Random thoughts after driving back from HP Pavilion:
-It's hard to slag a team that outshoots its opponent 2-1. Still, the Ducks were very effective in clogging up the neutral zone and preventing entry. At the same time, dumping when the outside wingers don't have speed is going to lead to a turnover every team. I hope Todd McLellan is going to utilize his secret plan in Game 2 to break this.
-Defensively, the Sharks were pretty strong except for a few miscues. Anytime you keep a team down under 20 shots, you're doing something right.
-I thought the Cheechoo/Goc/Moen combination was the strongest for the Sharks. The top line failed to really generate many scoring chances and they really lacked speed. Was it because of the sound Anaheim positioning or just a collective brain cramp?
-I didn't have with benefit of instant replay but could anyone figure out what was and what wasn't a call for either team? The only thing consistent about the officiating was that it was confusing.
-While some people, like the woman who sits behind me, are on suicide watch (the woman left after the first goal, convinced that the Sharks were going to go scoreless in four games), I'm going to try and keep a level head about this. A few inches here or there and it could have been a 4-2 Sharks win. However, to say that the shot total was indicative of the play is foolhardy. Too much of the Sharks zone time was spent out of position or failing to hold the boards, and the power play emulated the Ron Wilson days by being overly static.
-Speed, speed, speed through the neutral zone. That's so critical to the Sharks attack and they just forgot how to use it.
-Grade: B-. They played decently enough to win had they had a few bounces go there way but by no means did they play a stellar game. Let's all remember that the Carolina Hurricanes lost their first two games at home before winning the Stanley Cup.
-And finally, I believe I'll be switching my jersey for Game 2 to switch up the mojo.
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