Finals - Game 5: San Jose 3 @ Vancouver 0

One win away from taking over the true #1 spot


This is it. The stage was set. Could the #2 team during the regular season upset the #1 team? Would the Canucks have it in them to come back from such a deficit? Would the Sharks be able to continue to get pucks by Loungo? Would Critter be able to repeat at GUGHL Champion? Or would Dragon be able to come back and crown a new Champion?

It seemed as though only one of these questions (Loungo) would be answered early on. Both goalies were playing great and didn't budge. It seemed as though both teams wanted to get the 1st goal, as both teams played a less defensive game and let their goalies take care of that. And letting the goalies take care of things seemed to work as both goalies carried the shutout into the 3rd period.

The 3rd period would continue to be no different then the previous periods, with both teams looking for that 1st goal and both goalies not allowing it. During a tv timeout Grier spoke to GUG reporter IAC, "We just need to keep working and get pucks to the net. Loungo is hard to beat, so if we keep doing that we might be able to sneak one by him". Grier's line would take to the ice after the break. As though it was almost fate, Grier's words would come true. On a rebound from a Grier shot, Goc would pounce on it and tap it through the pads of Loungo to take the lead 8:49 into the 1st period. The packed crowd at GM place was now quiet.

The Canucks knew they had to get one back quick or they could be done. Unfortunately they were not able to do that and with only 48 seconds left in the game the Sharks would put it away. The Shark's best player, Guerin, would put the Canucks on ice with a breakaway goal to give the Sharks the 2-0 lead. The crowd at GM place was silent. But it was totally opposite at the Shark Tank in SJ. The thousands of people watching the game on the jumbo tron back in SJ were going crazy! Guerin would get another goal just 15 seconds later to finish off the Canucks.

The Sharks would be crowned Stanley Cup Champions!! After a slow regular season start that seen the Sharks near the middle of the pack, the Sharks showed determination and climbed their way to the #2 seed. Looking for that true #1 spot, they continued their dominate play into the playoffs to take that #1 spot from the Vancouver Canucks. As the teams were shaking hands Coach Critter was asked by GUG reporter IAC what made his team so unbeatable this year. "I think it was a combination of things. Picking up Guerin at the trade deadline really brought our second line together and made it a really big offensive threat...The speed of this team is unbelievable, so that gave us many odd man rushes...After taking over the starting role from Toskala, Nabokov was brilliant...and I think the most important thing that also helped me last season is that we played great positional defense and didn't want to get caught out of place going for that big hit." With those words Coach Critter was off to shake hands.

Before the Cup presentation, the Conn Smythe was awarded to Evgeni Nabokov. Nabokov's play during the playoffs were nothing less than spectacular. Being among the top 3 stars in most of the games played, Nabokov gave his team a chance to win every night.

As most of the capacity crowd at GM place left, the ones that were their congratulated Patrick Marleau and the San Jose Sharks as he lifted the Cup. After everyone had their chance to hoist the cup and skate around the rink, there was nothing left but the team picture with the Cup!


Stats:
SJ @ Van
26 shots 18
27 hits 45
14 faceoffs 12

3 Stars:
Guerin 2 0
Nabokov 18 0
Goc 1 0

Great games Dragon! I didn't think one of us would win it in 5. I thought for sure it was going to take 6 or 7 games for one of us to win it.