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If you're feeling a little bleary-eyed this morning, you're excused.

How else could anyone East West of the Rockies who watched the Stars prevail over the Sharks, 2-1 in four overtime periods, feel after enduring five hours and 14 minutes of nerve-wracking action -- a game, that by the time it was over, made you almost completely forget the thrilling OT game that allowed the Penguins to finally dispatch the Rangers late on Sunday afternoon?

I know most hockey fans tend to think of a Game Seven as the ultimate nirvana, but six game series can often be just as epic, and the battle between the Sharks and Stars is going to be remembered in both cities for quite a while.

Yes, it was a six-game series, but five of those games were decided by one goal, and four of those were in overtime. That includes last night's game where the two teams combined for a ridiculous 117 shots, the last coming when Stars captain Brendan Morrow tipped a Stephane Robidas shot past Evgeni Nabokov sometime past 2:14 a.m. U.S. EDT.

Up until that point, the two netminders had been nothing short of brilliant, with both turning in one game-saving stop after another. The most mind-numbing probably came in the first OT period, when Brad Richards sent a wrist rocket at a wide open net, only to see Nabokov snatch it with his glove hand. Later, an overhead replay would show that he had nabbed the puck right above the goal line.

But while Marty Turco and Nabokov were the top two stars of the game, it was on this night that Brendan Morrow demonstrated exactly why the Stars organization stripped Mike Modano of the captaincy and handed it over to him. Morrow was a force all night in every zone, never more than in the closing seconds of regulation when he absolutely leveled Milan Michalek along the right wing boards inside the San Jose zone. Michalek, who had been one of the best Sharks on the ice all night long, needed several minutes just to get off the ice. He wouldn't return.



So what's next? While the Stars move on, we ought to consider for a moment what in the world this San Jose team needs to do in order to win. It's been generally acknowledged from the start that only a deep run would probably save the job of head coach Ron Wilson, and I'm having a hard time believing that San Jose General Manager Doug Wilson will give Coach Ron another kick at the can after yet another playoff failure.

As for the head coach, he's got few excuses. The Sharks had skill and scoring depth up front and a decided physical advantage over just about any opponent out West besides Anaheim. They got the defenseman they needed at the deadline in Brian Campbell and there's little doubt that Nabokov is a Vezina-caliber talent and will be for years to come. All the pieces are there. And whether or not it's fair, the head coach is the easiest part to switch out. Don't cry for Ron Wilson, for he'll get another shot sooner rather than later. It's just clear that just like in Washington, that his schtick has worn out.

With that out of the way, I think it's time to reward the entire Dallas organization with some applause. Going into the season expectations were low, mostly due to the team letting a number of older players move on and expecting others in the organization to move into their place. Plenty of people laughed when Doug Armstrong was replaced midseason by co-GMs Les Jackson and Brett Hull, but it was that duo who snagged Brad Richards out of Tampa.

And we shook our heads again when they lost 11 of 14 going into the playoffs, only to see a team take down the defending Stanley Cup champs without their top defenseman -- Sergei Zubov -- in the lineup. Though they would get him back against San Jose, Dallas would lose Philippe Boucher before they did, yet the defense never seemed to waver against one of the most potent offenses in the league, virtually silencing the Sharks power play all series long. Once again, it might be time for us to give Dave Tippet, one of the most under appreciated head coaches in the league, some due.

Up next for Dallas is the sternest test yet: #1 seeded Detroit. I've got all sorts of questions for Dallas -- like how they expect their defense to handle Johan Franzen and Tomas Holmstrom, or can they reasonably expect their forwards to disrupt the Detroit attack much the same way as they did against San Jose?

One thing is for sure: The one decided edge the Stars enjoy over Detroit comes in goal, where I'd take Marty Turco any day of the week over either Chris Osgood or the brooding Dominik Hasek. In any case, we'll start to get our answers on Thursday.

Pens Move on to Face Philly: I'm having a hard time adding much to Pat Lackey's excellent recap of Pittsburgh's series-clinching win over the Rangers yesterday in just one tidy OT. Suffice to say, the state of Pennsylvania is going to be launched into a state of absolute apoplexy over the next two weeks, as the physical Flyers await in the Eastern Conference Finals. One wonders what Flyers fans have in store for Sidney and company once they get to Philly for Game Three.

Before we say goodbye to the Rangers, it would be remiss not to mention the intensity with which Jaromir Jagr took to the ice in this playoff year. But it would also be remiss not to mention that most fans in Washington, Pittsburgh and New York would have liked to seen that sort of heart and soul effort a little more often over the course of his career.

Today's Trip to HF Boards: Here's a poll that seems to be coming at an opportune time: Who is the most hated NHL TV personality? As of early Monday morning, Pierre McGuire holds a slim lead over Mike Milbury and Don Cherry. I guess that's a real tribute to Don, considering that both McGuire and Milbury appear on multiple television outlets on both sides of the border. Be sure to stop by sometime today to make sure your voice is heard.

Gratuitous YouTube Embed: Thanks to Lundqvist56 for posting this nice survey of the top goalie masks around the league:


The Ice Sheet Needs to Be Rebuilt: We're halfway through the playoffs, and The Ice Sheet is showing some rough spots as the temperature has risen. And with everyone out of action until Thursday night, we'll be giving the sheet a rest until the start of the Conference Finals. See you on Thursday morning.