Sharks Hockey Analysis

Sharks Got Texas Two Stepped

The enigma that is our San Jose Sharks continued to baffle fans tonight at the Tank, as the Sharks fell to Dallas in Game Two. What I’m about to say doesn’t discount what the Stars did tonight or Friday, but to me it is the honest assessment of the game. The Sharks just plain beat themselves tonight and gave the game away. San Jose was the better team for most of the night, using their size to draw penalites and dominate most of the play - but Dallas just always seems to be there when the Sharks make a mistake and tonight they made a ton. Not being able to clear their own zone, including 16 give-aways (which seems to be a target stat when the Sharks lose) was the most telling. Every time the Sharks had a shot blocked or gave the puck away, someone from Dallas was there to do-si-do on our face.

Don’t jump in the lifeboats and start bailing out on this series. We’ve seen first hand that a team can not only come back from a 2-0 hole to win the series, but they can go on to the Stanley Cup Finals….yes, I’m talking about the Edmonton Oilers in 2006. Dallas is super streaky and riding on hustle, luck and hard work right now. I don’t for a minute believe that Dallas is the better team in this series, but they are experts at taking advantage of every opportunity they are given in front of the hottest goalie going in the playoffs. There is no supreme wisdom going into Game Three - just get it done. Don’t make glaring errors, take care of the puck, use your size. This isn’t over - not by a Longhorn.

A few other thoughts going into Game Three

- Patrick Rissmiller should find himself in the press box. That Grier/Goc/Rizz line was god awful against the Stars top line and this little experiment back fired for RW. Forming a 3rd line out of Seto/Mitchell/JR didn’t produce anything but a combined -3 and it put the Sharks in a position to have three scoring lines and one bad checking line - not a recipe for success. I would like to see Shelley back in Game Three - throwing the body around and grinding down the Stars, but I know I’m in the minority - but a line of Goc/JR/Shelley did pretty well in the regular season, so why not try it again. More likely we will see Brownie, but the Rizz has earned the scratch for now for being a big zero in the playoffs so far.

- Will RW pull a Keenan and sit Nabby in Game Three? I don’t think it’s that far fetched….we’ll see. Nabby hasn’t been on his game this series so far.

- In Game One, the guy who sits in front of us went to a box to watch OT, and the Sharks lost. Last night, Mike and I were invited into the Pepsi box for the 3rd period and, after we fell behind 3-2, we quickly retreated back to 124 - but the damage was done. It is now known as THE CURSE OF THE BOX.

I’ve predicted a Sharks win the last two games, so I’m going against karma. Dallas 9 San Jose 1…..Karma are you listening?