So after the tough loss last night, I need to put on my objective hat and try to gauge the conference finals. Not to toot my own horn, but I’m kicking ass in terms of my series predictions- 7-1 in the first round, 3-1 in the second, for 10-2 overall. This time I only picked one series- Ottawa vs. New Jersey, completely correct.

Sabres vs. Sens– I’m surprised at how many people are predicting the Senators to take this series. The Sabres were the best regular season team. Before you quote the stat, let me quote it for you – only one President’s Trophy winner in the past 14 years have won the cup (Rangers in 1994). Notice I did not say (yet) I thought the Sabres would win the Cup. Ottawa has advantages in PP and defense, I think the Sabres are better at all other aspects of the game. Although it’s interesting to talk about the back-to-back brawls that occurred during this regular season, there’s too much on the line to get into nasty stuff and risk suspensions. Sabres in 6.

Ducks vs. Wings– I’m 0-2 at picking against the Wings this post season, and I’m going to ride the wave to 0-3. The Ducks have a better blueline, a second line that can actually score (unlike the Sharks), and statistically better goaltending. Couple that with bigger, nastier players, and a hurting Wing defensive corps, and I think this series won’t be as close as people think it will be. If I’m going to be wrong, I’m going to be very wrong. It’s better to burn out than to fade away! Ducks in 5.

Unlike Grier, I honestly can’t pick who to root for in the next series. I hate the Wings because, they’re, well, the Wings. It’s kind of like rooting for the IRS. I hate the Ducks because they are in our division and because they owned us in the regular season. But I’d rather see the team that beat us go far because that makes the Sharks look better. But I have good friends down south that are diehard Ducks fans. I’ll watch the games because it’ll be a good series, and root against Teemu, but for Lidstrom, because that guy is too fucking good. But then I’ll root against Draper, because he’s a punk, and root for Scott Niedermayer, because he was great with the Devils. I can go on like this for awhile. I give up.

Update:The stat I quoted above about President’s Trophy winners not winning the Cup often is complete and total crap. Dunno where that came from in my brain, or why I didn’t check it beforehand. Thanks frank.

Thanks for a great series. The Wings showed a lot of heart and, gulp, experience by winning this series. We will be rooting for the Wings to take out the Ducks, that’s for sure.

I agree with Mike – no excuses. Wings were the better team. It will be interesting to see what Dougie Wilson does in the offseason to improve the roster. I don’t see a major roster blow up, there is no reason to panic. Here are four hot offseason topics for us to ponder….

1) Scott Hannan
Will Wilson resign him? Will Hannan take the blame for lack of leadership and be allowed to leave. Do we really need Hannan as a shut down defensemen when we have a younger version on hand with Vlasic? We know Wilson has tried to land a big ticket defensemen the last two off seasons. He has tried to make it a priority. He swung and missed with Neidermeyer and Chara……will he hit the jackpot with Souray or Rafalski? I say let Hannan go, keep Rivet and make a run and Rafalski or Souray.

2) The man in the middle
Has Patrick Marleau lost his “C”? Will Wilson take a long, hard look at Ryan Smyth? I think he has to. The Sharks lack a vocal leader and his track record speaks for itself. Smyth was the heartbeat behind the Oilers Stanley Cup run and then he willed the Islanders into the playoffs this year too. It will cost a bundle, and Wilson would not be able to get Souray and Smyth. Which will he set his sights on first…..

3) Ron Wilson
Is he still the man for the job? Has he lost the players ear? I’m not sure there is a better candidate out there, but Wilson has been on the bench for all three early exits, failing to live up to expectations. Will he take the fall?

4) Toskala vs. Nabby
One needs to go. Can the Sharks get value for one of their netminders? The open market really only has Giguere and Backstrom on it – and you have to figure Tampa Bay and Los Angeles are going to be major bidders. Can the Sharks addresss the need for a second line scorer or puck moving defensemen with dealing a goalie?

Doug Wilson will not stand pat. We know this. How can we take the next step? I hope he has the right formula in mind.

Go Wings. Boo Ducks.

Too early to post a retrospective on the season, but I’ll say this about Game 6- the Sharks did not piss it away. They played very well, but the Wings played better. They lost their second-best defensemen, yet still played good D, and Hasek made some all-World saves. They took advantage of the Sharks mistakes, and didn’t make too many of their own. The Sharks got beat. More tomorrow.

Congrats, Wingnuts.

With two hours to go before the puck drops at the Tank, the Sharks destiny is in their own hands. Reaching back into recent hockey history, there are two possible paths the Sharks can follow here. They can repeat the history of the 2005-06 Sharks, play uninspired hockey, blow another early lead and bow out in the second round to a team that is playing undermanned and injured. Or…they can take a page from the 2002 Stanley Cup winning Red Wings book and come back from a 3-2 series hole, like they did against Colorado. They won a pivotal game six and that was she wrote for the Avs.

So which destiny will it be……will this Sharks team continue on a playoff march or face an offseason of uncertainty?

After the opening goal, the Sharks looked like they were looking for an excuse to lose this game, and they found it in Nabby’s gaffe in the second period. The lost composure, they lost organization and they lost the game. Now they just need to leave it all on the ice at home in front of the home crowd on Monday. And we will be there, trying with 17,000 others to will a Game 7.

Outside of the first period, the Sharks got outworked and outclassed this afternoon. The power play was ineffective. Holmstrom has been dominant. And the captain, Patrick Marleau, continues to be missing in action. After scoring the first goal, the Sharks stopped the offensive pressure and allowed Detroit to assault Nabby over and over again.

How did the Sharks not capitalize on Schneider’s absence? Losing their second best defensemen should have been a huge boost for the Sharkies, but instead they shut it down and didn’t test the Wings blueline.

Giving up two power plays goals and going 0/6 on your own is not a formula for victory. The odds are not in our favor – but that is why we play the games. The Sharks are going to have to dig deep and answer the bell in one of the biggest games in franchise history. To stall again in Round Two would be unacceptable. Maybe we should try not scoring first….that seems to work since the team that goes up is 1-4 in this match up.

Well….there was the meltdown. Wings outplayed the Sharks in every facet on the game and Nabby pulled a classic Arturs Irbe impression and gave the puck away outside the net. This having been said, the roughhousing at the end of the period might have been a huge mistake by the Wings. The Sharks had fallen asleep and now they may have just woken them up. The Sharks played their best hockey in response to the Nashville antics. What will happen now?

NBC says Sharks are starting on the power play. Based on the coverage so far (which has been horrid, especially the camera work) I’m not holding my breath.

Here we go…..

Bill Clement: I wonder how Evgeni Nabokov feels after that period…

Brett Hull: Stupid.

So it’s a good start- weak goal by Hasek is the only difference right now. Hasek looked like he expected Goc to come down the left boards, and when Goc shot instead, was hugging the near post. The power play still looks miserable, but the first possession of the PP looked different. More movement at the points, more pinching by the D, less standing around for Joe at the half boards. The Wings never seem to have anyone at the half boards on the PP- they always have one or two in the crease, and let the D bomb away. I say the Sharks go to that strategy. Two Wings collapse on Joe when he has it, so there needs to be more skating, and more movement.

Schneider took a hit from Marleau that looks like it separated his shoulder. He won’t return. We’ll see if that will make a difference in the next two.

I know it is early. There is lots of hockey left to go….but the Sharks have come out like with a repeat of their Game One first period performance in Game Five. Controlling play in the corners, blocking shots and solid goaltending. They had their early opportunity for a meltdown, ala Game Four, and did not allow the late power play goal.

Good start – but we’ve seen this before. Sharks have to continue on their Game One tribute. Hold on for Period Two.