Rack it.

Oh, it’s racked.  All the way to Suckramento.

Two more Shark blogs for your precious list:

From Behind the Mask is a pretty solid one I’ve been following lately, pretty insightful actually.

Bart’s Hockey Musings posts less frequently, but pretty much follows the fate of just the SJ squad.  I’ll warn you before you get overboard on personal attacks, though--even with the name Bart, she is a girl.

And yes, they all seem to fear the Duck, for now.

Personal attacks?  Surely you jest Earl.  Well...if they’re deserved.  Thanks for the links.

“We need the Wings now because tackling the Ducks in Round Two will be too emotional.”

Ummm..What?  It’s the playoffs--everything is emotional (at least after three games or so, if it wasn’t to start).  I don’t think like that, and I’m a girl!  (Far past eleven, though...I think when I was eleven I imagined inflicting food poisoning on my team’s opponents so they would be too busy puking to play anything.  Either that or a plane crash somewhere remote so they would all survive, but be lost in Montana for a week eating grubs.)

I like “Jabber Jaws” as a title for the Sharks bloggers.
Here’s a pic.

Whoops I only meant to put up the link...sorry

One more I forgot:

Two for elbowing is mostly Shark content also. 

And gloveside, I love that picture, and probably never would have clicked the link, so apology unnecessary.  Nice work.

A San Jose Sharks Blog

I just found this one on Yahoo. Pretty good...seems to know hockey, but also fears the Ducks. I don’t like that he thinks Detroit is a better matchup than Anaheim, but at least he respects our squad:

“Detroit is a very skilled and experienced team that is capable of beating a lot of NHL teams, including the Sharks.”

It’s interesting to see different perspectives on the whole San Jose/Anaheim thing.  I’ve been to quite a few Ducks games this season, and just about everyone I talk to seems as if they couldn’t care less about San Jose...they imagine Detroit to be where the real rivalry is. 

Detroit has the status of a feared, elite hockey team. Anaheim still suffers Emilio Estevez jokes.  They also know that unlike a Calgary/Oilers or Rangers/Islanders series, an Anaheim/San Jose matchup will grab zero attention outside of the State. Fans want to see the Ducks take down the Wings in a hard fought series so the hockey world will take notice.

Though I admit I haven’t been to a Ducks/Sharks game before...maybe it brings out a different element.

While I’m at it, one last thought on Ducks fans from a diehard Wings fan: Say what you will about hockey fans in California, they’re a really impressive group.  They don’t just cheer for their team during the winning seasons.  Plus, they cheer for the players despite the high level of turnover on their team these last few years.  Over the last decade I’ve seen a real maturation of the fans there, both in their respect for their team and in their knowledge of hockey.

But I digress. Suck it, San Jose.

LOVE the Jabberjaws pic!  Don’t apologize for posting pictures that cool.

“The Red Wings have been beaten down, bruised and frustrated by a physical Calgary team.”

LOL

Solid proof they didn’t actually watch any of the games.

“I think when I was eleven I imagined inflicting food poisoning on my team’s opponents so they would be too busy puking to play anything.”

Scotty Bowman would like you.  To this day, most of us are convinced (though we have no proof) it was he who ordered the visitors’ locker room to get a fresh coat of paint in 1996 for the St Louis Blues.  Nothing like fresh paint fumes to get you geared up for an NHL playoff game.  Oh, and there were reports that someone had mucked with the thermostat.  Next season?  Fresh paint again.

“That room has had eight coats of paint the last two years,” former Blues defenseman Marc Bergevin told reporters at the time. “It looks nice, though.”

Am I the only one to notice that although Shaved Ice is much happier to face the Wings in the secound round rather than the Ducks, he/she/it completes his/her/its post by shouting GO CANUCKS!

Cause he/she/it spent the entire post wishing for a thrid round of Californian duelship (is that a real word?) then finishes with a GO CANUCKS?

What gives?

The eleven year old girl strikes back.

http://shavedice.blogspot.com/

Luc, your sense of timing is worse than those men in the Versus commercials.

The post was written before last night’s G7 had occured, so the only way the Sharks could avoid the Ducks in the 2nd round was a G7 victory by the Canucks.  Had Dallas won, then SJS and ANA would have been forced into a round 2 confrontation.

Thus, Go Canucks (in G7).

I’ve never quite understood it when people use name-calling (in this case, calling a Sharks blogger an 11-year-old girl) to show how mature they are, compared to the other person.

It’ll get settled on the ice, whether or not you think all Sharks fans are mouth-breathers, or have bad taste in music, or wear white after Labor Day, or are 11 year old girls, or don’t exist.

Go Sharks.

Ian…
That’s a pretty name. 
Have your testicles dropped yet, Ian?

Your own readers don’t want to play San Jose, they admit that San Jose is a horrible matchup.  Read the comments from your previous post: 

http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/A2Y/comments/ohgood_its_san_jose/

I guess you want to throw out the season series record, I guess you want to overlook the talented forwards, I guess you want to over look a goaltender who went 17-2-1 in the final 20 before the playoffs.

Let’s drop the puck and see what happens.

GO SHARKS!!!!

dear toby, lucky for all the nay-sayers the detroit red wings will be playing the game.  not their own readers. lets go red wings!

“Your own readers don’t want to play San Jose, they admit that San Jose is a horrible matchup.”

Dallas would be easier, sure.

“I guess you want to throw out the season series record”

Not totally, but both teams are quite different from 4 monhts ago.

“I guess you want to overlook the talented forwards, I guess you want to over look a goaltender who went 17-2-1 in the final 20 before the playoffs.”

How about a goalie who has never lost a playoff series when wearing the Winged Wheel?  How about San Jose’s anemic PP?  How about everyone saying “Detroit wont’ be able to handle Calgary’s physical play” yet it’s Calgary who is golfing?

“Let’s drop the puck and see what happens. “

Exactly.  My favorite thing about this series is that it should be clean, good hockey.  Not the cheapshot festival that is Nashville and Calgary.

Somebody needs to inform the 11-year-old girls that:

a. This is playoff hockey.  The results from the regular season don’t mean diddle-de-dick, except to those searching for something to feel good about.

b. Neither Chris Osgood nor Joey MacDonald will be in net for the Wings in this series, as was the case for a couple of the practice season games.

O-Joe

The results from the regular season don’t mean diddle-de-dick,

Tell that to the OP who quoted regular season goals-for in comparing the Flames and Sharks.  How’s this: Sharks playoff goals per game 3.2, Flames: 1.7.

Paul:

My favorite thing about this series is that it should be clean, good hockey

I’m glad we found something we can agree on.

“Tell that to the OP who quoted regular season goals-for in comparing the Flames and Sharks.  How’s this: Sharks playoff goals per game 3.2, Flames: 1.7.”

So you admit the Wings defense is better than Nashville’s.  Thanks. 

Sports Illustrated picks the Sharks to win in seven. Seems no one is a believer.

That and the fact that that cue-ball in net for Nashville still couldn’t carry Hasek’s stuff, even at age 42.

“Sports Illustrated picks the Sharks to win in seven. Seems no one is a believer.”

Everybody said all these same things about Calgary.  Ho hum.

So you admit the Wings defense is better than Nashville’s.  Thanks.

With Kronwall, sure.  But that 20 minutes has to go somewhere.  Let’s say the Wings are slightly better than the Preds on D even without him.  So it’ll take an extra game or two for the Sharks to win the series.

I’ve never quite understood it when people use name-calling (in this case, calling a Sharks blogger an 11-year-old girl) to show how mature they are, compared to the other person.

I don’t think anyone is making the case that IwoCPO is more mature than the 11 year old girl in SJ, Ian… just that he knows hockey better than one.

Everyone knows girls mature more quickly than boys.  Duh.

Exactly.  Thank you HD.  This blog doesn’t exactly, you know, reek of maturity.

And Ian, grow some thick skin or take a hike.  It’s all about sarcasm sister.  Handle it or head back to the wine tasting.

“ So you admit the Wings defense is better than Nashville’s.  Thanks.

With Kronwall, sure.  But that 20 minutes has to go somewhere.”

Actually, Kronwall was a bit of a defensive liability...and, uh, they didn’t have him for the first round, so how is the absence of Kronwall relevant?

BTW, Mike...you seem to be forgetting that defense isn’t just about the guys on the blue line.

Zetterberg and Draper are two of the best defensive forwards in the league.  Datsyuk is damn fine at it, too - and showed it for all the weeks when he didn’t have Zetterberg on his line. 

The bottom line is the Wings are one of the top defensive teams in the league.  This was true for the regular season, and true in the first round.  #1 in shots against, #2 in goals against in the regular season.  In the first round they allowed four fewer goals having played two more games than the Sharks, are #2 in GA/G, and #1 in SA/G.  All the stats are in Detroit’s favor.

Sorry, make that having played one more game than the Sharks.

Danny “five teams in five years” Markov?  Kyle Quincey? Andreas Lilja? I have major respect for your top two D, they are the best around but then there is a major drop off in my Motown my friends. Patrick Marleau will not be intimidated by Kyle Quincey on the boards. Look out MVP Joe Thornton - Andreas Lilja is chasing you! You better watch your back Bill Guerin, I think Danny Markov is going to change teams again!

You can’t seriously think you’re going to win a Cup. Seriously, you think you are? No wait....seriously?

“Danny “five teams in five years” Markov?”

Obviously you haven’t watched him much as a Wing, nor in the first round.

“Andreas Lilja?”

See above.

“Kyle Quincey? “

The kid was solid, and Lebda will be back.  And before you type “Brett Lebda?” I’ll point out, again, obviously you haven’t watched these guys much.

“I have major respect for your top two D, they are the best around but then there is a major drop off in my Motown my friends.”

Actually, there’s not.  Try top 3.  Lidstrom, Chelios, Schneider (hint: you’ll need two hands to count the Norris Trophies).

“ Patrick Marleau will not be intimidated by Kyle Quincey on the boards. Look out MVP Joe Thornton - Andreas Lilja is chasing you! You better watch your back Bill Guerin, I think Danny Markov is going to change teams again!”

Just wait and see.  You obviously don’t know anything about the Wings’ d-men.

“You can’t seriously think you’re going to win a Cup. Seriously, you think you are? No wait....seriously? “

You’d need both hands, both feet, and a friend’s hands and feet to count the Stanley Cup rings on this team.  How many do the Sharks have?  I think you’d need just one finger - and I’ll tell you which one…

Paul,

First of all, 6 games is not exactly a significant sample size.  I agree playoffs and regular season are different animals, but to make sweeping conclusions that Detroit’s defense is better based on stats from a single series is patently ridiculous.

I’m not going to go into a polemic about how Detroit has faced inferior opposition than the Sharks during the regular season, but there is evidence to support it.  An extra few games against Columbus or St. Louis would pad our GA stats too.  Since you brought up regular season goals against, I’ll point out Detroit and San Jose gave up exactly the same number - 199.  Detroit played 37 games against playoff teams, San Jose 42.

Who is Brett Lebda? Is he like Kayser Soeze?

“to make sweeping conclusions that Detroit’s defense is better based on stats from a single series is patently ridiculous.”

Um, that’s why I included regular season stats.  Keep trying to deny it, but the Wings are basically the top defensive team in the league any way you look at it.  Again, count the Norris Trophies.  While you’re at it, count the Selkes.  And the Vezinas.  And the Pearsons.  And the Harts.  And the Jennings.

I know you want to poo-poo the Wings.  But you can’t.  Just be a man and admit they’re a formidable team with mountains of experience.

“An extra few games against Columbus or St. Louis would pad our GA stats too.”

I get so tired of this crap.  Ever think that maybe the reason the other Central Division teams have such a tough time is that they have to play Detroit and Nashville so much?  Everyone wants to say - look how bad they are, that’s why the Wings beat them.  How about “look how good the Wings are, that’s why the other teams lose”?

“Since you brought up regular season goals against, I’ll point out Detroit and San Jose gave up exactly the same number - 199.”

Not sure where you get your stats, but NHL.com says 191 for the Wings, 197 for the Sharks.  Not a huge difference, but a difference.

Also, if you look at 5-on-5 the Wings let in the fewest in the league, 104 (11 fewer than #2), and San Jose let in 129.  That shows that San Jose wins with the PP.  How was their PP in the first round?

Again, I know you want to poo-poo the Wings.  Keep trying, but you won’t succeed.  The stats favor them, and that’s a fact.

Ever think that maybe the reason the other Central Division teams have such a tough time is that they have to play Detroit and Nashville so much?

Yeah, I used to think that, but then we played them ourselves.

It is pretty defensible to say that if Colorado, for example, could switch divisions with Detroit, that Colorado’s stats would be inflated to some degree.  But I will grant you this: just because Detroit has a divisional advantage on some other teams, that does not mean that Detroit is not a dominant squad.

It’s just what it is: beating weaker teams reveals very little about a team’s strength.  Maybe they’re just good enough to beat the bad teams, maybe they’re dominant.

“It’s just what it is: beating weaker teams reveals very little about a team’s strength.  Maybe they’re just good enough to beat the bad teams, maybe they’re dominant.”

Well, if you look at their late-season games, they Nashville repeatedly, beat Anaheim, and actually lost to Chicago.  If there were a weakness I could point to, it’s that the Wings play down to their opponents - or up to them.

We can argue stats all night - and I will if you want since there’s NO FREAKING HOCKEY TO WATCH!! LOL

But when it comes down to it, they play the games for a reason....

Just be a man and admit they’re a formidable team with mountains of experience.

Don’t put words in my mouth.  I never said the Wings aren’t a good team, or that they don’t have experience.  I said I thought they were overrated, and the Sharks would win.  If you’re expecting me to bow to the almighty altar of Hockeytown, you’ll be waiting awhile.

An extra few games against Columbus or St. Louis would pad our GA stats too.

As opposed to LA and Phoenix?

Seriously, find some grippage.  It’s like there were no poor teams in the Pacific or something, to hear you Sharks fans go on.

Jeez Mike. It took you that long to figure it out?  Of course that’s what we expect.

Seriously, it’s been fun watching this debate tonite.  Two knowledgable hockey guys.

“Don’t put words in my mouth.  I never said the Wings aren’t a good team, or that they don’t have experience.”

OK, now show me where I said you said...oh, never mind.

can they just start tomorrow?  geez.

Good grief.  In the dim history of two seasons (2003-2004) ago it was the Pacific which only had two playoff eligible teams.  I wonder if these SJ guys spun the ‘well, our division sucks so we must suck’ card come playoff time, or if it’s just an oh-so-convienent (il)logical crutch to lean on heading into a series now.

Then again, in 2003-2004 they were both what… 8 year old girls?  I’m pretty sure they weren’t flashing NHL highlights during skits of the Wiggles.

I suppose I’ll bite again.

Hmm, what has happened since ‘03-’04… oh, that’s right, divisional play has upped to 8 games per year.  It’s more comforting now since the lockout to be in a weak division, perhaps that’s where it’s been coming from?

You are right to condemn the Pacific for making their claims when at the same time trodding all over the Queens and Dogs, though.  But still, the grass always looks greener in that softsack Central, with a third team to kick around. 

“It’s more comforting now since the lockout to be in a weak division, perhaps that’s where it’s been coming from?”

Yeah, it’s not like the Wings won anything before then.  Oh, wait…

Now, what exactly did the Sharks win before the lockout?  Hmmmm....who does it seem to have helped, again?

can they just start tomorrow?  geez.

What, and miss out on all this fun? :-D

I’m pretty sure they weren’t flashing NHL highlights during skits of the Wiggles.

If you must know, it was between episodes of Blues Clues.

Last time I checked we have the reigning Hart and Richard trophy winners and you guys have the Lady Byng. Who’s the sissy now?

If you want to compare which division is tougher, fine - let’s go. Detroit had to play Nashville eight times. The Sharks had to tangle with Anahiem and Dallas sixteen times. Would you rather play Dallas eight times or St. Louis? There is no comparison. The Sharks had the tougher schedule. End of story.

Now if you’ll excuse me....I hear my mommy calling me for bed. She is reading me “The Old Man and the Sea” tonight. I didn’t know they wrote a story about Chris Chelios and the Sharks? Tee-hee-hee.

“Last time I checked we have the reigning Hart and Richard trophy winners and you guys have the Lady Byng. Who’s the sissy now?”

What do those trophies have to do with being (or not being) a sissy?

The Wings have, what, 33 Stanley Cup rings on the team, multiple Vezinas, multiple Selkes, multiple Pearsons, multiple multiple multiple.

Oh, and uh. home ice advantage.  Did any of you Sharks fans watch any of the Wings home games in the first round?  Notice anything?  Can you say BLOWOUT?

Paul - it is hard for me to argue with a man who used “poo poo” in a serious context, but I will attempt to lower myself....

Give the trophy talk a rest. We are talking about THIS YEAR now. I could care less about your multiple Vezinas, Pearsons and personalities.

Now, what exactly did the Sharks win before the lockout?

God, I don’t even really know what I’m doing here, being a Ducks fan and all.  I really need to save some trashtalk for Alanah, but you asked the set-up question, so link.

“Give the trophy talk a rest. We are talking about THIS YEAR now. I could care less about your multiple Vezinas, Pearsons and personalities.”

The fact that the Sharks have no experience is why you don’t understand what such experience means to a team in the playoffs.

“Now, what exactly did the Sharks win before the lockout?

God, I don’t even really know what I’m doing here, being a Ducks fan and all.  I really need to save some trashtalk for Alanah, but you asked the set-up question, so link. “

LOL

they won a few games in the regular season, when both teams were not what they are now?

wow.  this is bordering on comical - the Californians not having a clue what the playoffs are about or how valuable experience is.

the Californians not having a clue what the playoffs are about or how valuable experience is.

Because we don’t delude ourselves into thinking our worn 2001 Stanley Cup t-shirt means we have an edge?

The Wings playoff experience yielded precisely no dividends in 2002.  Or 2003.  Or 2005.

And didn’t yield dividends for the Devils in 2000.  Or 2001.  Or 2003.  Or 2005.

Shall I go on?  This is absolute nonsense.  Good teams win.  Well managed good teams generally stay good.  Therefore lots of teams that win continue to win.  Therefore lots of teams that win have winning experience. 

But teams can get good too.  Having ‘winning experience’ predicts nothing.  If the Wings lose, it’s because they played badly, or the Sharks played well.  Or Chelios had a stroke, or whatever.  If they win, it’s ‘playoff experience’.  There no way to disprove this bs hypothesis, and there’s definitely no predictive value at all.

I take it back.  It does predict one thing.  It predicts their fans will grasp onto ‘knowing how to win’ tightly like a life raft, when practically every single expert is predicting them to lose.

The Wings playoff experience yielded precisely no dividends in 2002.  Or 2003.  Or 2005.

And didn’t yield dividends for the Devils in 2000.  Or 2001.  Or 2003.  Or 2005.

God, I hope you are referring to these years as when the season started ("2000" actually means “2000-2001”, etc.), because otherwise, this starts to get REALLY inaccurate.

One might say that there were significant yields to the Devils in 2000, the Wings in 2002, and the Devils in 2003, but that would just be look at the year in which the cup was actually won.

My hint, actually, was the double reference to “2005”, in which nobody won the cup.

“The Wings playoff experience yielded precisely no dividends in 2002.  Or 2003.  Or 2005.

And didn’t yield dividends for the Devils in 2000.  Or 2001.  Or 2003.  Or 2005. “

You can’t win it with just playoff experience, but it’s hard to win it without playoff experience.  Get it?

I would say the experience did pay dividends for the Wings in 1997, 1998, and 2002.  And it did pay dividends for the Devils in 1995, 2000, and 2003.  And it did pay dividends for the Avalanche in 1996 and 2001.

This is now comical.  The Californians have no idea wtf they’re talking about.

wow.  this is bordering on comical - the Californians not having a clue what the playoffs are about or how valuable experience is.

This is now comical.  The Californians have no idea wtf they’re talking about.

Nice defense mechanism you’re developing there.  Better slap yourself--I think you’re starting to skip.

Let me guess where this goes next: This is now beyond comical, bordering on hilarious.  The Californians don’t understand how experience blah blah blah matters.

Let’s just put this damn thing on the ice and get it over with.  Stay classy, Detroit.

Oh, and uh. home ice advantage.  Did any of you Sharks fans watch any of the Wings home games in the first round?  Notice anything?  Can you say BLOWOUT?

Paul, let’s be honest.  Detroit was playing Calgary.  Not exactly the best road team in the league.  And by “not exactly” I mean the absolute worse road team in the league. 

And Detroit’s no slacker at the Joe anyway.  It’s not like the Wings overcame any great odds to triumphantly defeat a resurgent Calgary, playing their hearts out.  The Flames didn’t bother to show up at all for four games out of six, especially the ones in Detroit.

Just sayin’.

“You guys playin’ cards?” —Flounder

Best thread, ever?

Just a lonely CBJ fan enjoying the view.  wow…

You can’t win it with just playoff experience, but it’s hard to win it without playoff experience.  Get it?

I understand the words you are typing.  But they mean nothing.  They predict nothing.  They are neither provable nor disprovable.  It’s like praying to the hockey gods.

I think we’ve played this discussion out.  I look forward to checking back here again, and hope you guys check out our blog.

“I understand the words you are typing.  But they mean nothing.  They predict nothing.”

I haven’t made any predictions.  I’m just saying that experience is important, and the Wings clearly have an enormous advantage in that respect.  Playoff series are frequently about intangibles, and experience is one of them.

“They are neither provable nor disprovable. “

Um, it’s time-tested and proven that in all things experience is important.  In hockey it can overcome things like, oh I don’t know, a team that has certain advantages over you (like size).  If the Wings counter the Sharks’ size, do the Sharks players have the experience to know how to adjust?

“I think we’ve played this discussion out.  I look forward to checking back here again, and hope you guys check out our blog. “

Run and hide!

Danny “five teams in five years” Markov?  Kyle Quincey? Andreas Lilja? I have major respect for your top two D, they are the best around but then there is a major drop off in my Motown my friends.