Sharks Comeback Win Proves Frustrating

Sharks 2, Blue Jackets 1

Shots on Goal:  SJ 44, COL 22

Power Play:  SJ 1/8, COL 0/4

Goalies:  W-Nabokov (21 Saves), L-Mason (42 Saves)

1st Star: Joe Pavelski (GW Goal)

2nd Star:  Steve Mason (42 Saves)

3rd Star:  Patrick Marleau (1 Assist)

This was perhaps the most frustrating win for the Sharks, throwing everything they had at Steve Mason until they broke through in the third period. I am not sure if the more frustrating part was just this particular goalie, or just playing from behind ever since the olympics ended. In a side note, I think Brad Staubitz was frustrated about not getting to hit anybody after the cheap shot to Scott Nichol. The next Blue Jacket that rubbed him the wrong way would end up being his victim. Gotta love those enforcers.

Joe Pavelski in his post-game comments even said that it would be nice to score the first goal. I’m sure the team shares that sentiment, especially his goalie Evgeni Nabokov. I do have to say that Nabokov played very well tonight, which is a far cry from the way he started. The only goal he allowed was more attributed to an overplay by Dany Heatley, leading to an odd-man breakout and some slick passing by R.J. Umberger to set up Andrew Murray’s goal.

I do have a more positive look into these come-from-behind efforts lately. The playoffs are always a fight till the very end, and the Sharks have always needed to maintain their focus on their game plan for the full 60 minutes. These comeback wins have to be the best testament to their focus, especially with missing some of their key personnel.

It is that kind of focus that enables Heatley to rebound from his overplay to tie the game with that power play goal in third period, or Pavelski’s rebound and presence of mind for the top-shelf wraparound shot. Even Nabokov’s flurry of activity in the end with the lack of shots Columbus was putting on net.

Based on some of the numbers, the Sharks definitely dominated the action from start to finish. Let’s remember though that Mason is definitely one of the better goalies in the league, even with all the struggles that Columbus has had this year. Heck, Mason even recorded a shutout against the Sharks earlier this year.

Now with this game behind them, looking ahead has many potential previews of first-round opponents the Sharks may face. Games against Nashville (3/11); Anaheim (3/14); Dallas (3/16, 3/25, 3/31); Calgary (3/19, 4/6); and Minnesota (3/23, 4/2) will give fans a good sample size of any and all matchup scenarios. Sharks fans, pay very close attention to those games. Any one of these remaining opponents could be the first-round matchup, even the teams five or six points out of a playoff spot can catch fire.

The sprint to the playoffs is on, and all that should matter for the Sharks is getting that home-ice edge. It doesn’t guarantee anything, as we well know, but every little bit helps.

Tags: Game Recap, Opinion

Sharks vs. Canadiens Blog

Time to hit the gas pedal all across the NHL. With the trade deadline in the rearview mirror, only 19 games remain for the Sharks to secure the top spot in the conference. They must get off to a good start to shake the memory of how their loss to New Jersey, no matter how spirited that third period comeback was. More importantly, which Evgeni Nabokov is going to show up tonight? If there is a repeat performance of last night, he is in major trouble.

The “live” entry will return for tonight, against a Montreal team fighting for its playoff life. Should be a good one.

1st Period

-Todd McLellan wasting no time in shuffling his lines a little bit. He moves Patrick Marleau down to the second line, and promotes Devin Setoguchi to the top line. Well deserved after his two goal game.

-Numerous chances early on for the Sharks against Carey Price who has been sharing time with Slovak olympian Jaroslav Halak. Both were mentioned in trade talks for the longest time.

-By the way, former Sharks Josh Gorges and Travis Moen make a return to the tank.

-Here is something nice to see, Setoguchi is starting to adopt power forward tendencies. He was very aggressive along the boards against New Jersey, and has not let up tonight.

-Of course, another slow start to this one. A collective failure on this one, as the Canadiens strike first thanks to Brian Gionta capitalizing on a turnover. It appeared Nabokov had a way to see the puck, but that was a total failure for everyone on the ice. Turnovers in your own zone? Good luck with that.

-Setoguchi continues to impress this period, not just being physical along the boards but also creating chances on the offensive end. He’s a key dark horse for the Stanley Cup run.

-Nabokov finally gets some confidence building with an intense Montreal attack. Not just saving the initial shot, but also the first and second chances on that same sequence. I feel somewhat better now.

-Well, Sharks get their first power play and can’t do anything with it. Even Montreal got a short-handed chance on Nabokov. Good grief…

-Joe Pavelski had a great breakaway opportunity, but Price made an even better save on it. Within the final two minutes, that would have made for some nice momentum.

-With the first period over, pretty even if not for that careless turnover by the Sharks in their own end. Sharks did outshoot Montreal 15-10, even outhit them. Don’t count on them being too happy about those things though.

2nd Period

-Now that’s what I like to see! Even on a penalty kill, Marleau gets a shorthanded goal to set a new career high for goals scored in a season. Shorthanded goals have to be deflating no matter what side your own, perhaps the momentum changes hands.

-No sooner do I get optimistic, the Canadiens respond with a power play goal by Scott Gomez. Montreal is a good power play team, and the Sharks were 1 second away from killing the penalty. On that sequence though, it wouldn’t have mattered. Real rough break as Douglas Murray inadvertently redirected it to his own net. Yikes.

-Has the whole team lost its focus? Already in a 4-on-4 situation, Ryane Clowe gets a tripping penalty. This has been a sloppy period, and all that has happened has just been within the first four minutes! Oy.

-Huge penalty kill for the Sharks, and didn’t come without my heart stopping briefly. Nabokov cleared the puck out IN THE MIDDLE of the ice and had to react quickly on a glove save with 2 seconds left on the power play. Nabby, common sense, the boards are your friends.

-I never got to see Manny Malhotra really load up for a slapshot, but man that was a humm-baby type of shot. I think he’s well rested, and even Price had to try and regain his balance from making the save.

-Now the opportunity to tie the game has presented itself with a slashing penalty to Andrei Markov. Won’t be very difficult to improve on the last power play chance, even if they don’t score. Yep, it was that bad.

-At a commercial break with 8:37 left in the period, I do have to say the Sharks are staying with it around the net. Eventually those second chances will go in, they need to continue the pressure.

-I’m liking the extra emotion right now. For not facing each other that much, it’s starting to fell like a rivalry game. Some of the little slashes and pushes in front of Nabokov even brought a little shoving match. Gotta love hockey in times like that.

-Price is just on tonight, making a save even without his stick. It ends up being a penalty shot for Dan Boyle that he hits off the crossbar, ever so close to going in.

-Countless chances on that power play, and even Price needed some help from the crossbar on that sequence. Eventually some of these chances have to go through…right?

-OK, after that eventful second period I think frustrated would be the best way to describe the Sharks right now. It’s affecting their play right now, and they seem to be taking out their frustration by picking fights. Price has clearly frustrated them, thwarting all of their additional opportunities. The worst thing to do would be to abandon the plan, because Price can only withstand it so long. This is still anybody’s game with it being 2-1 Canadiens.

3rd Period

-What is it with the Sharks and crossbars/goal posts tonight? For the third time, they are foiled as Scott Nichol had a great breakaway opportunity set up by Torrey Mitchell’s hustle through the neutral zone. The referees do miss an obvious call as Nichol was leveled at the end of the play, and he wasn’t even pursuing the puck. Pitiful. One thing is for sure, Drew Remenda is teed off by the hit, and rightfully so.

-Cause for concern: Nichol left the ice after that hit and has not returned to the Sharks’ bench since.

-Nearing the midway point of the third period, it is really becoming desperation time for the Sharks. Not to mention the fact that the refs have done a less than exemplary job of calling this game tonight. Nearly had a serious injury on their watch that could’ve been avoided, bad form.

-Finally the Sharks break through on the power play, with Dany Heatley redirecting Boyle’s shot to tie the game 2-2. Now where was that Tuesday night??? Regardless, it was a shot of energy through the whole building, and now the team is really skating on their toes right now.

-Even though he might not get the credit, Mitchell again playing a huge role. He sets up the offense and gets the puck around to Malhotra, who gives the Sharks the lead with just under five minutes left.

-Now whether it was desperation mode kicking in, or perhaps the hit to Nichol on his breakaway chance, but the Sharks showed some real fire to close this game out. It was a fight, but it only serves as preparation for the constant battle mode the postseason will bring.

-What a way to seal it, and perhaps Malhotra’s comments at the end of the game were perhaps the best ones to sum it up. He said the team had a “60 minute plan” and stuck with it even after 40. Brilliant. When all is said and done, the Sharks get a hard-fought, if not frustrating win. Perhaps it was necessary for the team’s mettle to get through this one. Here are the final numbers from the game:

Shots on Goal:  SJ 40, MON 30

Power Play:  SJ 1/4, MON 1/4

Goalies:  W-Nabokov (28 saves), L-Price (37 saves)

Star:  Marleau (1 goal, 1 assist)

Dud:  Maxim Lapierre (cheap shot on Nichol)

It was entertaining, we’ll definitely do this again soon.

Tags: Game Log, Opinion

Only Three Words For This Game: I Blame Nabby

New Jersey 4, San Jose 3

Power Play:  NJ 1/3, SJ 1/1

Shots on Goal:  NJ 25, SJ 20

Goalies:  W-Martin Brodeur (17 saves), L-Evgeni Nabokov (21 saves)

Star:  Devin Setoguchi (2 Goals)

Dud:  Nabokov

If it wasn’t for the third period flurry, maybe I would not have been as quick to point the finger at goalie Evgeni Nabokov for his horrid performance. The more I think about it though, I probably would have blamed him regardless for this one.

Let’s go to what did go right on this one. I had the chance to see this game in person, and they did some well-timed tributes to the olympians on the ice (especially the medal winners). Joe Pavelski got the biggest ovation, which was expected, and the gold medal winning Sharks also got a great reception as well. The fans were their usual selves, which makes HP Pavilion absolutely electric. If you ever get a chance to experience it, do it, it is very much worth it.

In the actual game, I enjoyed seeing Devin Setoguchi having one of those breakout kind of games. It wasn’t just the two goals that stood out, this guy was playing physical. He was delivering hits that reverberated, and I loved seeing that part of his game in the picture. The Sharks as a whole were outhitting the Devils throughout the night. Of course, Pavelski’s goal to make it 4-3 in the third period sent shockwaves through the stands.

Now as far as what didn’t go right, well all you need to do is look at the man between the pipes. When Drew Remenda spoke with Gary Radnich on KNBR the morning of the game, he expressed optimism about how Nabokov would respond to his embarrassing performance in Vancouver. Now if only it applied to tonight’s game, that would be a different story.

Look, the first goal was a bit fluky because it just happened to take a weird stop in the crease before getting punched in. Then there was the third goal, he was screened off without many options. Hence, that would leave us with the two goals he did allow. They were easily stoppable shots and that’s the frustrating part. Could it be his inconsistency is rearing his ugly head again? I was among the many Sharks fans concerned about Nabokov’s showing against Canada in that 7-3 loss, now I have even more reason to be after this performance.

All I can say is that Nabokov needs to get his act together, or this WILL be the last year he wears teal. His contract does expire after this year (let the speculation begin), so his back is against the wall on this one. The only thing is that I don’t really see any suitable alternatives, and I still have my doubts about whether Thomas Greiss is really ready to take over full time.

A side note, I have to say that I have new non-Sharks player that I consider one of my favorites in the league. Zach Parise is one of those players I did not know much about before the olympics, but getting to watch him in person I have a greater appreciation for his style of play. For tonight though, he got the typical opponent’s treatment.

Finally, I am just crossing my fingers that the egg Nabokov laid is not a sign of things to come. If that is the case, the dreaded words “wait ’til next year” will hang over San Jose…again.

Tags: Game Recap, Opinion

Gold Medal Game is Everything Hockey is Supposed to Be

This game really was about two teams with VERY different paths to this game. For the United States, they were an afterthought and many thought they would not even medal (except yours truly of course). Many had them behind traditional powers such as Russia, Sweden, Czech Republic, and even Finland. For Canada, this is supposed to be the culmination of where they expected to be all along. This was a game where you hate to see somebody lose because it really was that good. Unfortunately, no miracle took place on the Vancouver ice.

Canada 3, United States 2 (OT)

Shots on Goal:  CAN 39, USA 36

Power Play:  CAN 0/2, USA 0/2

Penalty Minutes:  CAN 4, USA 4

Think about this, in my last entry I stated that the only country to win the men’s hockey gold on their home soil was the U.S. (1960 & 1980). Now Canada only becomes the second country to do so, and I have never heard so many people sing their national anthem at one time. This game was physical, intense, had a back-and-forth feel to it, and it was the players who decided the game instead of the referees.

Canada would strike first to start off, with Jonathan Toews (Chicago) getting his first goal of the olympics. Even from there, the U.S. continued to be the aggressors and delivering blow after blow to the equally physical play of Canada. Even Dany Heatley was sent flying into the U.S. bench, which may have had Sharks fans hold their breath ever so slightly.

The second period would feature Corey Perry (Anaheim) extending the lead to 2-0, with Ryan Getzlaf (Anaheim) even assisting on the goal. Even that wouldn’t get the U.S. out of its gameplan, and they continued to wear down the Canadians. Their hard work would pay off as they finally broke through with Ryan Kesler (Vancouver) redirecting a shot past his NHL teammate Roberto Luongo (Vancouver) to make it 2-1. From there it was a whole new hockey game.

Then, just as it seemed to be all wrapped up for the Canadians, Zach Parise (New Jersey) continued his hot streak to tie the game up with a bum rush towards the net. It nearly sent all of Canada into shock, and shifted all of the momentum back to the U.S. bench.

In overtime though, shock would become jubilation as Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh) would become the golden boy with the game winner right under Ryan Miller’s (Buffalo) pads to start the celebration.

Even with the absence of any notable contributions by the Sharks in this game, the locker room will definitely have a much different feel to it now that some of the participations have tasted success. This is where I think the olympic participation will actually help the Sharks, because now the main cogs have seen what it takes to make it to the mountaintop. Is it winning the Stanley Cup? Not really, but many would argue that this accomplishment is on the same level. Even Crosby, who just won the cup last year would attest to that.

As much fun as I have had covering these olympics, I am just as excited to see the NHL season resume tomorrow night. Granted, the Sharks don’t resume until Tuesday so that gives me a little extra time.

Let’s see if the newly minted golden and silver Sharks can help pave the way for the franchise to achieve its own gold medal type of moment. Get ready for the chase to resume on Tuesday for team teal.

Finland Gets Bronzed

Even if this wasn’t for the ultimate prize, you wouldn’t know it the way these teams played with their own national pride on the line. For Slovakia, it was the chance to earn a men’s hockey medal for the first time in their country’s history. For Finland, it was erasing the memory of the plastering they received by the U.S. Redemption and national recognition were on the line, and the game didn’t disappoint.

Finland 4, Slovakia 3

Shots on Goal:  FIN 33, SLO 22

Power Play:  FIN 3/8, SLO 2/7

Penalty Minutes:  FIN 14, SLO 18

I have to say that I was very surprised to see Miikka Kiprusoff (Calgary) back in net after his epic flameout. I am sure that as a top-notch goalie, his pride would not let him go down without a shot at redemption. While he was not at his sharpest, the former Sharks goaltender got the job done saving 19 shots. Even with the shaky second third period allowing three goals, Finland’s offense came alive in the third period with four goals of their own. Olli Jokinen (NY Rangers) led the way with two goals, Kiprusoff’s teammate Niklas Hagman (Calgary) also added one, then Sami Salo (Vancouver) and Valtteri Filppula (Detroit) finished off the scoring.

Slovakia did not go down without a fight however, but just could not come through with that tying goal in the waning minutes. NHLers Marian Hossa (Chicago), Marian Gaborik (NY Rangers), and Pavol Demitra (Vancouver) contributed to make the game interesting. Even with all of that firepower, that ever critical goal remained elusive. This team has nothing to hang its heads about though, especially with the tournament as stacked as it was. Making it as far as they did is a testament to how far they have come as a hockey nation.

One final note on a former Shark, this is perhaps the last olympic game for Teemu Selanne and being able to garner multiple medals is quite an accomplishment as well. While he may not possess a gold medal, he does have the olympic scoring record and a Stanley Cup ring. You would be hard-pressed to find anyone to not call his career both in the NHL and the olympics a success.

The grand finale is set for all time zones at 12:15 PST, it will perhaps be the most watched hockey game in the history of the sport. Bring it on, I am smelling a repeat of 1980.

Tags: Olympic Recap

Gold Medal Stage is Set

It is half of the “dream final” that was widely predicted before these games occurred, but it ultimately turns out to be the game that ALOT of people wanted after all. Yes, the stage is set for what should be an epic United States-Canada rematch for the gold. It will have shades of 2002, when Canada spoiled the party in Salt Lake City and took the gold. Here is an interesting fact: in all of men’s olympic hockey history, only the United States has won as the host country (1960 & 1980). Ponder that one as I take you through the semifinals.

United States 6, Finland 1

Shots on Goal:  USA 25, FIN 25

Power Play:  USA 2/6, FIN 1/3

Penalty Minutes:  USA 6, FIN 20

Seriously, this one was ridiculous and there is no other way to put it. Six goals in the first period? Are you kidding me? No kidding around here as the U.S. “Finnish”-ed their business (yes, I’ve been waiting to use that one) and made one more step towards another gold. The onslaught was early and often, and after one period it was enough to dispatch a tough Finland team. Miikka Kiprusoff’s (Calgary) flameout was probably the most spectacular part of the night, giving up four goals on SEVEN shots. He was playing well heading into this game too, so that was incredible. Niklas Backstrom (Minnesota) would later replace him and have a decent showing with 16 saves on 18 shots but the damage was done by then.

Today just happened to be Patrick Kane’s (Chicago) turn to have his breakout game with two goals, which had to have helped his confidence. Zach Parise (New Jersey) continued his strong play with a goal and assist, while Ryan Malone (Tampa Bay), Erik Johnson (St. Louis), and Paul Stastny (Colorado) finished off the scoring. Brian Rafalski (Detroit) continues to be the blue line catalyst with two assists of his own. Finally, Ryan Miller (Buffalo) continues to be the best goalie of the olympics pitching a shutout before getting a curtain call to rest and prepare for perhaps the biggest game of his young career.

As far as the Sharks front is concerned, Joe Pavelski also contributed to the barrage with an assist of his own. He has been more of a role player than anything else, but Sharks fans know he is more than capable of being a scorer so he is lurking in the shadows.

Canada 3, Slovakia 2

Shots on Goal:  CAN 28, SLO 21

Power Play:  CAN 1/2, SLO 0/1

Penalty Minutes:  CAN 2, SLO 4

In this game I wanted interesting, and boy did I ever get what I asked for out of it. It took a late third period rally by Slovakia to get it, but it set the stage for an epic finish which made you hold your breath. The nice thing was that it kept moving, as evidenced by the lack of penalty minutes. Perhaps this was the cleanest game of the entire tournament, so nobody could cite an absence of excitement.

Patrick Marleau did his part to help ensure the perhaps the largest number of current Sharks players to ever participate in a gold medal matchup. His first period goal got his team and the crowd going, and that was followed by Brenden Morrow (Dallas) and Ryan Getzlaf (Anaheim) before the entire country started sitting on pins and needles.

In all honesty, Roberto Luongo (Vancouver) actually looks very beatable right now. Sure, he did make 19 saves tonight but doesn’t bring that intimidating factor that Miller does right now for the U.S. Needless to say, the team (much like the country they represent) looks and seems very skittish at this moment. Compare that with the U.S., who are a very confident bunch (as well they should be).

This weekend, the medals will be decided. Yes, even with all the hubbub of the gold medal game the bronze will be decided. Here is the schedule for the weekend of games. As always, look here afterwards for reactions.

Saturday (7:00):  Finland vs. Slovakia

Sunday (12:15):  United States vs. Canada

This weekend will be an epic close to the olympics, which has actually been one of the more enjoyable ones for me. Though I have always been a fan of the summer games, and 2012 is just around the corner.

Tags: Olympic Recap

Russia and Sweden Losses Headline the Quarterfinals

Well who saw that one coming? If you did, raise your hand and I’ll give you a shot at the lottery. I mean, there are surprises and then there are surprises. There will definitely be more about those games in my summations, but the quarterfinals produced some great matchups on paper. Let’s get right to them shall we?

United States 2, Switzerland 0

Shots on Goal:  USA 44, SUI 19

Power Play:  USA 1/4, SUI 0/3

Penalty Minutes:  USA 6, SUI 8

I figured that this game would be interesting, but honestly it got too interesting for my taste. Because of the brilliance exhibited by NBC bigwigs, I watched this game in its entirety online. Not that it was a bad thing, I just know that because of the great run by the U.S. it will spur ratings on the network. Believe me, they can use all the help possible right now but they are not exactly helping themselves right now. It’s as if Jeff Zucker is making the decisions right now.

Aside from the National Blunder Channel (or whichever nickname you prefer), this game went right down to the wire after being scoreless through the first two periods. That is when Zach Parise (New Jersey) took matters into his own hands and broke the tie with a power play goal. Towards the end he would add an empty netter, his first goals of the olympics. If there was ever a time for him to break through it was now, and he made all the difference.

Once again we absolutely cannot forget the performance of Ryan Miller (Buffalo) who stopped all 19 shots, giving the U.S. its first olympic shutout since Mike Richter in 2002 when the games were in Salt Lake City. He has been playing like a goalie possessed, allowing Tim Thomas (Boston) and Jonathan Quick (Los Angeles) to get quite comfortable on the bench.

Finally, we bid a fond farewell to Jonas Hiller (Anaheim) who perhaps was the hardest luck goalie of these olympics. His 42 saves only tell part of the story, because he stood on his head with the second and third chance opportunities.

All in all, it was an ugly win for the U.S. but a win nonetheless. You’d be surprised how much these ugly wins could do for a team’s confidence.

Canada 7, Russia 3

Shots on Goal:  CAN 42, RUS 28

Power Play:  CAN 1/4, RUS 1/3

Penalty Minutes:  CAN 10, RUS 10

So this game brought about two questions for me:

Is this the real team Canada?

Did Russia just forget how to play hockey all of a sudden?

I will throw up a yes and no to the aforementioned questions, because I think Canada was just a tad bit motivated after being humbled by their southern neighbors. This is the game everyone wanted, except it would’ve been on a bigger stage. For the sake of the Russians, perhaps they should be thankful it wasn’t because it was just that embarrassing for them.

Before I get to the good stuff on the Sharks that participated, this has raised legitimate concerns for me about Evgeni Nabokov. Um, Nabby…you do know how these guys play right? Yet all you can turn in is a 17 save performance against 23 shots? Now if you care more about the Stanley Cup than a gold medal, then I can probably live with that. Then again, you were one of many that just let down your home country so I’m unsure how you feel about that currently.

As far as the Sharks that did show up, well they all had that red maple leaf on the front of their sweaters. Dan Boyle was on fire with three points (one goal, two assists), and even his goal was a Sharks connection with Dany Heatley and Patrick Marleau with the assists. Joe Thornton did not do a whole lot, so he was easy to lose in that sea of all-stars.

Other big performers include Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf (Anaheim) with two goals for Perry, and one goal and two assists for Getzlaf. Shea Weber (Nashville) added another goal without ripping a hole through another net, then Rick Nash (Columbus) and Brenden Morrow (Dallas) rounded out the scoring.

Wouldn’t it be great to see a U.S.-Canada rematch for the gold? It’s now one step closer to possibly happening.

Finland 2, Czech Republic 0

Shots on Goal:  FIN 31, CZE 31

Power Play:  FIN 1/6, CZE 0/2

Penalty Minutes:  FIN 4, CZE 12

This game pretty much cemented everything I believed about this Finland team, they can win anyway possible. Ugly or pretty, they always find a way to get it done and have all the tools making them the most versatile team in the olympics. Now this is not to say that they are necessarily the best team, but they find many ways to win.

This game was no exception, as former Shark Miikka Kiprusoff (Calgary) made 31 saves to pitch a shutout. He continues to be one of the more solid goaltenders of the tourney, unlike the guy he used to be the backup for during his Sharks days.

Even Kiprusoff’s teammate Niklas Hagman (Calgary) broke things open for the Fins with a key power play goal, which actually ended up being the kiss of death for the Czechs. No doubt they are disappointed, they just happened to run into a buzzsaw.

Now Finland’s next game will be against the U.S., which will lend itself to being a very interesting semifinal round.

Slovakia 4, Sweden 3

Shots on Goal:  SLO 14, SWE 29

Power Play:  SLO 2/5, SWE 0/3

Penalty Minutes:  SLO 6, SWE 10

What better way to cap off a great night of hockey than with an upset? This was yet another result I did not see coming, and I think Canada is happy because it is one less difficult opponent to deal with. Granted, the fans were pulling for the underdog to see them do well, but you have to think that an easier path to the gold was in the back of their minds.

Really, the story of the night was goalie Henrik Lundqvist (NY Rangers) for all the wrong reasons. Coming into this game, he carried a shutout streak of almost 177 minutes. Slovakia did not seem to care much for it, striking quick for 2 goals in a span of 37 seconds. What’s worse, even with being outshot, Slovakia still made the most of its chances in delivering the stunning upset. Marian Gaborik (NY Rangers) delivered the first strike on his teammate during a power play and it was back and forth from there. The big difference was Tomas Kopecky (Chicago) putting Slovakia up 4-2 with a clutch goal in the third period for some insurance. Once again, goaltending made the difference as Jaroslav Halak (Montreal) was everything he needed to be in making 26 saves. Sweden was throwing everything they had at them, and he was up for the task.

So with that loss, another fond farewell is sent to Douglas Murray who is no doubt disappointed. With virtue of the in-game stats, he didn’t do horrible with a +1 rating for the game. He can now refocus on the Stanley Cup chase, although a gold medal would have been nice as well.

Now it’s on to the semifinals, which again has given us some epic matchups. Now if only NBC would just cut this tape-delay nonsense, but I’m not holding my breath on that one. Here is the semifinal round set for Friday.

Noon:  United States vs. Finland

6:30:  Canada vs. Slovakia

Gold medal game berths are on the line, and I have a feeling it just might be a U.S.-Canada rematch. That may make NBC reconsider their programming strategy.

Tags: Olympic Recap

Qualifying Rounds Begin and End With a Bang

The push for the medal rounds is officially underway, and if the qualifying rounds are of any indication it is gonna be a wild ride. There was of course the foreseeable upset, but the rest of the games were as competitive as ever. This is perhaps lending to the notion that the playing field might be leveling out just a bit. Some of these countries have made considerable progress, and then there are a couple that have some major roads to plow. On with the games.

Switzerland 3, Belarus 2 (SO)

Shots on Goal:  SUI 43, BLR 22

Power Play:  SUI 2/3, BLR 1/5

Penalty Minutes:  SUI 10, BLR 6

So after this hard fought game, what is Switzerland’s reward? Well, how about a potential going away party courtesy of the U.S.? To the victor go the spoils (or in this case, to the top seed goes the easy bait). Now, while Switzerland was able to give Canada everything it could handle taking them to a shootout, remember that the Americans did dispatch them in regulation. Ponder that before making your picks for the next round.

Jonas Hiller (Anaheim) had a relatively light workload tonight making 20 saves, but he showed his nerves of steel sealing the win for the Swiss. Mark Streit (NY Islanders) made himself known with an assist to put the Swiss ahead 2-1, now if only they had held on to that lead. Who knows what that extra time may mean before they face the Americans tomorrow.

For Belarus, they didn’t go down without a fight. Aliaksey Kaliuzhny and Konstantin Zakharov kept their fellow countrymen in the game, and Andrei Mezin had a 40 save night before he seemingly ran out of gas. This set Canada Hockey Place abuzz for their home country’s game to follow.

Canada 8, Germany 2

Shots on Goal:  CAN 39, GER 23

Power Play:  CAN 1/3, GER 0/3

Penalty Minutes:  CAN 6, GER 4

Was there never a more inevitable result than this one? I started to feel sorry for the Germans, they were completely outmatched from the get-go on this. That didn’t stop Jeremy Roenick from being critical of their defensive gameplan, which he described as “passive” and pointed to that as one of the reasons why Germany leaves winless. Any way you choose to slice this, it was not going to end well with a Canadian team humbled by their stunning defeat to the U.S. on Sunday.

Jarome Iginla (Calgary) seems to be catching fire at the right time with a two-goal performance, Shea Weber (Nashville) had a goal that literally ripped through the net, while Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh), Mike Richards (Philadelphia), Scott Niedermayer (Anaheim), and Rick Nash (Columbus) rounded out the scoring. Roberto Luongo hasn’t drawn the challenging assignments yet, but took care of business with 21 saves. His first test is next against the Russians, good luck kid.

This was by far the biggest gathering of current and former Sharks all in one game. Joe Thornton actually got the first tally, with some help via Dany Heatley. Dan Boyle even got an assist on Iginla’s second goal of the game, and Patrick Marleau was held without a point. On the other side of things, it couldn’t have been a worse night for Thomas Greiss making only 31 saves on the night. One of the few positives came from Marcel Goc (Nashville) breaking the shutout bid for Luongo, while the rest of the former Sharks maintained their continued olympic disappearing act.

I just wonder what the post-game handshake must have been like between Thornton and Greiss. Perhaps Thornton told him, “Sorry Tommy, nothin personal eh?” We can only wonder.

Czech Republic 3, Latvia 2 (OT)

Shots on Goal:  CZE 39, LAT 18

Power Play:  CZE 2/5, LAT 1/5

Penalty Minutes:  CZE 10, LAT 10

For the second episode of the edge-of-your seat series, this was the only game taking place at the Thunderbird Arena. With the amount of games being played, one match had to take the alternate site. Good thing this was entertaining, because it was a little disheartening to see a bunch of empty seats for this one.

Even though Latvia lost this thriller, my first star for this one goes to their goalie Edgars Masalskis. The numbers on his 47-save performance don’t even tell half the story. This guy was literally standing on his head making some of the most amazing saves I have seen to this point. Unfortunately, it was only a matter of time before the barrage of shots would go through on him. He should be commended for keeping his team in it until the very end.

For the Czechs, they nearly sent themselves home early after hitting auto pilot with a 2-0 lead. None of these teams go down without a fight, but somebody forgot to pass them the memory. Tomas Fleischmann (Washington) led the offensive attack with a goal and assist on the game-winner, scored by David Krejci (Boston).

Milan Michalek (Ottawa) was again held off the stat sheet, but may have to take on a bigger role for the next game. Jaromir Jagr was injured during this game, which will expand everybody’s roles. He is not quite the star that dominated during his NHL heyday, but he is still one of their best players. As the plot thickens, hmmm.

Slovakia 4, Norway 3

Shots on Goal:  SLO 40, NOR 19

Power Play:  SLO 3/3, NOR 0/2

Penalty Minutes:  SLO 4, NOR 29

There really is only one thing you need to look at to see how Slovakia won. Any time you have a perfect day on your power play, you’re going to be difficult to beat. Norway defenseman Ole-Kristian Tollefsen (Detroit) also shot his team’s chances in the foot with his check near the head area. Just a heads-up, when you get a 25-minute penalty chances are you did something boneheaded. Even worse that it was in an elimination game, so well done there.

Marian Gaborik (NY Rangers) and Richard Zednik were the big stars with a goal and assist each, with Miroslav Satan (Boston) sealing it up with the game winner.

Now Slovakia is not exactly a world-beater, but they do have some talent. I wonder if they took Norway lightly, or if Norway really did improve through the course of the tourney. Something to ponder until 2014 if you feel so inclined.

Now the real push begins with the quarterfinals set to go with their matchups. Four more games of hockey in one day? With these matchups, you would want to set up shop in front of your TV as well.

Noon:  United States vs. Switzerland

4:30:  Russia vs. Canada

7:00:  Finland vs. Czech Republic

9:00:  Sweden vs. Slovakia

Just looking at these matchups is making me giddy. If the action is anything like it was on Sunday, hang on for the ride. It is about to get much more exciting.

Tags: Olympic Recap

How About Those Americans, eh? Oh, and There Were Other Games Too…

OK, I won’t be pulling punches here. Even after having a day of letting it sink in, I am still psyched about the Americans’ upset of Canada. So much so that I am breaking the trend of summarizing the games in chronological order. I believe that this team is not only a dark horse to medal in these games, but now that medal may actually be gold given how things have fallen into place. On to the summaries.

United States 5, Canada 3

Shots on Goal:  USA 23, CAN 45

Power Play:  USA 1/4, CAN 1/4

Penalty Minutes:  USA 6, CAN 8

This game made me nervous, as impressive as the USA was in sending the entire host country into shock. Canada put an endless barrage of shots on Ryan Miller (Buffalo), and dominated long stretches of this game. Thankfully for the USA, Miller was unbelievable with 42 saves. In fact, what helped the USA’s cause was that they were not afraid to be physical against some of their “former” teammates. Seeing the guys in red sweaters getting roughed up by the underdogs was a pleasant surprise. Asserting that was very crucial, aside from the fact that the USA looked fast. Youth was definitely served.

Brian Rafalski (Detroit) gave his NHL coach some headaches with his two-goal performance, showing his key veteran leadership. Chris Drury (NY Rangers), Jamie Langenbrunner (New Jersey), and Ryan Kesler (Vancouver) rounded out the scoring even with the limited number of shots they had.

Joe Pavelski, while being able to enjoy the win, was not able to contribute much to the game except a high-sticking penalty. After his two-assist game against Norway, he has not produced as much as I would have hoped.

One final note, this game actually did spur a goalie change with Martin Brodeur (New Jersey) replaced by Roberto Luongo (Vancouver). Is team Canada in shambles? Will it send the nation into a panic? Those questions to be answered in due time.

Russia 4, Czech Republic 2

Shots on Goal:  RUS 31, CZE 25

Power Play:  RUS 1/3, CZE 1/6

Penalty Minutes:  RUS 12, CZE 6

If anyone needed a bounce back game it was Russia. Slovakia is by no means a slouch team, but it is very much a testament to how good Russia is when that is considered an upset. From the get-go, Russia re-asserted why they are considered gold medal favorites. Evgeni Malkin (Pittsburgh) was the offensive star of the game with a three-point showing (two goals, one assist), while Pavel Datsyuk (Detroit) and former Shark Viktor Kozlov finished off the scoring. In fact the other former Shark Milan Michalek (Ottawa) finally scored his first goal of the olympics, so it’s nice to see team teal’s influence show on the state sheet.

By the way, I find it interesting that Russia wins when they put Evgeni Nabokov back in net. He was in net for the first game and sat the second game, the results speak for themselves. He did turn in a stellar performance after all, getting 23 saves for his second win. Does Nabokov start the rest of the way? Seems simple enough, but we shall see.

Sweden 3, Finland 0

Shots on Goal:  SWE 32, FIN 20

Power Play:  SWE 2/5, FIN 0/7

Penalty Minutes:  SWE 14, FIN 33

Something else I will confess to, Sweden scares me. They seem to have all the weapons they need, from the goalie to the blue line and the forwards. Why no one mentions them in the same breath as Canada and Russia is beyond me, but perhaps they have moved into the discussion now. Finland is no slouch either, but in this one Sweden was just a bit better. For starters, Henrik Lundqvist (NY Rangers) pitching a shutout with a 20 save performance definitely makes all the difference. How about Loui Erikkson (Dallas) with his two power play goals? Let’s not leave out Nicklas Backstrom (Washington) who had a strong game in his own right with three points (one goal, two assists).

The most ridiculous thing of all? How about Finland’s Joni Pitkanen (Carolina) getting 27 penalty minutes? Yes, you read that right. Most of that was for checking somebody from the neck up, which is really a cheap shot more than anything else. If I didn’t know any better, I’d consider him a dirty player. Come on man, you’re better than that. At least, so I thought.

In other parts, still not much in the way of stat contributions for Douglas Murray. However, I think the play of the blue line deserves some credit too for shutting out a very underrated Finland team. Former Shark Miikka Kiprusoff (Calgary) played well with 29 saves, but can only do much when his teammates don’t score. That’s been a problem for anyone playing Sweden.

Today was the beginning of the women’s playoff road to the medal rounds, so the men’s teams get a reprieve. Tomorrow is a full slate of games, with this being the last chance for some countries to make some noise.

Noon:  Switzerland vs. Belarus (USA plays winner)

4:30:  Canada vs. Germany

7:00:  Czech Republic vs. Latvia

9:00:  Slovakia vs. Norway

I will not go so far as to say these games are in the bag for the favorites, but they sure seem to lean that way right now. I will play the prediction card and say that Switzerland, Canada, Czech Republic, and Slovakia advance to the next rounds.

Tags: Olympic Recap

First Win Breakthroughs Dominate Day Five

All but one of the teams that took the ice on Saturday had any hope of making the playoff rounds. Still, that doesn’t stop any of them from playing their hearts out. Just ask Canada when they played Switzerland, or even Sweden when they played Germany. Take one opponent lightly, and the consequences can be devastating, right Russia? Here is the summation of day five of the hockey tourney, brought to you by me of course.

Switzerland 5, Norway 4

Shots on Goal:  SUI 38, NOR 23

Power Play:  SUI 1/2, NOR 1/5

Penalty Minutes:  SUI 10, NOR 4

Thankfully for the Swiss, the goals finally came on a night when Jonas Hiller (Anaheim) was not at his sharpest, stopping only 19 shots. All five goals came from five different players in a game that perhaps everyone believed they should have won. Norway’s goaltending is far from spectacular as we have come to find out this year. Mark Streit (NY Islanders), the only other NHLer for the Swiss, contributed with an assist.

As far as Norway goes, how bad should you feel for Tore Vikingstad who may just have the most appropriate Norwegian name on the roster? Well, he carried the load with a hat trick and it still was not enough. Still, a hat trick should be celebrated regardless because of the feat that it is.

Slovakia 6, Latvia 0

Shots on Goal:  SLO 37, LAT 21

Power Play:  SLO 2/3, LAT 0/4

Penalty Minutes:  SLO 8, LAT 6

If there was one cupcake game on the Saturday slate, this was it. A team fresh off their upset win over Russia, Slovakia is continuing to get its legs under them heading into the playoff rounds. They dominated everything from the power play, to the shots on goal, and even kept in fairly clean as far as penalty minutes. Former NHLer Jozef Stumpel led the way for the Slovaks with a three-point performance (one goal, two assists), and even current NHLer Michal Handzus (Los Angeles) duplicated those efforts right down to the goals and assists. Finally, Jaroslav Halak (Montreal) should not be overlooked for the shutout he pitched. An all-around great game for Slovakia indeed.

Belarus 5, Germany 3

Shots on Goal:  BLR 17, GER 40

Power Play:  BLR 1/4, GER 1/3

Penalty Minutes:  BLR 6, GER 8

Yet another example of tough luck for the Germans, a team having major difficulties scoring until Saturday. Unfortunately, everything else seemed to go wrong all at once. Heading into the third period, it was 2-1 in favor of Belarus. That was when the floodgates opened and the goalies couldn’t seem to stop anything. The difference was in the third period, when Ruslan Salei (Colorado) snapped a 3-3 tie with a huge power play goal. From there, Belarus never looked back in getting its first win.

As far as the Sharks go, this was the only game featuring anyone currently/formerly with the team. Thomas Greiss made headlines for all the wrong reasons, stopping only 12 shots. He had a bad night when Germany needed him most. On the flip side, Christian Ehrhoff did not do much in the game, except make a visit to the penalty box for interference. Marcel Goc (Nashville) on the other hand, was able to break through for a goal to tie the game up at 3-3 in the third period.

Sunday, as it turns out will be the big rivalry day in all three games. This is perhaps the day of group play that I am most looking forward to. Just take a gander at the matchups.

Noon:  Russia vs. Czech Republic

4:30:  Canada vs. United States

9:00:  Sweden vs. Finland

I’m personally hoping for a U.S. upset just to see the shocked faces of every Canadian in the stands, but all these games should be great entertainment. Catch some of them if you can.

Tags: Olympic Recap