The San Jose Sharks Game 4 loss could be their defining moment in the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs. The game ending in triple overtime no doubt might have been an exciting game for your average hockey fan, and there has been much talk of how frantic the pace of both the San Jose Sharks and the Nashville Predators was for over 112 minutes of hockey. But for the San Jose fan base, it was yet another chapter in what is becoming a sick and twisted springtime ritual for the residents of Teal City.
For a fan base that witnessed the 2014 first-round meltdown against in-state rivals the Los Angles Kings after being up 3-0, the nerves are raw still. Setbacks concerning momentum or confidence, real or perceived, move the proverbial needle violently, mainly due to the expectations placed on the team by the fans and media.
After an unmitigated stinker of a Game 3 for the San Jose Sharks, the two teams faced off on Thursday night in for a pivotal Game 4. Nashville pushed play early and jumped out quickly to a one-goal lead but Brent Burns and the Sharks answered back just minutes later. All game long the game was played close to the vest by both teams. In the final minutes of play, Nashville was able to force overtime on a goal by James Neal with under five minutes left in the third period.
At 7:34 of the first overtime, Sharks captain Joe Pavelski appeared to have scored the game-winning goal after being checked, or let least pushed by Nashville center, Paul Gaustad. After two reviews, the first to see if Pavelski gloved the puck in, and the second for possible goaltender interference, which one of the referees announced after the first review by stating there will be a further review before ultimately waiving off the game-winning goal. Very odd.
On a bang/bang play such as this, the is rarely a clear call. Depending on how much teal or yellow is in a person’s closet, the call was either spot on or a miscarriage of justice.
On Twitter, there was a firestorm of opinions ranging from Pavelski was shoved into Rinne pushed to he was trying to run the goalie. One enterprising fan even went back and looked at the Sharks record in which Game 4 referee Eric Furlatt was officiating.
1st star of the game: Eric Furlatt. #SJSharks are now 0-8 when he officiates a game the past two seasons. #SJSvsNSH
— Chris (@ProspectGeek) May 6, 2016
Sharks fans everywhere cried foul, but the game played on through the rest of the first overtime, and then the second overtime, before passing the halfway mark of the third overtime.
The next weird call was Predators defenseman Shea Weber struck Sharks defenseman Paul Martin bridge of his nose, with what appeared to be a fresh cut and blood after Matin picked himself up off the ice. For the errant lumber, Weber received only a two-minute minor. Again, Sharks fans again cried foul, literally, as there appeared to be a legitimate double-minor infraction that occurred. Then right after the Predators killed the Sharks second power play since the end of regulation time, the tide turned with a rejuvenated Predators bench after killing the second Weber penalties of overtime. In another lightning fast play, a simple misplay of the puck by the usually steady Justin Braun caused a turnover and, well, let’s just say it didn’t end well for the Sharks. San Jose jumped out to 2-0 series lead and now head back home tied 2-2.
As the Stanley Cup Playoffs continue, games will be decided by smaller and smaller margins. A blown line change, a missed assignment and yes, even on-ice officials, can swing an entire series that changes the outlook of every team. These things happen as you are playing for the toughest postseason in all of the professional sports. After such a heartbreaking loss, there will be questions swirling about the series, the officiating, and even the team itself. The Sharks will need to answer these questions with authority on Saturday night as the series shifts back to San Jose. Luckily for the Sharks, they will have 60 minutes to provide everyone with a decisive answer in Game 5, and even more time than that if need be.
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