March 14, 2015: Shark Love

It was nice to see the Blackhawks take care of business against San Jose this afternoon.  It was a big win for the team, that helped pull the Hawks 3 points from Nashville.  I didn’t think we had a chance to catch them, but here we sit.  After winning 6 of the last 8 games… I didn’t even realize that either… the Hawks are right where we thought they would be at the start of this season.

Playing against San Jose brings back memories.  Yes, now we get a chance to see Ben Smith in the opposition’s uniform, but the one guy who triggers the most memories is their current goalie Antti Niemi.  He now plays for the Sharks, but back in 2010, it was Niemi saying No all day long as the Hawks swept the Sharks away on their way to the Stanley Cup Finals. 

After 2 tough series, both of which the Hawks won in 6, they headed to San Jose to start the Western Conference Finals.  It was the first playoff meeting between the Hawks and Sharks.  The Sharks were the number one seed that year, and held home ice advantage.  Game one was where we took their heart out, and Niemi was the reason why.

I remember this game  It was a Saturday afternoon.  My fiancee and I were driving around Chicago deciding between buying a single family home and a condo.  I know that’s pretty important stuff, but the Hawks were in the Western Conference Finals!!!  and I was trying to end the search early that day.  I was very happy that we made it back to our apartment before the end of the 1st period. 

44 saves later, Antti Niemi and the Blackhawks prevailed with a 2-1 victory.  Another ex-Hawk, Dustin Byfuglien scored the game winner that afternoon.  He did that 3 times in this series.  Another win in San Jose followed this one, in another game I remember pretty vividly.  I attended my first Cubs rooftop game that night; it was perfect timing.  I was able to sit and watch the Cubs game down the right field line, while in the later innings, the Hawks Sharks played on the TV located right above me.  It was a Cubs win followed by another big win for our Hawks who seemed like they were rolling.
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Game 3 and 4 back at the UC resulted in the same… a Hawks win.  Who could forget Game 4?  Yes, Byfuglien had another game winning goal, as the Hawks came back from 2-0 in the game, and the Hawks were going to their first Stanley Cup final in 18 years.  This was also the Duncan Keith teeth game.  Do you remember cringing as he got the puck lined right off his mouth, and his teeth scattered everywhere?  OUCH!  A mouth full of blood and seven missing teeth later, Keith returned to the ice.  What a warrior.  The Hawks completed the sweep; the only one of that playoff season.

I remember after the game that Jonathan Toews would NOT touch that Conference trophy.  I guess it was a good thing he didn’t, as they were all able to touch the real deal a couple weeks later.  Although the series was a sweep, each win was hard earned.  It was nice to not have to go to 6 games, as the Hawks did in each of their other series that year.  Still, it was an impressive beatdown of the West’s top seed.  The Sharks have yet to win a Cup to this day. 

After the season, I didn’t think we should have let go of Niemi, but the Hawks did.  Niemi has been good for the Sharks, but has never returned to the Stanley Cup Finals.  Meanwihle, Corey Crawford has stepped in nicely, and after some rough times, stepped his game to the next level as the Hawks won another cup 3 years later.  By the way, he’s playing really well right now too; yet, I still miss that Pat Foley call…. Niemi says NO!

But I’m fine with Crow now, and fine with the rest of the Blackhawks too.  They broke out in nice way this afternoon to a tune of 6 goals vs the Sharks… again.  We got the best of them then, and we get the best of them now.  I like playing the Sharks…  I really do.