3/27 SHARKS 3, los angeles 1

If I may be biased and exuberant here for a second: PLAYOFFS!!! (ok, so it was known that they were going to make the playoffs for a couple weeks, but it's always nice to clinch.)

The Sharks came home from their final real roadtrip of the year (the one last road game doesn't count as a trip) to face the much hated Kings, and had the opportunity to clinch a playoff spot against them, which they were able to do. Despite a lackadaisical second period that saw the Sharks relinquish a 1 goal lead, the Sharks were able to put together a couple nice plays in the 3rd to take and extend their previously taken lead and went on to win the game 3-1.

Over the last few games, the Milan Michalek-Joe Thornton-Jonathan Cheechoo line has carried the team with their great production, but last night the Sharks were able to get it done with just 1 point from that line, and instead received three points from defenseman Christian Ehrhoff (3 assists). Patrick Marleau [31] started the Sharks off with a beautiful one-timed shot off a Ehrhoff shot turned rebound (powerplay) (Ehrhoff, Marc-Edouard Vlasic). Brian Willsie tied the game at 1 midway through the second, leaving the game tied after two periods of play. Bill Guerin found himself all alone in front of Kings goalie Sean Burke, and soon thereafter received the puck on his backhand from Ehrhoff, and then quickly flipped it to his forehand, and shot it past Burke [36], recapturing the lead for the boys in teal (Ehrhoff, Marleau). Captain Marleau put the icing on the cake and opened the doors to the postseason when he recieved an absolute beauty of a backhand pass from Michalek that beat a pair of Kings and found himself with just Burke to beat, and beat him he did [32] (Michalek, Ehrhoff). Evgeni Nabokov rebounded from his shaky performance in Carolina to make 24 saves, earning his 21st victory on the year.

As some of you may know, I was interviewed by Randy Hahn and Marty McSorley during the 1st intermission of the Sharks/Hurricanes game last Saturday, the 24th. Well, many Sharks fans knew this, and happened to see me while I was on, and were very gracious and kind enough to come up to me last night and give me props (young people speak for congratulations) on a job well done. To those of you who happened across my blog and gave me such nice words last night, thank you for that. When I become a famous TV personality, you should take comfort in knowing that you knew me first, and will get to be first in line to kiss my feet (just kidding, I'll never forget you little people [sarcasm again]).

A couple more days of rest are in store for the Teal and Black, and then on Friday they will welcome their Pacific Division rival Phoenix Coyotes into town for the final meeting of the year between the two teams (7:30 pacific). The Sharks lead the season series with the 'Yotes 5-2, taking 3 of 4 in Phoenix, and 2 of 3 in San Jose. With a playoff spot formally clinched, the only thing left for the Sharks is playoff positioning, which, at this point, is a pretty large crapshoot. The only real guarantee is if the Sharks can surpass the Anaheim Ducks for first place in the division, then (on top of a shiny new division championship banner) they will have home ice advantage for their first round matchup. The chase for the division continues Friday.

Go Sharks (We BEAT LA)
-Jess


Magic Number - 0 - CLINCHED A PLAYOFF SPOT
Next Avalanche game - Who cares, see above