@ 4:00 PST
25-8-7, 57 points		25-13-3, 53 points
1st in Western Conference		4th in Western Conference

After making franchise history with 2 penalty shot goals in the same game (first time since Feb. 11, 1982), as well as temporarily taking back the top spot in the West, the Sharks journey to Glendale for their third back-to-back home-and-away of the season, against the surprising 6th-best team in the NHL.

Here are some bullet points to digest pre-game, pre-end-of-the-(faux)-decade… because you’ll need something to help soak up all that alcohol.

• The Phoenix Coyotes have won 10 straight at home – a franchise record, including the years in Lose-ipeg – while the Sharks have won 6 straight. Obviously something’s got to give.
• The Phoenix metropolitan area has started to take notice of the Yotes’ success – attendance skyrocketed after Christmas (the difference a holiday will make – I was in Glendale on Dec. 23rd, and it was a fucking ghost town, apologies to OdinMercer). Fortunately for the Sharks, butts in the seats are to their advantage.
• The Sharks’ record against the Coyotes is 1-1-1, including a shootout loss after a scoreless game. The one regulation loss featured Thomas Greiss in net.
• The Sharks’ season record for the second game of back-to-backs = 3-1-2. The record for away games in home-away back-to-backs = 1-1-0. The one regulation loss? In Glendale, naturally.
• Assuming Ilya Bryzgalov is in goal for Phoenix, it will be an Olympic matchup no matter who San Jose puts in net. If it’s Evgeni Nabokov, expect the eyes of Team Russia to be on this game, as they still need to pick their starter.
• Speaking of Bryzgalov, whatabeast.
• Dave Tippett’s record against the Sharks = 25-13-6… to say nothing of the playoffs.
• The Sharks’ record when HTML scores a goal = 22-4-5, or 25-6-6 when they notch any type of point (it’s worth noting that every Sharks victory has featured a point from H,T, or M). The Sharks’ record when HTML is kept goal-less = 3-4-2.
• One of the 4 regulation losses in which HTML scored happened to be against Phoenix.
• The three-year anniversary of Coyote Ugly – never forget.

Conico’s New Year resolution?  Be less pessimistic, by drinking more.

Accordingly, Sharks win 3-2 with at least one goal from HTML, and go on to win a Stanley Cup some time before 2020.

Happy New Decade, DON’T drink and drive [warning – graphic image], and GO SHARKS.