Is this 1998 or 2008?

Posted 7:01 PM ET | Comments 1

10 years ago, when I was 10 years old at the time, remember quite distinctively the goal from Andrei Zyuzin that tied up the series at 2 games a piece and headed back to Dallas.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lb91wymw0s0

Watch it.

I remember that goal being one of the biggest in franchise history's lore, but sadly the Sharks went on to lose that series 4 games to 2. The moral of the story, however, is that the Sharks did come back from being down by 2 games against a tough Dallas team then.

10 years later, the Sharks have the same opportunity over the next 2 days, starting tonight in Dallas.

Instead, the tables are turned this time. The Sharks have left the Tank down 0-2, instead of heading into it like 10 years before.

The past 2 seasons, the Sharks have won the first two games, only to lose each series 4 games to 2.

Perhaps, everything needs to be upside down compared to the past for the Sharks to climb out of this hole, and tie the series up. That is heading on the road down 2 games to 0.

I hate the Dallas Stars more than any team in the NHL. It all started after that Zyuzin goal, when Dallas went on to win the series 4-2 after that huge goal. I have always hated Belfour, Modano, Zubov, their fans, their goal horn, and hell even their PA announcer.

The Sharks seem to love facing uphill battles and adversity, so here is what could be the last test of the Sharks this season. Either win both games in Dallas, or come back down 3-1 to the Tank where the Stars have felt right at home.

I am a huge Red Sox, and yes before the 2004 playoffs, but if their World Series Championship runs both in 2004 and last season, have taught me anything, it's that you cannot count anyone out until the series reads 4 games to whatever.

When real stars face the ultimate adversity, the stars shine and come through in the clutch.

Will the Sharks' star players come through over the next 2 days? I hope so.

There is nothing more as fans we can do, especially on the road, is to just hope this team does the right things tonight and tomorrow.

And hopefully, this team will return with the series tied up on a beautiful goal much like Zyuzin's and headed back to the Shark Tank, where hopefully, the rally towels will return.

Over the past years in the playoffs, I have noticed a trend when the Sharks win and lose. Most of the time, when the Sharks win, the fans are given rally towels, usually in the earlier rounds. Then as, they would progress, the fans would recieve pom-poms.

Personally, the pom-pom is crap. Nobody wants to save them, and you cannot swing them like a rally towel.

Please give out rally towels, and do not ever try the shirts again. That was a horrendously stupid idea, trying to copy other teams. Everyone commented about how game 2 did not feel like a playoff game.

I know it sounds silly, but it was the lack of rally towels. There is nothing more exciting than when 17,496 fans are screaming, waving their rally towel in a frenzy.

The Sharks were one of the originals with the rally towels, keep it that way. The rally towel brings good luck I believe, not pom-poms or tshirts.

Okay Sharks, you do your part and win the next 2 games in Dallas, and when you return, we the fans will do ours. To make sure Dallas does not feel comfortable in our building.

But tonight, there is a task at hand first. The Sharks need to bury their chances, play hard, hit hard, play nasty, hit nasty, switch up the lines because switching up the lines against Dallas is one team it will work against.

The Sharks need to get into Turco's head. Talk, and chirp at him all night, antagonize him, and for the love of God, please make sure Modano is covered. He is the ultimate Sharks killer, and it is time for the Sharks to attack him and shut him down.

C'mon Sharks, we still believe, just don't make it any harder than it should be.

Just play your game.

Go Sharks!

~Sean

[email protected]

Filed Under: Sharks Stars playoffs WCSF