First Time For Everything

The 2008-2009 NHL Regular Season has come to a close. Eighty-two hard fought games have been played and now it's time for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The San Jose Sharks are going to their fifth consecutive playoff, but this one seems special. With a league leading record of 53-18-11 the Sharks are the newest recipients of the President's Trophy, given to the top team in the regular season, but most importantly they receive home ice advantage for their entire journey on highway 16W.

The Sharks also set numerous other franchise records including having four different defensemen with 30+ assists, another 40+ win season for Nabokov, six different forwards with 20+ goals (two have 30+ goals), four different players with 10+ power play goals, and an eleven game power play goal streak. But all of that means nothing now, the regular season is over and all that matters now is the playoffs.

For the first time two California teams will meet in the first round of the playoffs. It's SoCal versus NorCal as the Anaheim Ducks salvaged their season and made a playoff push to secure the 8th and final seed in the Western Conference. I have to say I hate the Ducks, I love to hate the Ducks, and I have been waiting for this moment for a long time. Great rivalries are created in the post-season and the Sharks/Ducks rivalry is about to take it to the next level.

Of the six games played between the two teams in the regular season, the Sharks won four. But that doesn't mean this round of the playoffs will be a walk in the park. Most of the games were hard fought and one-goal games. With one of the toughest blue-lines in the league, the Ducks aren't a team to underestimate. Their power play ranks 4th in the league (The Sharks rank 3rd) and have a killer first line. Adding to the drama is ex-Sharks player Teemu Selanne who is a Shark killer, always seeming to score those big game-winning goals. The Ducks have some great netminders as well, with Giguere's game being "off" in the regular season, back-up goalie Jonas Hiller took his place between the pipes and did so well that he finished off the regular season. I don't know who will be in goal for the first round but I do know who ever it is, they will be hard to beat.

And you can't underestimate the toughness of the Ducks as well. I can't think of a single game without a fight breaking out (The Sharks Enforcer, Jody Shelley is always up for the job) and a few scrums here and there. This will be a great test for my beloved San Jose Sharks as they try and fulfill another first - winning the Stanley Cup. That's a long ways off still but if they keep truckin' along like they have in the regular season, score on the power play, use their speed five-on-five, stay strong in their own zone, and have Nabby pull off those game-wining saves - I feel that this year is their best chance to go all the way.