I have a baseball entry to post, but I'm on a hockey high right now. Before last night, the San Jose Sharks were down by two games in a best-of-seven series against the Calgary Flames. The Sharks needed to win Game 3.

Somebody mentioned that the HP Pavilion would be open and showing the game on the Jumbotron. At first, it seemed silly to sit in an empty arena and watch hockey on a giant screen hanging over the ice, but curiosity got the better of me. It didn't hurt that admission and parking were free. It also sounded more appealing than trying to catch the action in a crowded place like San Jose Bar & Grill.

The turnout was modest, with enough people to fill approximately four sections. There were limited concessions, but everything was still full price. I had a bland jumbo dog and beer while watching Tampa Bay trounce Philadelphia. I'm rooting for the Flyers, so that was disappointing. Later, I tried a tasty teal mixed drink known as a Shark Island Iced Tea.

After one period, the game remained scoreless. The Junior Sharks took the ice during intermission and played a rousing round of hockey. Nobody scored, but it was highly amusing to watch little kids jam across the ice. Who knows? One of them may someday be the next Jonathan Cheechoo.

It's amazing how much noise people can make. We were only a fraction of the arena, but it sounded like a packed house after San Jose's first goal. The horn blared, the red siren flashed and the rally music played. Everybody was standing and cheering. I closed my eyes and for a moment, it felt like I was inside Pengrowth Saddledome in Calgary.

The Sharks would go on to win by a score of 3-0. The series is now 2-1 in favor of the Flames. San Jose needs three more victories to reach the finals. Let's hope they can keep it together and tie things up on Sunday. It's definitely crunch time!