Game Preview: San Jose Sharks vs Colorado Avalanche

Well, this San Jose Sharks season has been a bit of a roller coaster, hasn’t it? It started off tremendously. The Sharks ruined the Kings Stanley Cup banner ceremony with a 4-0 win and started the year 4-0-1. It wasn’t very surprising to see the Sharks get off to such a hot start in the season. It was a bit surprising to see what happened after that. After the great start, they went on to lose 4 games in regulation, two of which involved blowing third period leads, and the other one was to the Sabres (which is their 7th straight loss against Buffalo. You’d think we’d stop being surprised that they lose to them….). But then, after the embarrassing losing streak, they turn the Anaheim Ducks into goons on their own ice with a terrific 4-1 victory over a good team in a very exciting game. It’s been difficult to figure out which Sharks team is the real Sharks. Is it the team that wants to prove management wrong for flipping out over the Summer, or is it the team that is just not as good as they were a year ago.

Meanwhile, their opponent tonight hasn’t had the start of the season they were looking for. The Colorado Avalanche beat out the Chicago Blackhawks and St. Louis Blues to be the best team in the Central Division last year before they were taken out in the first round by the Minnesota Wild. Many people said last year was a fluke for the Colorado Avalanche. I was one of the few who believed in them. I didn’t expect them to win the Central again because they just aren’t good enough, but I, unlike many others, picked them to make the playoffs. Well Colorado, you’re making me look stupid. So thanks. The Avalanche are just 2-4-3 and are off to a very slow start to the season, and they haven’t even played the best teams in their division yet. It seems to be a rough road ahead for the Avalanche, and unless they can turn it around fast, they won’t even sniff the playoffs, and I’ll look foolish and nobody wants that. But I prefer they don’t start that turnaround tonight.

Prediction: The Sharks are coming off a great win against a good rival team on the road and the Avalanche are coming off an overtime loss to the only team that is behind them in their division standings. All signs are pointing to an easy Sharks win. So tonight the score will be 4-2 Avalanche with Jamie McGinn scoring a hat trick because life isn’t fair.