Mr. Frumble;842123623 said:

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Exactly. Intent doesn't matter for puck over the glass, but deflection does. I couldn't tell from replay whether puck was deflected, but evidently refs saw no deflection.

Re comparing the two collapses, the last two Bos goals against Tor were 6 on 5, which is not nearly as easy to score on as 5 on 3. Still, while the 5 on 3 goal was expected (2 man advantage for that length of time usually results in a goal), the 5 on 4 goal was weak. SJ should have been able to kill the last minute or so of the PP and get to OT.

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Okay so if intent doesn't matter then I can see why the call was made, though it did look to me like both players touched the puck when it was deflected over. Surprised to see the ref make such a quick penalty call in that situation (which, as was noted here, creates a 5-on-3 that virtually guarantees a tying goal).

I would imagine the Warriors got a much higher viewership in the Bay Area than the Sharks. Basketball is a much more popular sport here than hockey (which has its rabid fans who always fill the arena, but they are kind of a niche group).

Mr. Frumble;842123623 said:

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Exactly. Intent doesn't matter for puck over the glass, but deflection does. I couldn't tell from replay whether puck was deflected, but evidently refs saw no deflection.

Re comparing the two collapses, the last two Bos goals against Tor were 6 on 5, which is not nearly as easy to score on as 5 on 3. Still, while the 5 on 3 goal was expected (2 man advantage for that length of time usually results in a goal), the 5 on 4 goal was weak. SJ should have been able to kill the last minute or so of the PP and get to OT.

Anyone know how the local ratings were for SJ-LA vs. GS-SA last night? In Chicago the local ratings for Hawks have been about the same as for Bulls on the nights when both teams have had playoff games the same night, and Bruins ratings have been better than Celtics ratings when both had playoff games the same night. Haven't seen data comparing Rangers to Knicks or Sharks to Warriors. (suspect Warriors higher by at least 3 to 1 factor).

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I don't believe the last Sharks game was telecast in the Bay Area. The usual regional affiliates don't have the contract to carry the playoff games so there's the occasional game that doesn't get picked up nationally.

Vlasic's flip makes no sense in context. It doesn't make sense to flip the puck up towards the sideboards-it's not a clearing pass; you would shoot it hard to clear or play it back. It may be the puck was on edge and he couldn't control it or he was just trying to get it over Carter's poke check. it may have hit Carter or even Carter's stick but it's hard for the ref to not call it when the blade of Vlasic's stick is turned like that.

The NHL has dream match ups this year: two old school original 6 hate fests (Chicago-Detroit; Boston-Rangers); two California teams; one Canadian team and the star studded Penguins.

DangerBear;842123636 said:

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I don't believe the last Sharks game was telecast in the Bay Area. The usual regional affiliates don't have the contract to carry the playoff games so there's the occasional game that doesn't get picked up nationally.

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I live in the Bay Area and I saw it. It was on the NBC Sports Network (which used to be called Versus).

Granted, probably not as many people get that as get ESPN, where the Warriors game was on.

It was televised on versus.

My bad, wasn't on my dish listings and when I checked the Sharks website yesterday's game was the one game they didn't show a TV listing for.

GB54;842123647 said:

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The NHL has dream match ups this year: two old school original 6 hate fests (Chicago-Detroit; Boston-Rangers); two California teams; one Canadian team and the star studded Penguins.

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Yes, three very good matchups from U.S. perspective, but no Toronto, Montreal or Vancouver is going to really hurt the Canadian ratings.

Leafs-Bruins games 6 and 7 each drew 5.5 million+ viewers in Canada. I doubt any game in second round or beyond gets half that.


U.S. national ratings from last night:
Knicks/Pacers (NBA) - 4.0
Spurs/Warriors (NBA) - 3.4
Rangers/Bruins (NHL) - 1.4

NHL has been outdrawing NBA in some markets - Boston, Chicago, Philly - but clearly still has a long way to go nationally.

Mr. Frumble;842123666 said:

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Yes, three very good matchups from U.S. perspective, but no Toronto, Montreal or Vancouver is going to really hurt the Canadian ratings.

Leafs-Bruins games 6 and 7 each drew 5.5 million+ viewers in Canada. I doubt any game in second round or beyond gets half that.


U.S. national ratings from last night:
Knicks/Pacers (NBA) - 4.0
Spurs/Warriors (NBA) - 3.4
Rangers/Bruins (NHL) - 1.4

NHL has been outdrawing NBA in some markets - Boston, Chicago, Philly - but clearly still has a long way to go nationally.

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Good point about Canada. In addition to the Leafs, Ottawa beating Montreal probably doesn't help-does anyone care about them?

So does anyone think that shot to the nuts at the end of Game 2 effectively ended the series and made Games 3 & 4 just a formality, or can the Sharks come back and make it a series?

GB54;842123672 said:

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Good point about Canada. In addition to the Leafs, Ottawa beating Montreal probably doesn't help-does anyone care about them?

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One of my Vancouver friends summed it up well: "I guess I could watch Ottawa-- my brother stayed there for a couple of months once. But really I don't care"

-R

510Bear;842123684 said:

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So does anyone think that shot to the nuts at the end of Game 2 effectively ended the series and made Games 3 & 4 just a formality, or can the Sharks come back and make it a series?

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Sharks are always tough at home. Don't count them out yet.

-R

510Bear;842123684 said:

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So does anyone think that shot to the nuts at the end of Game 2 effectively ended the series and made Games 3 & 4 just a formality, or can the Sharks come back and make it a series?

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Color me delusional but I'd be surprised if the Sharks didn't win tonight.

YuSeeBerkeley;842122946 said:

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So who do you guys have, the Kings or the Sharts?

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Kings! 6 straight wins since going down to the Blues 0-2 in Rd. 1. Starting to have that same feel they did last year when they bum rushed the Cup. I was at the game Thursday night at Staples and the 3rd Period was incredible. Absolute bedlam after Lewis' game winner

LocoOso;842123952 said:

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Kings! 6 straight wins since going down to the Blues 0-2 in Rd. 1. Starting to have that same feel they did last year when they bum rushed the Cup. I was at the game Thursday night at Staples and the 3rd Period was incredible. Absolute bedlam after Lewis' game winner

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This is why I wish the Sharks would just blow up this core and go with a youth movement.

At least then there's a chance we could assemble a confident group capable of going on a run like that, instead of this gang that probably thinks "here we go again" every time they fall behind in a playoff series.

(I still wish we could also move the team to the Warriors' arena in SF just to further make a clean break with their cursed past, though I realize I'm reaching with that.)

510Bear;842123978 said:

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(I still wish we could also move the team to the Warriors' arena in SF just to further make a clean break with their cursed past, though I realize I'm reaching with that.)

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Yeah, but the fact that they are the only major team in San Jose is their big advantage (in terms of attendance/money). Hard to see that happening.

.....Sharks win in OT on a goal by Couture......WHAT A BONANZA !!!!!



Coutures goal... http://video.sharks.nhl.com/videocenter/console?catid=125&id=249775&lang=en&navid=DL|SJS|home

Well, I guess turnabout is fair play -- Kings get two critical penalties late in the game to give the Sharks the win.

(Though in this case I thought the second penalty to create 5-on-3 was a lot more clear-cut -- even as a very occasional hockey-watcher I know you can't crash into the goalie like that.)

sycasey;842124009 said:

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Well, I guess turnabout is fair play -- Kings get two critical penalties late in the game to give the Sharks the win.

(Though in this case I thought the second penalty to create 5-on-3 was a lot more clear-cut -- even as a very occasional hockey-watcher I know you can't crash into the goalie like that.)

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Actually the first penalty was up so the Sharks scored on a 5-4. You can see the Kings defender, #44, skate unto the ice and stop short of Couture before he scored the goal.....I'll take 'em any way we can get 'em at this point.... *whew*.

Cal_Fan2;842124011 said:

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Actually the first penalty was up so the Sharks scored on a 5-4. You can see the Kings defender, #44, skate unto the ice and stop short of Couture before he scored the goal.....I'll take 'em any way we can get 'em at this point.... *whew*.

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Technically yes, but I think within the flow of the game having the defense in 5-3 for so long helped to keep the Kings a bit disorganized even as their 4th man came back in. That's part of the difficulty of defending 3-on-5 -- even once you kill it you still have a regular power play to deal with.

sycasey;842124009 said:

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Well, I guess turnabout is fair play -- Kings get two critical penalties late in the game to give the Sharks the win.

(Though in this case I thought the second penalty to create 5-on-3 was a lot more clear-cut -- even as a very occasional hockey-watcher I know you can't crash into the goalie like that.)

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Yes, turnabout is fair play. Look what the refs did to the Sharks in Game 2. We may agree that Sheppard screwed up and gave them a 5 on 4, but the next one on Vlasic was very questionable. So yes, turnabout is fair play. Refs are just afraid of the home crowds.

I'm glad the Sharks won but I'm not sure they can play better than last night-the Stuart turnover notwithstanding. They dictated tempo for all but about 10 minutes of the third period: out skated and out hit the Kings but it still took two power play goals and a 5 on 3 at the start of overtime to win. The Kings will be very hard to beat especially with that freak in goal

GB54;842124056 said:

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I'm glad the Sharks won but I'm not sure they can play better than last night-the Stuart turnover notwithstanding. They dictated tempo for all but about 10 minutes of the third period: out skated and out hit the Kings but it still took two power play goals and a 5 on 3 at the start of overtime to win. The Kings will be very hard to beat especially with that freak in goal

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Disagree. IMO the Sharks were better in game 2 than game 3.

GB54;842124056 said:

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I'm glad the Sharks won but I'm not sure they can play better than last night-the Stuart turnover notwithstanding. They dictated tempo for all but about 10 minutes of the third period: out skated and out hit the Kings but it still took two power play goals and a 5 on 3 at the start of overtime to win. The Kings will be very hard to beat especially with that freak in goal

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Remember we were down 2 forwards with Havlat being injured again and Couture didn't play most of the 2nd period....we were also down one defenseman too....McLellan was juggling lines all night long. Remember, Kings scored 2 of their goals also in Game 2 on power plays.

alarsuel;842124078 said:

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Disagree. IMO the Sharks were better in game 2 than game 3.

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I agree they were the better team for all but the last two minutes and probably at least 2 out of the three periods, but I thought last night they were the better team the whole game. 40 shots on goal is a lot in a playoff. The Kings had no answer for Thornton's line and the Sharks dominated whenever he was on the ice and being it was home the Sharks could match up Marleau's line against Kopitar's rather than Thornton's and Joe ran roughshod over Richards.

Huge game tonight. There is a world of difference between holding serve at home and going on the road down 3-1 where every game is an elimination game.

Joe Thornton has been filthy

1-0 Sharks after the first period....pour it on 'em boys. So far Sharks are taking it to them. Out shot the Kings 15-3 and won face-offs 17-5

End of 2nd......2-0 Sharks....Hard to imagine the Sharks playing any better....Total dominance so far....Keep it up....go Sharkies

^^^^ Not so fast my friend. The tide is turning.

Mr. Triangle;842124766 said:

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^^^^ Not so fast my friend. The tide is turning.

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Sharks win 2-1. Now it's a best of 3 series......pretty even game. Sharks won the 1st period, even in the 2nd and Kings poured it on in the 3rd.

As a Kings fan I can easily say that that was a great game.

Go Sharks!

Now, if you'll excuse me, back to eating crow because I thought the team would roll over and die after game 2.

Mr. Triangle;842124772 said:

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As a Kings fan I can easily say that that was a great game.

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Agreed, with the result making it a better series. Your Kings came back strong in the 3rd. A 2-0 lead is most dangerous in hockey and soccer, but it does beat being on the short end 0-2.

BTW, I would love to see the Sharks play Ottawa or Montreal in a Stanley Cup final someday, JUST so we can see "Series Eliminatoires de la Coupe Stanley" on the ice.

510Bear;842124788 said:

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Go Sharks!

Now, if you'll excuse me, back to eating crow because I thought the team would roll over and die after game 2.

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Nobody can fault you for taking that stance. Anyone who watched the Sharks over the past 10 seasons would have predicted the same. A fast, confident, and physical team with dominate Center's as well as a superb goalie would normally sink the Sharks. However, this years team is the fastest Sharks team I can remember seeing and Logan Couture has brought a new element of leadership to a team desperately seeking it.

This is a great series between that is playing out between two very worthy teams. The winner of this series could very well win the Stanley Cup.