How do you write a eulogy after a game like that? Watching the Rangers-Sabres game Sunday afternoon, I saw a team playing with desperation, fighting to stave off elimination. Despite falling 5-4 to the Sabres, the Rangers kept pressing and pushing right to the final buzzer, leaving everything on the ice in one of the most entertaining games in recent memory. They battled so hard, Shanahan and Jagr could barely lift their arms to salute the MSG faithful once it was over. It was heartbreaking to see that kind of effort go unrewarded, but you had to respect the Rangers for laying it on the line. Even though they lost to Buffalo, nobody left the rink with a bitter taste in their mouth, or the feeling the Rangers could have given more.
Well, the Sharks aren't the Rangers, and offered up an embarrassing effort on home ice in Game 6. There wasn't any desperation, nobody stepped up, and we saw a performance that only reinforced San Jose's reputation as playoff chumps, lacking heart and determination. Sure, there were spurts of effort. Michalek would flash through the neutral zone or Clowe would press the forecheck at times, but there wasn't any sustained pressure, and nothing close to a flurry down the stretch. I can only remember two quality scoring chances, Grier's empty net and Bernier's breakaway. I think that says it all, the fact San Jose's two best chances came from a third-line penalty-killing grinder and a young fourth-line winger. Forwards on San Jose's top two lines combined for only 7 shots, while the bottom two lines had 18. That's just not right.
I've received several frustrated e-mails tonight calling for heads to roll, and Patrick Marleau is getting the most blame, with Joe Thornton close behind. Marleau went six consecutive games without a point, finishing the series -5. What happened to him?? The captain is the go-to guy for everything, and if he's the worst player on the ice it takes everyone else off the hook. They don't have anything to build on, no example to live up to. It's unfortunate the past 10 days will have a permanent effect on Marleau's career, adding to the pressure and doubt he'll have to overcome next season.
Thornton didn't have a single shot on goal, didn't record a hit, won only 38% of his faceoffs, and finished the night -2. What happened?? Clearly he's one of the most talented players in the world, but if that's the performance you get with the season on the line maybe that $6.66 million salary could be put to better use somewhere else. I'm just throwing it out there.
Ron Wilson is also taking some blame. That will happen when you're the coach of a team that consistently finds a way to underachieve. He didn't help his cause at all by referring to the series as a "coin flip". I know we had two evenly-matched teams, but calling the series a coin flip completely disparages Detroit's outstanding effort and takes all accountability off the San Jose players. This series was anything but a coin flip. I don't know, maybe I'm just a stickler for words and the meaning behind them, but San Jose got outworked by a better team. Detroit faced more challenges, but found a way to overcome them and they're moving on to a dynamite series against Anaheim.
Shark fans have been here before, but there aren't any excuses this time around. Nobody can pin this one on youth or the learning process. It's clear the Sharks have become the Senators of the West, possessing loads of talent and playing well in the regular season, but falling apart when the going gets tough. A team can have all the talent in the world, but you can't teach heart, and it's going to be another long, hard summer for the teal blunders.
***
I'll be doing some recaps over the next couple days and looking forward to San Jose's offseason decisions. Hannan, Smith, Guerin and Rivet are UFAs and clearly the team has to meet a couple more needs, the goaltending situation needs to get worked out and free agency poses several interesting questions.
[email protected] 
Join the Discussion:
»