Predictions for the Panda on Ice extravaganza
(UPDATES GALORE! First, despite some consternation that he might fly back to Venezuela for a baseball game, Panda dropped the puck in San Jose tonight)
According to a Sharks press release, “San Francisco Giants infielder Pablo Sandoval will be drop the ceremonial first puck” before tonight’s game against Chicago. They’re so excited they can’t even type good! But who wouldn’t be excited for this? Hopefully the Sharks eschew the normal carpet they roll out and make the Panda slip-slide his way across the ice to drop the puck. Some more dreams we had for tonight:
- Panda comes out with a fat wad of tobacco in his lip and spits some on the puck as he drops it. Players refuse to touch the puck.
- Panda runs up to the blue line and belly-flop-slides all the way to the boards. He calls it practice for his run at 20 steals in 2010.
- As Sharkie runs around the ice before the game, Panda follows him step-for-step, calling it part of Operation Panda training.
- Panda tells Joe Thornton about the time he got hit by that grounder in spring training. Thornton tell Panda this story and then punches him in the face.
While we’ll be watching Panda, the rest of North America will be watching the guys with the bent sticks in their hands, because tonight’s game is the rubber match of the series between the two best teams in the NHL. The now-shirtless Blackhawks took the first meeting in San Jose 7-2, and the Sharks retaliated with a non-awe-inspiring win in Chicago.
A rubber match, something the Panda is familiar with. We like where this is going.
(SECOND UPDATE: We are idiots and completely blacked out the OT loss to the Blackhawks in November. So tonight’s game is actually to even the season series at 2-2. But the Sharks don’t seem to want to do that, they’re down 2-0 early. Ugh.)
(FINAL UPDATE: The Sharks came back from 3-0 but lost 4-3 in overtime, because they enjoy ripping Pablo’s heart out of his chest just as he starts enjoying hockey. Sorry Panda.)
Hit Puck Daddy for the source of the image above, the official Team Canada portraits. Seriously, Patty, smile much?
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By Peter on Thursday, January 28th, 2010 at 9:52 am.
Tags: San Francisco Giants, San Jose Sharks