Will the Sharks Prove Everyone Wrong? Or ...

Okay, I’ll just get it over with: Dan Boyle’s freak OT goal sucked for San Jose. A lot. Some say Ryan O’Reilly got his stick on it, but it was pretty much an own-goal.

Ouch.

People started talking about 'the curse' -- also known as 'choking'. The Sharks like the do it a lot. Then again, everyone brings it up whenever they lose a game. 

I will say this though: there are signs this year that the Sharks might have a slightly better chance than usual. I look at guys like Devin Setoguchi who have stepped it up: the kid is playing like he’s on fire. Working hard, hustling, getting a ton of shots in, scoring OT winners. You get the picture. In Game 2, you saw this from others too.

This type of play is essential in the post-season. It’s why teams sign guys like Manny Malhotra. It’s when you need skill guys like Setoguchi to adjust to post-season play (like he has) and start getting physical and putting it all on the line.

That’s why you’ve seen the superstar line of Joe Thornton, Dany Heatley and Patty Marleau be basically useless. They’re pulling their usual postseason disappearance act (to be fair, this is Heater's first year with SJ). It’s sad because if these guys turned it on and stopped feeling like it should just click for them automatically, the Sharks would be the deadliest team in the NHL.

But they don’t. They have yet to adjust. The postseason is completely different. When you’re up against a young Avalanche team with nothing to lose and who is putting everything they have into it, you have to match that.

For example, you had some Sharks saying Game 2 was not a must-win. Okay – technically it isn’t. But that’s the exact attitude that gets them eliminated before their time each year.

Play-offs is about so much more than the regular season. It's about heart, sacrifice, will, unity .... the list goes on. And the failure for some players to grasp this is the reason why the Sharks have disappointed the past few years. 

Should the Sharks make an early exit again, it's time Doug Wilson brings in the right guys ... and finds a new home for those that can't make that transition to the most important months in hockey.

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BU Boys Fly the Coop

As NCAA teams close out their season, their top guns fly the coop. Come late March/April there's always an exodus of top Division I players to the pro ranks. Since BU's season came to a halt, five players have left.


+ Eric Gryba: Arguably the most loved Terrier over the past four years, Gryba signed with Ottawa. He is currently playing for Binghamton in the AHL. I imagine he'll spend awhile down there as he grows and finds his role - which I would guess is going to be that of an enforcer. His size and strength will benefit him in the long run. Once he finds his role and excels at it, I actually think he'll find himself in the show someday.

+ Zach Cohen: Cohen is coming off an awesome year. He was one of the top goal scorers and really just came into his own. He signed with Colorado making the Avs the official home of BU alum. He joins Joe Sacco, David Quinn, Brandon Yip and now Colby Cohen & Kevin Shattenkirk in the organization. Kieran Millan is also a Colorado draft pick.

+ Nick Bonino: One of BU's best players since he got here. Bonino signed with Anaheim a few weeks ago and has since been playing alongside guys like Bobby Ryan and Corey Perry.  He already notched his first goal. If he keeps it up, it doesn't look like he'll be going anywhere. Even so, I wouldn't be entirely surprised to see him spend some minutes in the A next year.

+ Kevin Shattenkirk: Arguably the biggest loss for BU. Not surprised about his early departure at all. I'm pretty sure everyone saw this coming when he arrived. He's been excellent for BU. A class act if I ever saw one who will without a doubt be a fan favorite throughout his playing career.

+ Colby Cohen: I've had a love-hate relationship with this kid. The hate part mainly being that half the time I look at him he's whining. But he's been awesome ever since he's been here. I have no complaints, and I will forever owe him for scoring the game winner in the NCAA Championship game.

The only senior left to sign somewhere is Luke Popko. I'm really keeping my fingers crossed for him. I'm sure he will get a shot with at least an ECHL team. The kid is a grinder. He's always out there hustling and working hard. His downfall is his size. He has to overcompensate for his 5-10" frame (and that's being generous).

So where does this leave BU? Well, they obviously took a hit. Losing those five players, they managed to lose five of their six top scorers. They're going to have to get a stronger year out of Millan. If he can revert back to his freshman year form, that will be a big plus. Guys like Ross Gaudet, David Warsofsky, Corey Trivino, Vinny Saponari and Alex Chiasson are going to have to lead the team. It looks like it will be another transition year for the Terriers. You never know though. That's the great thing about hockey. They could be surprising. We'll see how the incoming class is and what they bring to the table.

Best of luck to the boys who have moved on!

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