(Phrase finished in the video clip below)
So the real San Jose Sharks decided to come back to the scene of the crime after the disappointing -- no, disgusting beyond words -- Game 4 loss. Despite the 3-2 overtime score, the shots on goal told a more accurate tale of how the game was carried. Yes, there was back and forth, but I think for at least the slight majority of play, the Sharks carried it.
So that means that once again (Game 2), Jonas Hiller was awesome. Does this dude ever tire?
While Patrick Marleau's overtime goal made for nice theatrics, the bottom line is that there are still two freakin' wins to go before a series victory and the margin for error is zero. Losing in six games is nicer than losing in five, but ultimately, a first-round loss sucks no matter how you slice it up.
So that brings us to the Big Epic Battle of Monday's Game 6.
My wife, she of umpteen statistics classes, always likes to remind me that statistically, each game is its own individual contest that has the same percentage of winning/losing as the previous one. I like to think that if all athletes were emotionless robots, that'd be true, but you carry over things like confidence and injuries and desperation from game to game. So while I don't totally buy into that, at least not for a playoff game, I will say this -- rather than looking at it as "The Sharks need two wins to win the series," I prefer this point of view: whoever is down 3-2 going into Game 6 has to focus on just making it to Game 7. Once you get to Game 7, everything goes out the window sans injuries.
I will say this: as stifling as the Ducks system can be, the Sharks have shown that when they forecheck hard, hit, and use their speed through the neutral zone, they can generate scoring chances. The addition of Torrey Mitchell has solidified a third line with Jeremy Roenick and Jonathan Cheechoo that gave the Ducks fits. And for whatever reason, Patrick Marleau and Joe Thornton decided that they were the players of the first half of the season, not the second half.
If it's a switch that can be turned on between Game 4 and Game 5, it can be turned off between Game 5 and Game 6. A half-assed effort isn't goin to cut it and the Sharks haven't won a damn thing yet.
And now, a dramatic BoC presentation...with John Travolta as Patrick Marleau, Samuel L. Jackson as Joe Thornton, Harvey Keitel as Todd McLellan, and the jacked-up car as the Sharks season.
By the way, isn't it about time Jonas Hiller is due for a crappy game?
Prediction: Every BoC reader points to the TV, sees a green shirt by the penalty box, and says "That's Sleek!" at least once during the broadcast.
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