The second season has begun. The San Jose Sharks returned to the Shark Tank for games three and four of the Western Conference quarterfinal. After a split of two brutal games in Nashville, the Sharks looked for two decisive victories on home ice.
Before game one, fans were invited to attend a pre-game rally outside the tank. Sharks TV and radio announcers were on were on hand to kick off the festivities. San Jose faithful cheered and jeered, building up excitement for the upcoming game. Lots of free treats were given away- ice cream, hot dogs, key chains, and, of course, face painting. There were also free shirts thrown. As you can see, my Dad really wanted one.
Inside the Tank, fans were greeted with white pom-poms and lots of balloons. The atmosphere was energy packed, and full of teal.
SJ Sharkie might be the best mascot in the game. Starting with his pre-game entrance and continuing throughout the game, Sharkie's energy resonates through the whole arena. While other mascots are trotted out for special events or wander around drunk (Chicago's Tommy Hawk), Sharkie leads the Tank in supporting the Sharks. The HP Pavilion would still be a great place to see a game without him, but SJ Sharkie's presence is no doubt a huge part of what makes the Shark Tank one of the loudest in the NHL.
I went to Game 3 with my Dad. After attending various road games, it was great to be back rooting for the home team. The Sharks, and the fans, didn't disappoint. After a bit of a slow start in the 1st period, Milan Michalek's 2nd period goal rallied the Sharks. As the area's energy heated up, Ryan Clowe scored a beauty that put the Sharks in control for the rest of the game. Captain Patrick Marleau added a goal in the 3rd.
The (super) star of the game was Mike "Dr. Hustle" Grier. Although he had no points, Grier was a force of his own. When I looked at the box score after the game, I was amazed to see he played less than thirteen minutes. It seemed as if he was involved with every play. Grier's hustle and heads up play will become as endearing to Sharks fans as Mr. Hockey Hair himself, Mike Ricci. Speaking of the fans, the decibel level at the Shark Tank was often over 100, at several times reaching 110db. That's like standing in front of a lawn mower.
Jay Money and his ladyfriend Carrie were there with me for Game 4. Once again, the Sharks dominated. Milan Michalek scored early in the 1st period, and that was just about the end of the drama. Miggy added a second goal late in the 2nd period, his two goals bookends for Joe Pavelski's beauty early in period two. The only real drama came with three minutes left, when Nashville coach Barry Trotts pulled the goalie. This allowed for a 6 on 4 power play, resulting in a Scott Hartnell goal. So there was a little bit of drama for the last three minutes.
A great moment of the night was the discovery of Smoke Tiki BBQ. I usually sit in the season seats, and spend a bit too much time on the club level. This time we were up in section 205, and I got to explore a little bit. I'm glad I did, the smoked brisket sandwich was fan-tastic! The corn and cole slaw were a bit lacking, but the sandwich is certainly worth an eat if you're there.
Goalie Evgeni Nabokov was the star of Game Four. His twelve 1st period saves set the tone for the game. Several times during the game, the Shark Tank erupted in cheers of "NA-BBY! NA-BBY!" after a fantastic save. Special mention must also be given to "Dr. Hustle" Mike Grier, who had another stellar game.
I know people have come to expect a picture of me with hot cheerleader type girls. Sadly, the HP Pavillion has none. The best I could do was a picture with a picture of the San Jose Sabercat (Arena Football) cheerleaders. Ah well.
The Sharks head back to Nashville with a 3-1 lead in the best of seven series. Things are looking good.
