Fans have dreamt of the Sharks winning the Stanley Cup for years, but they've never gotten their wish with the team exiting the playoffs during the conference semifinals the last three seasons. Now they're hopeful that this might be the year the Sharks finally go all the way.
For season ticket holder Will Klopp of San Martin, the miniature Stanley Cup he clenched in his hand during a November match-up against the Chicago Blackhawks at HP Pavilion in San Jose was symbolic of the past and the future.
"It's a constant reminder of how close we've come and the distance we have to go," Klopp said after a thrilling first period that saw the Sharks outshoot the Blackhawks 17-2, but only score one goal.
"(Coach Todd) McLellan is doing a really good job at getting them to shoot the puck more than anybody else in the league. You can't put the biscuit in the basket unless you're shooting the puck," Klopp said. "I think the fans love the fact that even with the near misses, there is more action. When there is something going on, there is a scoring chance. People are on the edge of their seats and watching what is going on."
And what's going on is a team leading the league in wins (26), fewest losses (4) and has the most points (57) as they near the halfway point of the season.
Local fans who couldn't be part of the sold-out crowd at the noisy Shark Tank for the Blackhawks game gathered in their living rooms to watch the game. Fan Rachael Chambers of Morgan Hill and her family like to sit around the TV with homemade cocktails - mixtures of grenadine and 7-Up - in glasses with shark fins hanging from the sides.
"This season has been so exciting to watch," she said. "I've got big Stanley Cup dreams."
Others flocked to the Boxseat Sports Grill in Morgan Hill with its large TV screens to cheer on the teal and black.
"They're very loud. They're very excitable. They're rowdy but not in a bad way," said bartender Danielle Estrada. "Everybody is cheering for the same team. It creates camaraderie. That's the fun part of the Sharks team. We've always had a huge fan base."
Sharks fans are known for their passion, and there has been a growing fervor over the years as the team has performed well.
"I think we are some of the best fans in the NHL," Shawn Blondin of Morgan Hill said. "We rival many of the Canadian hockey teams' fans. I've always heard that they're very into their teams."
Sharks supporters from the South Valley have been fiercely loyal since the team broke into the NHL in 1991, playing its early games at the Cow Palace in San Francisco.
"We went to the first game, and we've been season ticket holders since then," Joann Gullery of Morgan Hill said. "It's just an exciting sport."
"We were with them when they were really bad," said Janie Yamaguma of Morgan Hill, who became hooked on hockey after seeing the then Minnesota North Stars play the Pittsburgh Penguins in an exhibition game at the Oakland Coliseum. "It is a really fast-paced game, and I thought, 'Wow, this is a lot of fun.'"
The Sharks improved over the years to earn the NHL's second best record last season with 49 wins and 108 points. After the team was knocked out of the Stanley Cup Western conference semifinals by the Dallas Stars last season, the Sharks replaced head coach Ron Wilson with Detroit Red Wings assistant coach McLellan.
Since taking his spot behind the bench, McLellan has added defensemen Dan Boyle, Rob Blake, and Brad Lukowich to the roster and urged the team to take more shots from the blue line.
"Coach McLellan says they want to get everybody in front of the net and to have somebody in the middle so they can get the puck in easier," Yamaguma said. "They should've done that in the beginning. Their power play has been really bad until this year. We're really excited. I'm just really amazed by how well they've been doing."
"There's a different feel this year," said Scott Emmert, director of media relations for the Sharks and a Gilroy resident. "Todd and his staff are brand new. The players have said they're willing to buy into what these guys are selling. The results of that are showing up on the ice."
The Sharks pulled out a 3-2 victory against the Blackhawks that night, continuing an unbeaten streak at home. After a 5-0 shutout of the Vancouver Canucks Tuesday night, the Sharks are now 18-0-2 at HP Pavilion.
The changes have sparked enthusiasm among the legions of local hockey lovers who have been patiently waiting for a Stanley Cup.
"This is the year we should definitely see them go past the third round," said Blondin, a season ticket holder who has followed the team since it made its first draft choice. "I think this team could be the one that wins it all. I thought that a couple of times before, but this team seems to be better all around as far as offensive and defensive power."
With months remaining before the playoffs in late spring, Emmert is keeping his expectations in check. "It has been a very exciting year so far," he said. "There is an old saying, 'You can't win the Stanley Cup in October, but you can certainly lose it.' We're off to the best start in franchise history. We've pretty much by leaps and bounds eclipsed any start of the season that we've ever had.
"There's a lot of hockey to be played yet," he added. "It's tempered excitement."
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