SAN JOSE — We’ve reached the time of year where, as a Mercury News hockey writer, I’m supposed to cast doubt on the Sharks chances of closing out their first-round series with the Anaheim Ducks.
It’s in the job description: when the Sharks take commanding 2-0 leads, drag every ghost from playoffs past out of the closet and remind the teal faithful why they’re among the most used and abused fan bases in the NHL.
Bringing up the Sharks 2-0 collapse to the Edmonton Oilers in the 2006 Stanley Cup playoffs is mandatory. The choke job against the Detroit Red Wings in 2007 needs to be in the first three paragraphs, along with the 2009 heartbreak when the Sharks fell to the eighth-seeded Ducks after they won the President’s Trophy.