[Editor's Note]: Mr. K has had an idea for this piece for about six months now, and did a real solid job with it. Think of it as a return from retirement for another shot at the belt. Only fitting to get him back on the front page.

10. Lack of mutual playoff history.

Since the 1991-92 season, when the Sharks were birthed and the Blackhawks reached the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time since 1973, San Jose has been to the post-season 13 times, compared to Chicago's 9 times. 

In the quality vs. quantity department, Chicago has been to the Conference Finals 3 times prior to now (winning once), while San Jose has been just once (losing to Calgary). 

However, this is the first time that the two teams have met in the playoffs.  For the reasons outlined below, it couldn't come at a better time.

9. Captain Obvious' Reason #1: Doug Wilson, Sharks GM and former Blackhawk defenseman

Sharks General Manager Doug Wilson was a Norris Trophy-winning Chicago Blackhawks defenseman before becoming the first captain in San Jose Sharks history. He is still to this day the all-time scoring leader among Chicago defensemen, and 5th in points out of any Hawk (after only Stan Mikita, Bobby Hull, Denis Savard, and Steve Larmer).

Wilson came to San Jose the same year that his old Hawks made it to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time since 1973. DW retired after two seasons in San Jose, but returned 10 years later as the GM, following Dean Lombardi's sacking.

Don't underestimate the regret he must have felt for not ever partaking in the Cup Finals. There's a reason Joe Thornton, Dan Boyle, Rob Blake, and Dany Heatley have been summoned to San Jose.

Doug Wilson also played with and redeemed another reason...

Continue reading this post »

I'm going to end my tenure as an FTF admin where I began it - on the sidebar, as Mr. K.

I've had a great time getting to know many of you here on Fear the Fin - both as "internet personalities" as well as flesh and blood Sharks fans that I've had the pleasure of meeting in person.  I've traveled with some of you, gone to home games with even more of you, and shared joys and tribulations alike with pretty much all of you via this blog.  It's been enlightening, fulfilling, and cathartic, as FTF grew from being just one of myriad Sharks blogs to essentially the preeminent Sharks blog - apologies to PJ at Sharkspage.

Therein lies the rub - FTF has undeniably outgrown my use.  And I'm 100% cool with that.  In fact, this resignation is not in any way due to pressure from any of the other three outstanding admins - Jason was surprised when I initially proposed it, and actually wanted me to hang on if I could (he's a class act, you see, and loyal to a fault). 

When I first started blogging about the Sharks, it was, as it was with Mr. Plank, via my own personal blog.  I emailed Jason about our mutual fondness for the Sharks, back when he still ran We Bleed Teal.  Not long after Jason got his new gig at FTF, I wrote this article on my blog. 

Jason left a note in the comments - "I have a little proposition for you."

The rest is, well, "history" - such as it is... beginning with that story being reprinted in the fanpost section here on FTF. 

It was gloriously fun at first - FTF was a bigger forum, but comfortably larger.  At least at first.

I certainly don't bemoan this site's success - not one iota.  But I guess you could say I was a little unprepared for how big it got - I certainly didn't have journalistic credentials, nor the world's biggest hockey IQ.  I managed to masquerade decently for a bit (see here, here, and here), and travel a bit when I couldn't write decently from the home front, but as you've probably already gathered, our two principal admins (and even our newest admin, Ivan) get the job done far better than I could ever do. 

So, with that in mind, it's time to cut away the dead weight... beginning with my awful, truly awful, name.  Conico do Mayo Miracle?  WTF?  Granted, Section223 came up with the wording, but he was probably just as aghast as the rest of you that I took it as a username.  So simple Mr. K. it is again - but as one of the many, many Sharks fans, not as an FTF admin.

I'd like to thank Plank and TCY for putting up with my crap, from figuring out how to use fanshots on the front page to my proposition that Tim Hortons get a franchise in San Jose, from Cicero's game reviews to my Keeping Tabs article that actually referenced HockeyBuzz.com (my single biggest regret on FTF - seriously).  You've grown that much closer to saint status for putting up with me.

See you guys on the game threads.

Go Sharks,

Mr. K. (Conico)

 Oh the things you can buy in Moscow...

Sure the Sharks logo looks a little squished, but dude - pure genius to have Ryane Clowe be the final matryoshka.

Three of these players will surely be with us next year - 4 out of 5 wouldn't be bad.

Continue reading this post »

 

 I drove to my parents' house in order to carpool to my grandma's, and guess what I find on the counter = this photo of Sandish Ozolinsh, my little brother, and yours truly.  Circa 1992-93.

While this should help my street cred, I have to admit = I have literally zero recollection of this happening.

Neither would Sandis, I imagine...

Can Gary Bettman you believe it? 

The Penguins have tied the series yet again, and the series returns to the Joe Louis Arena for one of the most exciting things in hockey - a Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals.

What could more exciting, you ask?  Game 7 in overtime. 

But I'm getting ahead of myself - the game is Friday, which gives us 72 hours to salivate and battle hypertension while mulling over hypothetical scenarios.

In the comments, please place your final vote BEFORE THE GAME STARTS as to who you think will win the Conn Smythe.  Will it be Evgeni Malkin, win or lose?  One of the Wangs?

And of course, there's our standard poll (sorry to beat this issue to death) =

Yeah, this thread is going up almost 48 hours ahead of time - I'm getting ready to leave on my summer trip, and I don't want to forget about this in the midst of my personal craziness.

Also, this could be the final game of the season.  While I certainly hope that it's not, this could be the last gameday thread until September (preseason).  It's been great chatting with you all, and though I won't be around this summer (unless I log in from Mother Russia), Plank and TCY will undoubtedly have you happy and well fed with Sharks roster shakeup news and discussion. 

I hope this "goodbye for the summer" of sorts is premature (i.e. - GAME 7, PLEASE) - but given how Detroit slaughtered the Penguins in Game 5, I'm beginning to feel pessimism. 

All the same - GO PENS.

Amazingly, the Stanley Cup will not be in the house tonight - and for that, we (except ang6666 who sold her soul to the Winged Wheel) are grateful.

Keys for a Pittsburgh win?  In no particular order = the Penguins need to continue to exploit Detroit's weaknesses with special teams.  Marc-Andre Fleury needs to continue to play like Chris Osgood played in the first two games.  Marian Hossa needs to be reminded of the bad karma, because I guarantee you the thought has crossed his mind since Game 4 ended.  Pittsburgh needs to win one away from home, because if the home team keeps winning, it's Wings in 7.

Game 6 will, of course, be an elimination game, and the Stanley Cup WILL be in the Mellon Arena on Tuesday.  The team that faces elimination will be decided tonight.  GO PENS.

POINTS DURING THE FIRST FOUR GAMES OF THE FINALS

Detroit

• Justin Abdelkader = 2 goals, 0 assists
• Dan Cleary = 0 goals, 0 assists
• Jonathan Ericsson = 1 goal, 0 assists
• Valtteri Filppula = 1 goal, 0 assists
• Johan Franzen = 2 goals, 1 assist
• Darren Helm = 1 goal, 1 assist
• Tomas Holmstrom = 0 goals, 2 assists
• Marian Hossa = 0 goals, 1 assist
• Jiri Hudler = 0 goals, 1 assist
• Niklas Kronwall = 0 goals, 1 assist
• Brett Lebda = 0 goals, 0 assists
• Ville Leino = 0 goals, 2 assists
• Nicklas Lidstrom = 0 goals, 0 assists
• Kirk Maltby = 0 goals, 0 assists
• Brian Rafalski = 0 goals, 2 assists
• Mikael Samuelsson = 0 goals, 0 assists
• Brad Stuart = 2 goals, 0 assists
• Henrik Zetterberg = 1 goal, 3 assists

Pittsburgh

• Craig Adams = 0 goals, 0 assists
• Philippe Boucher = 0 goals, 0 assists
• Matt Cooke = 0 goals, 0 assists
• Sidney Crosby = 1 goal, 2 assists
• Mark Eaton = 0 goals, 1 assist
• Ruslan Fedotenko = 1 goal, 1 assist
• Hal Gill = 0 goals, 0 assists
• Sergei Gonchar = 1 goal, 1 assist
• Bill Guerin = 0 goals, 1 assist
• Tyler Kennedy = 1 goal, 0 assists
• Chris Kunitz = 0 goals, 1 assist
• Kris Letang = 1 goal, 2 assists
• Evgeni Malkin = 2 goals, 5 assists
• Brooks Orpik = 0 goals, 0 assists
• Miroslav Satan = 0 goals, 0 assists
• Rob Scuderi = 0 goals, 0 assists
• Jordan Staal = 1 goal, 1 assist
• Max Talbot = 2 goals, 1 assist

POINTS LEADERS

1. Evgeni Malkin, 7 points
2. Henrik Zetterberg, 4 points
3. Johan Franzen, 3 points
4. Sidney Crosby, 3 points
5. Kris Letang, 3 points
6. Max Talbot, 3 points

Destiny awaits...

via graydarka.com (that's CTGray's artwork, for ya!)

You know what to do.... does Pittsburgh?

Hmmm... I dropped the ball on the fanpost for Game 1.  Much like the Penguins with their power plays...

Game 2 is at 5pm PST.

Onward to Pittsburgh...

Pittsburgh is trying to keep this brief - and so will I.  Game time 4:30pm PST.

Detroit doesn't want this series to return to Chicago for Game 6 - I'm pretty sure we all feel otherwise.  Game time at NOON PST.

The series heads to Raleigh, where the Carolina Hurricanes will try to pull a Chicago and halve the opponent's lead.  Eric Staal vs. Jordan Staal... eh, what a cliche already.

C'.  Mon.  Chi.  Ca.  Go.