It's Timo Time!!!

This afternoon, Eliot and I were treated to a historic and spectacular display of talent by one of our beloved San Jose Sharks.  Normally, I don't post about specific games, but this particular game was one that we won't soon forget.

At 4:00 pm, we stopped working on mouse ear orders and tuned in via our ESPN+ account to watch the San Jose Sharks take on their rival the LA Kings.  There isn't any love loss between the Sharks and Kings, so their games are usually pretty testy.  As a newer Sharks fan, I haven't really seen as much of the rivalry through the years.  But as a Boston fan, I understand it to be like the Red Sox and the Yankees.

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The game started like any other game.  Three minutes into it, Timo Meier scored on a power play to make it 1-0.  A few minutes later, Rudolfs Balcers scored making the score 2-0.  Nothing was out of the ordinary... yet.  I could tell that their line (Tomas Hertl, Meier and Balcers) was hungry and working really hard.  In fact, I commented about how good they looked a few times to Eliot.  

The last few minutes of the first period, Timo really turned on the heat.  He scored another goal with 1:12 left in the period and then he completed a first period hat trick 21 seconds later.  At this point, Eliot and I were both screaming like idiots.  Hats rained down on the ice as fans threw them for the hat trick.  (It was amazing!)  Then, then Sharks ended the first period with a quick LA Kings goal to make it 4-1 going into intermission, but we were so impressed with Timo that it didn't really phase us much.

The second period started, and in the first minute and 24 seconds, Meier scored again during another power play!  The number of San Jose Sharks who have scored 4 goals in a game is five.  I wasn't a fan back when Owen Nolan did it in 1995, but I did see the games where Tomas Hertl, Patrick Marleau and Evander Kane scored four goals.  I remember those games and how exciting it was to watch them.  But the way Timo was playing was electric, and you could just feel that this was something extra special.

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At the end of the second period, history was made with 28 seconds left.  (Appropriate because 28 is his number.)  Timo shot another goal with a toe drag snap shot right in front of the net and it went in.  Randy Hahn, the Sharks announcer went crazy, the fans in the stands went crazy and the guys on the ice were all grins- including Timo.  I was going absolutely nuts and so was Eliot.  It was incredible!

The best part, was that Timo had a few other chances to score and get a second hat trick.  He almost did it multiple times.  The entire third period, the Sharks fans in the stands cheered whenever he got the puck.  He almost scored on a breakaway and everyone went nuts.  There were a lot of "Timo! Timo!" chants that erupted.  And a few times, fans playfully booed when he had to get off of the ice to change lines.  This was the most animated the Shark Tank has been in a while, and it was so wonderful to witness it- even if it was only on television.  (I only wish we had been there in person!)

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In the end, the Sharks beat the Kings 6-2, with five of our goals from one guy.  They beat their rival team, and their former coach, Todd McLellan.  Los Angeles outshot the Sharks 41-17, which is really impressive for the Sharks.  (Not so much for LA.)

History was made and Timo Meier became the first Sharks player ever to score five goals in one game.  It's a pretty rare accomplishment, as only 56 players in the NHL have ever done it.  Meier is only the 5th player in the NHL to score five goals in a game since 2000.  Timo was actually named as the Sharks selection for the 2022 All Star game four days ago.  (Clearly, he was a great choice!)  I had a feeling it might be him as he has scored 20 goals in 35 games this season and was one of our points leaders.

Plus, a few of our other guys had a great game this afternoon too.  Erik Karlsson got his 500th NHL assist on Meier's fifth goal.  (Unfortunately for him, Timo's incredible goal scoring overshadowed that, but it was an important day for him too!)  During the game, Tomas Hertl had four assists and Karlsson had three assists.

This was an incredible game for Sharks fans and it was so much fun to watch history happening right before our eyes.  It just makes me that much more excited to go watch the Sharks games at the Tank next month during our California trip!

Congratulations to Timo on your amazing accomplishment!  It's Timo Time!!!  °o°