Daily Pucking Grind. Overly Eager Roast. May 19th.

Today’s music selection on New Releases Thursday is What About Us by Handsome Furs.  Trust me, listen to it twice…you’ll like it.  I hope!  Plus, what a name right?

The score of last night’s games was not indicative of the play….for the most part.  Meaning that for almost two periods that Sharks and the Canucks, in the Chokeapalooza Battle played it pretty close.  Both teams playing fast paced, getting scoring chances, stopping scoring chances, and providing us viewers with end to end action.  And then it happened.  As it always does, there comes a time…a point in a playoff series that just might turn the tide.  Could be for you, or against you.  For the San Jose Sharks, it apparently was against them, as Ben Eager’s tripping penalty allowed ex-Florida Panther Chris Higgins to score his fourth goal of the playoffs giving the Canucks a 4-2 lead with 12 minutes left to play.

Please read on….there’s more!

Another power play goal almost four minutes later by Daniel Sedin gave the Canucks a 5-2 lead, and the choke hold was on.  Vancouver cruised to a now lopsided looking 7-3 victory.  Ironically Eager scored the third Shark goal, and added to it by some of his renowned trash talking.  It seemed like the Sharks folded like a bad deck of cards, and Eager was the culprit.  Or was he?  Patrick Marleau who picked up his third goal in his third consecutive game, took a five minute major for fighting in the second, when he dropped the gloves with Kevin Bieksa.  Yes, I believe in standing up for your teammates and for trying to generate some energy.  But losing Marleau for five minutes at an important part of the game was not the best idea.  As for Eager, here’s the issue and why he used to frustrate Chicago fans…..He’s a pretty decent player in all honesty.  He’s fast, has pretty decent hands, can hit, can fight and can agitate.  he’s scored some timely goals, and was a goal post away last night of giving San Jose a 2-0 lead in the first.  But……he can make the dumbest mistakes and the absolute wrong time.  One bad move by him can erase all the good things he does.

On the other hand, no other Shark appeared to be interested (except for Marleau) to push the envelope.  Dany Heatley, Devin Setoguchi and the rest of the Sharks are going to need to step things up or, and god forbid, this series will be over quickly.  Sigh.

Here’s a few links:

Puck Daddy’s Three Stars for Thursday night.  Which includes Eager’s hit on Daniella Daniel Sedin.

Last night’s busy boxscore.  TSN.ca.

The Canucks are not exactly embraced by Canada.  Let alone me.  Globe and Mail.

Sports Business Journal Honors the NHL as the Sports League of the Year. NHL.com.

Broad Street Hockey and Gorilla Upskirts are advertising for goalies in Philly.

Battle Of The Blades, Canada’s version of Dancing with the Stars, but with NHL players, has guys nervous. The Hockey News.

Finally….this has zero to do with hockey, but Huggies has a pretty damn funny commercial.

Thanks for reading.   We welcome your comments and opinions.

Please visit our NHL main page: Too Many Men On The Site.

Follow the Rat Pack onTwitter: me @TheRatTrick David Lasseter @davidlasseter , Josh Luecht @joshluecht, Adam Reid @AdamReid,  and Patrick McLaughlin @patrckmclaughln. Also, please join our Facebook Fan Page and hit the like button, send us photos, and make some comments.

Want The Rat Trick on your smartphone? Download the app and get the best in Florida Panthers coverage