Sharks Lose Game 5 and Series in Second OT

All Sharks fans alike watched in disbelief. While many in San Jose had likely been gearing up for Game 6, either looking on Craigslist to find the first available tickets for sale or looking contently at their already obtained stubs, the Vancouver Canucks tied the game with only ten seconds left in the third period to send the game into overtime. (This, of course, being made possible by a controversial icing call that tipped off of a Canucks player and should have been waved off.)

The Sharks, then with a perfect 5-0 overtime record in the 2010-2011 playoff season, looked to have the edge, even as the overtime period began as the Sharks dominated with puck control and putting massive pressure on the Canucks’ defensive line, especially their goaltender Roberto Luongo.

Unfortunately, even with the Sharks’ offensive effort, a weird bounce during the second overtime gave the Canucks’ defenseman Kevin Bieksa a grand opportunity to take a slapshot from the point, which he did – the shot careening past a stunned Antti Niemi for the game and series win, pushing his team to the Stanley Cup Finals, where they are to face either the Boston Bruins or the Tampa Bay Lightning from the Eastern Conference.

Even though the result was unsatisfactory, the Sharks arguably played a very strong series against a very hot team. In an unusual series of events, the Sharks entered the series as the underdogs, having been seeded lower than the Canucks in the regular season. While I can point out the Sharks’ difficulties of getting players well positioned to get quality shots on net and positioning the defense to watch for open members of the opposing team in the defensive zone, the Sharks undoubtedly worked extremely hard in their forechecking, puck possession, and takeaways (most of the time while applying a physical style of play).

I want to congratulate the Sharks for a wonderful season, and hopefully they may regroup, train hard, and give us fans a heck of a 2011-2012 season, and hopefully a successful post season push.

As for now, we fans must continue our hardened and enthusiastic support for our great local team: the San Jose Sharks!

Onward to next season. Get some rest, boys. You will need it!

GO SHARKS!