We would like to thank the San Jose Sharks for participating in this year's

[MrPerson]

Stanley Cup tournament.

Please get your tee times on the way out of the building.

[MrSlayer]

1. You don't dance on graves before the death occurs.

There's another period yet to play.

[cboy4]

2. You better brace yourself when your Special Olymics Penguin

team gets eliminated.

I will be showing you no mercy asshole.

[MrPerson]

3. Go outside and take a breath of clean Looser Town air.

[MrPerson]

4. And Elvis has just left the building.

[MrPerson]

5. Biggest choke ever. As predicted by...ME

[Onceuponalife]

6. Nope

the biggest choke was no. 1 seed Detroit losing to the Sharks (no. 8 seed) the first time San Jose made the playoffs.

[MrPerson]

7. Was Detroit the President's trophy winner?

[MrSlayer]

8. No.

The asshole Rangers won the President's trophy that year. Detroit finshed 18 points better than San Jose in the west.

[inthebrain]

9. Penguins losing to the Islanders in 93

Probably the biggest upset I ever experienced. That Pittsburgh team was just a complete juggernaught.

Although I'm not sure if they choked rather than just got beat.

Detroit in 94 had problems in goal. Cheveldayov probably belonged in the IHL.

[MrSlayer]

10. The 1982 Kings beat the Edmonton Oilers who finished 48 points up on them.

That was the biggest upset I've ever seen. I thought Gretzky and company were going to wipe them without a fight and apparently so did they. But it didn't work out that way. The Kings came back from 5-0 in the third period of game three to win 6-5 in OT. They also won game one 10-8. Crazy shit.

The Isles-Pens series you mention was a great series too. Kasparitus was just killing people out there. Lemiuex was crying the whole series because Kaspar had the audacity to actually check him. I loved that one.

[inthebrain]

11. The Isles Pens battle is an all time classic

I recall Kasparaitus leveling Jagr and Lemeiux so many times. Even the pens announcers getting upset at the lack of respect for Lemeiux and Jagr.

Oh, that Stevens Pilon hit was just nasty too.

[MrSlayer]

12. Ah yeah, Pilon and Stevens went head to head.

Stevens knocked himself out and broke his face on the ice. He was never the same after that.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Iwp1d7eKbA

Watch Kaspar's reaction right after he goes down. Classic. Hockey was so much better in the 80's and early 90's.

[LisaM]

13. Which is why I shed no tears when San Jose lost last night

I was very gleeful, in fact!

Though I don't know if I want to play the Ducks. There are lots of tough teams in the West this year. Thankfully, Detroit will be rested.

[Upton]

14. No way...in 2006 the Red Wings

won the Presidents Trophy and then were beaten in 6 games by the 8th seeded Oilers, a team that finished 29 points behind Detroit in the regular season. On the other hand, the Sharks won the Presidents Trophy, were beaten in 6 games by a #8 seed that finished but 19 points behind the Sharks. So, if you want to go strictly by the numbers, the 2006 Red Wings were bigger chokers than the 2009 Sharks.

[Forkboy]

15. I'm going to agree with you in a way, though you may not like it.

I consider Detroit's loss a bigger choke, but it's because they're expected to win every year. Even many of the Sharks own fans don't seem surprised by them losing to the Ducks, and it's because they haven't established a winning playoff tradition like the Wings have done. So when Detroit loses it's a bigger shock than seeing the Sharks lose. Hell, I think I've picked Detroit to win the Cup for 10-11 straight years now (and I still think they will this year as well).

Boston is still in that same boat as well until they show that they can be a consistent playoff contender, something they haven't been since the late 80's and early 90's during the Bourque/Neely days.