Game Sixty-Seven Wrapup: San Jose Sharks 3, Ottawa Senators 2 (OT)
Sluggish start; great finish.nbsp; The first half of the first period saw the home team looking more like the Ottawa 67's than the Sharks, as they were tentative and on their heels. Play evened out as the period wore on, but still it was light years removed from the breathtaking display of dazzle that was the Montreal game.
The second period was physical, but still anything but stellar. There was little offense being generated for the majority of the period, and the way Martin Gerber was stopping everything when action did pick up things were beginning to take on the appearance of this being one of "those" games -- even when there were chances, there would be no conversion of scoring opportunities.
Ah, but then the third started. Perhaps Doug Wilson's comments earlier this year that he was building the Sharks for the end of the year are coming to fruition. And perhaps -- just perhaps -- Patrick Marleau is coming back to life. Why now, and why it took so long... who knows. And who cares? The fact is he's now playing up to his skill level, backing it up with the grit and determination that has been missing ever since the Detroit series last year. Without him, the Sharks don't win this game. Period. With him, San Jose stepped it up, tied it up, re-tied it up, and then notched the overtime win.
Perhaps this year, the Sharks will remember games like this and what it takes to win when the post-season rolls around.
The second period was physical, but still anything but stellar. There was little offense being generated for the majority of the period, and the way Martin Gerber was stopping everything when action did pick up things were beginning to take on the appearance of this being one of "those" games -- even when there were chances, there would be no conversion of scoring opportunities.
Ah, but then the third started. Perhaps Doug Wilson's comments earlier this year that he was building the Sharks for the end of the year are coming to fruition. And perhaps -- just perhaps -- Patrick Marleau is coming back to life. Why now, and why it took so long... who knows. And who cares? The fact is he's now playing up to his skill level, backing it up with the grit and determination that has been missing ever since the Detroit series last year. Without him, the Sharks don't win this game. Period. With him, San Jose stepped it up, tied it up, re-tied it up, and then notched the overtime win.
Perhaps this year, the Sharks will remember games like this and what it takes to win when the post-season rolls around.