It’s over. After 82 games and 6 and a half months, it’s over. There are no more games to fine-tune things, no more worrying about jockeying for positions in the standings. For fourteen teams, meaninful hockey is over until October. But for sixteen teams, it is the most exciting, nerve-wracking, ulcer-inducing, amazing time of the year. Playoffs.

The Sharks clinched first overall in the Western Conference for the second year in a row on the back of a three-game winning streak and an overtime win by the Evil Empire (aka, Detroit). And yes folks, this means another Western Conference Regular Season Champions banner. But honestly? That’s awesome. They deserve it for the year they’ve had.

Statistically in almost every way the Sharks did not play as well as they did last year. The had fewer wins, fewer goals, and worse defense. Yet I contend that this season’s team is stronger than its past incarnation. The Sharks of 08-09 relied on a ridiculous 2008 to get them their President’s Trophy, finishing up as a rather mediocre team. The Sharks of 09-10 were pressured every step of the way, transforming themselves from a team that relied solely on skill to one that used quite a bit of will as well.

I can sing platitudes about each player, but I’ll save that for a later post. Now is for the final two games that decided our fate, the final two home games of the season.

The game against Vancouver was a game against a team that had almost nothing to play for; they had locked up the third seed a while ago and weren’t moving no matter what they did. They rested a few guys, and came out sloppy. By the end of the second, the Sharks were up 4-0 in what was shaping up to be another in what has been a long line of Shark dominations of the Canucks in the Tank. But then came the third period.

The third period featured 76 penalty minutes. That means for every minute played in the third, there were almost 4 minutes in penalties handed out. Frankly, things got ugly. Fight after fight, scrum after scrum, and a period where the Sharks took minor after minor. At one point, there were six Sharks in the penalty box, creating a standing room only situation. The refs started giving out game misconducts to players just because there wasn’t enough room. The Sharks ended up having to kill around 5 minutes straight, including a full 2 minute 5-on-3. It would have been perfect if not for a last-minute 4-on-3 goal by the Canucks. The Canucks would score again to make it 4-2, but that was as close as they got and the Sharks closed it out.

As I watched that game, all I could think was how they were ready for the playoffs. They didn’t crumple, or shy away, something that they are known to do once the going gets rough. Instead, they fought back. Everybody. Not just the guys who are known to drop the gloves, but the skill players and the normally timid players. No one was shying away from the challenge. That is why they are ready.

Then, on Saturday, the Sharks did something they haven’t done since 2004 – win their final regular season game. Kind of pathetic when you think about it, considering the record the Sharks have accrued over the years. And yet, they prevailed 3-2 over the Coyotes in a shootout.

The game wasn’t as much of a statement game as the one against the Canucks was; it was back-and-forth, but neither team got much flow. What was probably most impressive was that the Sharks won in the shootout against Phoenix, a team that got 14 of its wins from the shootout. That should count for double or something.

But that’s all over. Now, we have to focus on the Sharks’ first round opponent: the Colorado Avalanche. A surprise team to finish higher than last in the conference, much less get a playoff spot. But they deserve to be there, on the back of stellar play from backup-turned-starter Craig Anderson and some great performances from rookies like Matt Duchene. They’ve been slumping going into the playoffs, but that doesn’t matter. The Sharks need to come out, and come out hard to challenge the playoff-inexperienced team.

First round starts on Wednesday, at 7:30pm in the Tank. Go Sharks.