Holy Horcoff, Batman!

Wow. Just wow!

I'll admit that I've been sort of a bad hockey fan during these playoffs. I haven't watched much other than obviously watching the Canes. In this second round, for example, I haven't watched anything. I'm extremely interested in the Buffalo-Ottawa series, but those games have run opposite ours, so I haven't seen one minute of that series. I'm interested because barring a complete meltdown, the Canes will face the winner of that series. Also, I have some sort of faux-allegiance to the Sabres, so I'm rooting for them.

After the Canes game ended last night, I watched most of the Sharks-Oil game. Man, was that one for the ages! I was glad to see that they won that game. I just think that it's better if the series are close. Although I doubt that anyone will sweep, the other three series are now at 3-0, and interest is probably waning in folks who don't have close ties to either team. From the looks of the non-sold out Continental Arena last night, it looks like interest was already waning in the Swamp when they were down 2-0.

Anyway..... the game.

I stayed up to watch the end, despite efforts to get to bed a little earlier. Since it ended at about 2:45 local time, I was a little late getting to work today. Everyone assumed I had tied one on after the Canes took command of their series, but the fact is I was completely sober last night. I just stayed up wicked late watching a Western Conference game.

Dwayne Roloson was simply amazing. The Sharks could have ended the game many times, but Roli foiled their attempts.

Georges Laraque nearly cost the Oil the game with a really stupid penalty. He boarded Jonathan Cheechoo midway through the second, earning a major penalty and the gate. There was absolutely no question that it was the right call. Luckily, the Oil did an amazing job of killing the five minute penalty and it didn't hurt them. Remember, though.... you can score as many times as you want to on a power play resulting from a major penalty. The Sharks could have scored a couple and put it out of reach. Laraque isn't really a guy that they miss when he's in the box (or in the showers), but no team wants to take a major penalty at a key point of the game. It was incredibly stupid, and absolutely avoidable (hence the major penalty and ejection) but they got away with it.

How sweet it was that Ryan Smyth assisted on the game winner! In the second frame, he got nailed with a clearing attempt right in the ole noggin, causing profuse bleeding. After going off for repairs, he came back to finish the marathon game and got the assist on the game winner. He almost got the winner himself, with a dandy wrap chance.

I predict that the Oil will also take game 4, and will in fact take this series in seven games. I hope they're all as exciting as this one was.