Round 2: San Jose vs. Detroit

[Captain Slack]

Friday, April 29 at San Jose, 10:00 p.m. VERSUS, TSN
Sunday, May 1 at San Jose, 3:00 p.m. NBC, TSN
Wednesday, May 4 at Detroit, 8:00 p.m. VERSUS (JIP), TSN
Friday, May 6 at Detroit, 7:00 p.m. VERSUS, TSN
*Sunday, May 8 at San Jose, 8:00 p.m. VERSUS, TSN
*Tuesday, May 10 at Detroit, TBD VERSUS, TSN
*Thursday, May 12 at San Jose, TBD VERSUS, TSN

These two seem to meet in the playoffs about as often as Boston & Montreal. Detroit blew Phoenix out of the playoffs (and possibly out of Phoenix as well! :crazy:), but I doubt they'll have as easy a time with the Sharks. Also have to consider the rust factor, as the Red Wings have been resting for about a week now.

[KaniacFever]

Hoping the Sharks can feast on some Red Wings.

[nccanes]

Does DET even remember how to play in a game? Haven't then been off for 2 weeks? :lol:

Seriously. If I was their coach, I would have had designated days where they had morning skates and then had to come back to have a scrimmage at night. :beatup:

[Guyute]

With the way DET played in the 1st round, they could be coated in rust and still beat the Sharks. SJ has their work cut out for them.

[ButtersSaysNo]

Want Sharks to win series, but fear Wings will win series.

[Jillsdad]

Wonders why Joe (soft as a feather pillow) Thornton wears the C for this team and Joe (all I do is score big goals) Pavelski has not a letter on his sweater. Could it be that the Sharks always fade in the playoffs because their captain is Thornton instead of Pavelski?

[Caniac4life]

Joe T is probably a scratch golfer (by now), which is why the front office likes him for his swing tips so he gets the "C".

[kermelbar]

C'mon, Sharks, keep this one up! (And congrats to former Cane Ian White and, I believe, his first playoff goal.)

[Captain Slack]

And former Cane Nic Wallin for the GWG!!

[caniac97]

And former Cane Nic Wallin for the GWG!!

There is a reason we use to call him the "Secret Weapon".

[Jillsdad]

Congrats to the two former Canes for scoring both of San Jose's goals today!!! I am torn on who to pull for this series.....I hate Detroit but marvel at their skill....was leaning towards the Sharks until I saw Logan Couture's constant whining and embellishments.....he is the Cindy Crysby of the west.....now who to pull for.....decisions decisions

[JohnH]

Wallin's goal was his first career playoff goal not in overtime, and the first one he scored for anybody but us.

[puck_it]

Wallin's goal was his first career playoff goal not in overtime, and the first one he scored for anybody but us.

all his goals are still GWGs :smoke:

[superdave]

Good for Nic. I always thought he was a class act. It's good to see him have some success.

I wonder if he has christened any sticks in SJ?

[SoCalcaniac]

Rock on Nic Wallin. I love how the SJS have taken that tag of "the Secret Weapon" & they've run with it too.


Niemi is one interesting dude. Just when you wanna say oh he was average in the last round, and parts of season as a whole, just like in CHI last season, here he goes, and he's making these incredible saves. Sooo low key, and then bam- he's got it all covered.

Next two games in DET- I don't know if the Red Wings have enough juice in the tank. they won't just lay down, but right now the NorCals look like the stronger team.

Go Sharks!

[SouthernHockeyChick]

WTH is up with the holding call on Setoguchi here in OT? :crazy: He had his hand on Bertuzzi but, Bert grabbed it and slung his own self down. That's a no-call, IMO.

[caveman]

Wow. What a turn of events - Niemi tried to cover but missed, down the ice, wow.

[SouthernHockeyChick]

There's some karma for Setoguchi. :D

[SoCalcaniac]

YEAH! Sharks rule..... awesome OT.

So happy for Setoguchi & that hat trick (!) but happy for the Sharks. gotta close it out!

[caveman]

Great pass from Eaves. But 90 seconds of regulation to go.

[SoCalcaniac]

Awful way for the Sharks to lose the game grrrr; The game in CLT was just over with about 4 minutes left in this game, so we stuck around and watched on the TVs.

Guess they gotta win it at home in the Shark Tank. Just let's not make this 'interesting' and give DET life!

[caveman]

Datsyuk finally gets more than a stride of space and finds Kronwall to keep this a game. Hooray, intensity!

[StormChaserBH]

....... and we go to Game 6! What a rocket by Lidstrom on the game-winner.

[SouthernHockeyChick]

God, the Wings are SO freakin' annoying. Just DIE already!!

[StormChaserBH]

Roenick is really putting Marleau on the milk carton in the postgame and calling him gutless.... wow...

[SoCalcaniac]

At one time, I really LIKED Jeremy Roenick. Now he just friggin' annoys the hell out of me. He completely crossed the line last night in calling Marleau "gutless". I know he played with him, I once thought he actually liked him, but that was wayyy over board.

Whoever @ NBC/Versus thought JR being on EVERY night and on a panel where he spends most nights butchering guys names, orcompletely talking about another team when he should be talking about the team the "panel" is on.(ex: last week he was SUPPOSED to be setting up TB and starts talking about VAN :crazy: realized it, because Jones & Liam McHugh were looking at him like he was crazzzzy as hell & then self corrected) he's terrible & embarrassing. What happened to Aaron Ward? Or the rotation of other former players? JR is on every night. He's not capable of being on "every night" they must be paying him minimum or something.

Back to the series- That game last night better not have been some "sign" for SJ. You absolutely can't ever count out DET. HOWEVER, the whole thing was set up for them to win on home ice, and be done. Now there is the ol thing called DOUBT. With that bunch, they can't have doubt. I thought Coach McLellan did not manage well with his timeout. They needed that thing called to settle things down after goal 2- or at the latest goal 3. Dude.

So frustrated with this team! :lol:

[ButtersSaysNo]

I hate wings, Sharks need to eliminate them.

[Jillsdad]

Fantastic game tonight.....thought the better team on this evening won. Can't wait for game 7.

On a side note....I wish there was some way to get Darren Helm in the Skills comp at All-Star weekend.....just let him do the fastest skater and then send him home....he would set a time that no one would touch!!!

[ButtersSaysNo]

The one thing I really hate is how many goals have the wings scored in this series that should never have been a goal?

I know that one goal in an earlier game was a clear offsides, even without the replay, and the replay verified it.

Then last night ole boy leaves the bench when the other wing is at least 15-20' away and he scores the goal.

I think there was one other example as well, but it is escaping me right now.

I have felt that the refs have been inconsistent in this series, towards both teams, and have had their heads up their a**es a lot.

I hope most of this officiating crew is done after this series.

[KaniacFever]

^The EN goal. Detroit had 7 guys on the ice when that puck went in.

And their first goal to tie it, Detroit had 6 guys on the ice.

But the Sharks have got to stop collapsing when they get scored on. Niemi saved their bacon and well they crapped the bed for him. Sounds like another team we all know so well.

[ontheboards]

At one time, I really LIKED Jeremy Roenick. Now he just friggin' annoys the hell out of me. He completely crossed the line last night in calling Marleau "gutless". I know he played with him, I once thought he actually liked him, but that was wayyy over board.

Whoever @ NBC/Versus thought JR being on EVERY night and on a panel where he spends most nights butchering guys names, orcompletely talking about another team when he should be talking about the team the "panel" is on.(ex: last week he was SUPPOSED to be setting up TB and starts talking about VAN :crazy: realized it, because Jones & Liam McHugh were looking at him like he was crazzzzy as hell & then self corrected) he's terrible & embarrassing. What happened to Aaron Ward? Or the rotation of other former players? JR is on every night. He's not capable of being on "every night" they must be paying him minimum or something.
I question the entire panel for the playoffs. Keith Jones if good, but what's with the in studio host roatation-- are Harwood and McHugh on audition? As far as the color commentary from Roenick and MIke Keenan-- my ears and eyes just bleed. Hell, Darren McCarthy without his teeth was a better option than Roenick and Keenan. I think AWard has been doing commentary for TSN.

[SoCalcaniac]

Yes, Aaron is in the big time with TSN and Versus missed the boat.

I've never seen Bob Harwood at the desk, although I've stopped watching the panel stuff, it's too horrific. Did you mean Bill Patrick or is Harwood there too? McHugh has been inserted since that Comcast/NBC deal with NHL got sealed. He's ok, he seems confused at times or maybe the loons Keenan & Roenick throw him off. LOL.

I am just about OVER the SJ Sharks. I have been a fan of this team, for too many damn years, and my GAWD I wanna kill them. I sent a text to a friend/co-worker back in SJ last night that just said "It's over".

I don't want it to be over, but sonofa***** you have got to play the game. You can see them out there "thinking", they're seizing up, they're thinking about every thing they have to do to win "one game" and failing miserably. That first 40 mins was all Niemi trying to save those clowns. He does a great Cam Ward impersonation, I swear to God there were so many times I thought it was the Canes.

Butters & KF I agree on the points you make about the DET goals. But DAMN. you have to overcome stuff & SJS are just so friggin crumbly when it comes to stepping up, I have no idea how this game 7 will go down.

I am so glad I will be in Charlotte for game 7. It will take some serious bribery for me to go down to Black Finn after the Checkers game and watch this. Never in this life has it ever occurred to me to skip watching a game 7. NEVER. This likely is my first. I'm so ill it's not even funny. ILL.

[Jillsdad]

^The EN goal. Detroit had 7 guys on the ice when that puck went in.

And their first goal to tie it, Detroit had 6 guys on the ice.

But the Sharks have got to stop collapsing when they get scored on. Niemi saved their bacon and well they crapped the bed for him. Sounds like another team we all know so well.

And there was a time earlier in the game that SJ had 6 guys on the ice for an extended period of time.....It goes both ways.....refs just plain suck in this series...

With all that being said....when you get outshot 45+ to 20 something.....chances are you are going to lose. Niemi was spectacular but San Jose was thoroughly outplayed that game and really had no business being up at any point in that game. If their compete level is not better for game 7 then I think they are done.

[SouthernHockeyChick]

I pretty much think JR is a jacka** for what he said about Marlow.....but I swear, I've been starting to wonder if he might be right every year for I don't know how long.....and about not just Marlow.

C'mon, Sharks*...SHOW UP.


*Sharks minus Niemi, Clowe, Thornton, Wallin, White, sometimes Boyle and a few others.

[KaniacFever]

The RedWings are like freakin cockroaches, they just won't damn die.

I'm sick of them already and I really don't want to have to pull for Vancouver cause I'm sick of them too :lol:

[JohnH]

Why was Ian White only with the Canes long enough for a cup of coffee? I'm happy for him that he got on a team that got this far (and for our other former #7, too), but I didn't get why we picked him up and then shipped him out.

[superdave]

Why was Ian White only with the Canes long enough for a cup of coffee? I'm happy for him that he got on a team that got this far (and for our other former #7, too), but I didn't get why we picked him up and then shipped him out.

Picked up to get something for the rights to Babchuk and to dump Kostopolous' salary. Traded away White for a #2 and Joslin (in a roundabout way).

[puck_it]

Why was Ian White only with the Canes long enough for a cup of coffee? I'm happy for him that he got on a team that got this far (and for our other former #7, too), but I didn't get why we picked him up and then shipped him out.

I don't think he meshed. I don't know what it was... maybe our moronic defensive system. I never really saw him being a hurricane. Ian white a shark.... clear cut, it siunded like a great fit, and i felt like he would do well there.

I'm not going to claim genius on this one, I think we've got a few others that saw him the same way (soCal). I think it was mutally beneficial for all three teams.

[ontheboards]

I liked Ian White's game for a long time--as a call up from the Marlies, in Toronto and then Calgary. I was thrilled when we got him, but he just never seemed to fit here-- our system? the players the coaches decided were ahead of him? fitting in with the guys here. All I know is that he had too much talent and skill to be in the bottom pairing. He was certainly not the only player that made an error, but he certainly didn't have the defensive zone gaffs, brain farts or the MIA factor of a certain Finn.

[Caniac4life]

Jesus, can 9 o'clock get here already?

Can i say awake/sober until then?

Will I care there is a hockey game on by then?


I guess I should be happy it's not a 10:37 start.

:lol:

[Caniac4life]

I liked Ian White's game for a long time--as a call up from the Marlies, in Toronto and then Calgary. I was thrilled when we got him, but he just never seemed to fit here-- our system? the players the coaches decided were ahead of him? fitting in with the guys here. All I know is that he had too much talent and skill to be in the bottom pairing. He was certainly not the only player that made an error, but he certainly didn't have the defensive zone gaffs, brain farts or the MIA factor of a certain Finn.

Similar to the Belanger situation. They came in with not a lot of expectations from the start. They were "trade fodder" that weren't given a serious look.

[nccanes]

I don't know if that's how I'd describe the Belanger situation (and not sure with White either honestly). Belanger was brought in to try to fill the gap that Cullen left.

Sometimes pieces don't fit and perhaps that's when they become trade fodder, but I can't imagine JR makes the trade to Calgary thinking he wasn't getting a good player (one of the ilk we needed) in return.

[ButtersSaysNo]

All I can say is thank you, thank you, thank you SJ for getting rid of the Wings. While I have the utmost respect for the Wing organization I still despise them.

Now I can enjoy rest of the playoffs no matter who wins the Cup.

[SoCalcaniac]

Soooooo completely thrilled that those Sharks won the dang series.

I don't give a rip about DET; I respect them, I love their Coach, and that's that; they don't really register on the teams I don't like list. They really don't. I admire how they're always in it, something I aspire to for my own team.

For me, this is ALL about San Jose and overcoming some sh**. I have rooted for them too long and too hard, for them to go down in flames, and I'm really glad Hub said I have to go watch this game 7. It was worth finding a spot (THANK you SHC's for offering to have us join you & Mr. back at the Hotel Sierra very kind!) to drop in and watch.

Patrick Marleau scoring the GWG, awesome. Niemi was fantastic in this series, and he made some serious saves and I think Jumbo Joe finally has the monkey off his back as a playoff performer. We didn't stick around for the post game stuff, but seeing some of the video and Twitter commentary, definitely a huge step in the right direction. I just wish SJ believed in themselves as much as their fans do, and just play to their potential. They sure as sh** can be VAN.

I was so tired from the long day, I didn't have the energy to celebrate. So I ended up geting a mocha at Panera this morning to toast my Sharkies.:lol: