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Does it have to get
ugly? Sharks getting knocked around in playoff
series 4/14/07 - By Paul Krill
It
appears the Predators are taking a play out of the Edmonton Oilers playbook
from last year's playoffs: Run-a-Shark. Last year, it was Milan Michalek. This
year, it's Jonathan Cheechoo and Steve Bernier. Two Sharks sprawled on the ice
in two games? Mere coincidence? Meanwhile, the league looks the other way and
only suspends one Predator one game and the other not at all.
I am
hesitant to advise that the Sharks start running Predators players (not that
they'd listen to me anyway). Who knows which Sharks we might lose if the league
suddenly decides to tighten up on this sort of thing and throws around serious
suspensions?
Unfortunately, the league appears to only take heavy
action when there is a lot of negative publicity generated by violence on the
ice. Witness the 11 games Owen Nolan got for his retaliation against Grant
Stephenson.
After all, the league is very, very concerned about making
a good impression on people who will never buy an NHL ticket anyway. I guess
the league figures it would rather avoid doing any suspensions that might call
attention to the type of play going on in the Sharks-Preds series if it can be
avoid it. Who wants to put out a press release that says somebody got
suspended?
As for me, my strategy has been the serenity prayer, or
whatever it was called, that says, "Lord, help me accept the things I cannot
change," or something like that.
While I've been furious over what has
gone on in this series so far, I've got too many family and professional
obligations to occupy my time to keep me focused on this travesty all day,
thankfully. But I'm not the only one upset, that's for sure. Check out this
email I just got:
"I have been following your columns for a little while
now, I respect your hockey perspective and it is for this reason I'm compelled
to ask you(or one of your colleagues) to demand this team to show gut and
grit... forget that, to show (censored) and start throwing their weight around,
be mean and punish these goons from the Midwest."
The email writer
continues:
"I am tired of seeing this team be bullied into submission
ESPECIALLY when you and I both know the Sharks could literally run circles
around them."
Monday, we'll see how the Sharks respond with the home
crowd behind them. It could get ugly.
Contact Paul at at
pjkrillsharks@yahoo.com
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