From Frustration to Elation - An Epic Swim With The Sharks

Sharks stun Kings in overtime of Game 3, 6-5

Um? Words to describe that game last night will always fall short of actually experiencing it. The Sharks were down. Completely down and out. At one point they were losing 3-0 at the end of the first period. Jacob asked me if he should turn it off. "Yeah," I told him. "I'm not sure I can watch anymore of this right now." He turned it back, of course, we can never look away from a nasty accident on the freeway (AKA a Sharks game when they are down by multiple goals) for to long. I mean, it couldn't get worse could it? I need to not ask that question if I am not truly ready for the answer. Because? Yes, it can get worse. 2-3 minutes into the second period, the Kings scored again and made it 4-0.

Around this time I pulled out the laptop and started reading an e-Book with my Nook app. Then I posted a *Frustrated* on my FB status. Thank goodness for Julie Banks. She commented on my status "Believe Susan Believe." So? I did. Sort of. When Patrick Marleau scored a goal I was still a little bitter. I tweeted out "A goal? Wow, only three more and it will be tied." (Never so happy in my life to eat those words). Then they scored again (Clowe on the PP) and I really started to believe. A two goal deficit not even half way through the game? Totally do-able.

When Logan scored their third goal, I went from believing to knowing. Kings rallied back quickly after that and made it 5-3, but inside I still knew. Clowe scored another one to make it 5-4, and it became less a question of "can they do this" to a question of "when will they do this?" Well, Joe Pavelski decided the "when." He tied the game at 5 with 30 seconds left in the second period. Come back complete. Now all the needed was the win.
No one scored in the third period. On to overtime. I called in my overtime mojo specialists to make sure they were watching the game.

3-4 minutes in to overtime and Seto screamed in a wrist shot for the epic-come-from-behind-overtime-stanley-cup-playoff-winner. I think Todd McClellen was even seen jumping up and down in elation.

I read lots of game summaries, but this paragraph from FTF (written by Mr. Plank) was my favorite:

It was like watching the entire 2010-2011 San Jose Sharks regular season unfold before your eyes - inconsistency plagued the team, bounces wouldn't go their way, and all efforts seemed for naught. But at the 3:07 mark of the second, the six game losing streak ended. And at 3:08, Patrick Marleau kicked off the Sharks rise to redemption.

Playoff Summary to date

Western Conference:

Vancouver (1) leads 3-1 over Chicago (8)
San Jose (2) leads 2-1 over L.A. (7)
Detroit (3) leads 3-0 over Phoenix (6)
Nasville (5) leads 2-1 over Anaheim (4)

Eastern Conference:

Washington (1) leads 2-1 over NYR (8)
Philadelphia (2) leads 2-1 over Buffalo (7)
Montreal (6) leads 2-1 over Boston (3)
Pittsburgh (4) leads 2-1 over Tampa Bay (5)