeper has been pushed into the net together with the puck after making a save”.

Here’s the video.   Ok, if I were a lawyer trying to defend the Sharks goal according to the this rule, I would state the following.

1. The goalkeeper was not pushed into the net.  His pad was pushed, but that’s not specifically prohibited.
2. Hiller wasn’t “together with the puck”.  The letter (and spirit) of this rule, in my view, is designed to prevent a goal to be scored when the keeper has control of the puck.  Hiller did not have control of the puck at any time during the play, nor was it attached to or tied up in his equipment.
3. For those arguing that banging away at Hiller constitutes goaltender interference, I might even argue against that.  They weren’t preventing Hiller from reaching back and grabbing the puck for the split-second it was there.  And even if it were interference, that judgment is made on the ice, and is not reviewable by video replay.

So Randy, there’s your clarification.

Here’s the new podcast where Mike and I break down Game Five and talk about the rest of the series. We’ll have another podcast, win or lose, after Game Six.

Coming back from down 3-1 in a series takes a herculean effort, plus a little bit of lady luck. The San Jose Sharks have the biggest hurdle to overcome on Monday night in Anaheim, heading into hostile territory where the Ducks are going to be desperate. The veterans on that team know that if the series comes back to San Jose, they are in big, deep, mega trouble – with all their momentum toast. The Ducks are going to come out firing, banging and eager to bury the Sharks in the first period. If San Jose can survive…..doubt will slowly start to creep in the Ducks locker room.

This can’t be done? Then you didn’t watch the Washington Capitals go into Madison Square Garden on Sunday morning and bury the New York Rangers to tie that series up 3-3. The Capitals were left for dead by many, and they refused to go. I got inspired seeing the better team (Washington) really beat down the Rangers and capitalize on New York mistakes. I hope that the Sharks can do the same tomorrow, but as we saw, even five flat minutes could prove costly against the Ducks.

Three things must happen tomorrow for the Sharks to win.
1) The Sharks must score first. Every team that has scored first has won the game in this series.
2) The Mitchell/Cheechoo/JR line needs to score a goal. They are so much better than the Ducks third or fourth lines, they must cash in on an opportunity.
3) Nabokov needs to step up and win a game for his team. Be the big game goalie we know you can be.

Do you have any other keys to victory?

After a horrible game 4, the Sharks bounce back with a very good game 5, to keep the series alive.  The dudes discuss it all, and touch on the other first-round series.

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April 30th, 2008. A San Jose Sharks team with their backs against the wall, after losing three straight games to the Dallas Stars, got an emotional win and played like a team that was literally fighting for its life. This team then showed up for Game Five (another win) and Game Six (the 4 OT heartbreaker). I was proud of that team, even though it was too late – they were gamers and they left everything on the ice.

Will this San Jose Sharks team show up Saturday night at the Tank?

I’ve been like a woman in menopause the last 24 hours – and by that I mean I’ve been moody, emotional and spent $300 at Lane Bryant. Every person I know wants to talk about the Sharks. Some have called them quitters, losers, overrated and heartless. Others have said they’ve hit tough-luck, deserve better, had a lousy draw and are one break away from bouncing back.

What do I think? I just don’t know anymore.

I watched the Washington Capitals put everything on the line tonight and crush, totally destroy, the New York Rangers to make that a series again. I watched the Columbus Blue Jackets bleed for their fans last night in their 6-5 loss to Detroit – they played one hell of a game when they needed to and you couldn’t fault their effort. The emotion was all there. Raw emotion. I would kill to see that on Saturday from our boys.

I refuse to trade away players, fire GM’s and discuss offseason plans until Game 5 is in the books. I feel more upbeat at this moment then I have the last 24 hours – that maybe the team that took Dallas to the brink and won the most emotional game in San Jose Sharks history in Game 7 vs. Calgary can do it again. If the Sharks can make a game of this, the fans will rally and support them all the way – but they’ve got to come out strong – otherwise the Tank could turn on them, and fast….

Come on Sharks from April 30th, 2008. Show up. We need you. Now.

Quick thoughts immediately after the game:

• It’s getting really hard to defend Joe Thornton now.  Like, REALLY hard.
• It’s hard to win a series when 4 opposing players (Getzlaf, Perry, Ryan, and Hiller) are playing better than any of your guys.
• It’s also amazing that the Sharks seem completely unaware when the Ducks’ dominating first line is on the ice, and they just leave guys alone in the slot area.
• The Sharks have outscored the Ducks 2 periods out of 12.
• Dan Boyle, with his 3 point game in game 3, leads the Sharks in playoff points even though he doesn’t have a point in any of the other games.
• I’m so glad the Sharks won game 3 so I get to watch the season’s destruction up close and in person.  Oh yeah, I get to spend $80 for the privilege.
• Needless to say, I’ve been drinking.

After another disappointing game, the Sharks come back and win one in Anaheim to keep their hopes alive.  Mike and Doug talk about Boyle, Mitchell, the Joe and Patty saga, and all the other pluses and minuses of the past couple of games.

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“Get on my back and I will take you to victory” – Dan Boyle (not really….but in my mind)

I don’t want to do a super long write up because I want to hear what everyone else thought of this amazing playoff game. This series has just become Must See TV (just hopefully no longer on Versus with their dreadful coverage and god-awful camera work. Is the long camera guy drinking Schlitz during the game? Good lord)

Dan Boyle was everywhere and did everything right tonight and all the other Sharks followed suit. Nabby made me extremely nervous letting in a few early soft goals, but he came up huge in the 3rd period and this team tonight looked focused, determined and they fought – literally with Murray smacking Parros around in a good scrap.

How about McLellan’s poker face on slipping Torrey Mitchell in there tonight, who looked pretty spry in his 6:34. Someone take this man to Vegas – he pulls a good bluff, McLellan.

So I take SuperBoyle as the key to this win. We’ll share more of our thoughts tomorrow night on the podcast. What are your thoughts?

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