Throwdown Lowdown – Sharks @ Blues 2-4-10

Brad Staubitz is not afraid to punch people. Image via sharkspage.com

There was plenty of testiness between the Blues and Blackhawks on Wednesday, but no fights since the Blackhawks have some sort of allergy that causes them not to drop the gloves.  So the Blues remain in 5th with 46 fights and a 21-13-12 fight record.

We have covered the San Jose Sharks once on the Throwdown Lowdown – in fact, it was my very first Throwdown Lowdown report.  Since then, the Blues have shot up the ranks in fights while the Sharks have pretty much stayed steady.  The Sharks are currently 10th in the league with 39 bouts on the season, sporting a solid season fight record of 16-9-14.  They are an even 1-1-1 against the Blues in fights this season: Cam Janssen defeated Brad Staubitz on November 14th in St. Louis, Ryane Clowe defeated BJ Crombeen on December 3rd in San Jose and Janssen and Jody Shelley worked a draw on January 6th in San Jose.  It’s obvious that this club believes in violent behavior to settle a point, unlike pretty much all of our Central Division rivals.

First thing’s first: should this be classified as skill or fluke?  Winger Clowe (6’2″, 225lbs) is 7-0-0 on the season.  He hasn’t lost and hasn’t ended a fight in a draw.  That’s crazy, right?  I’d call it a fluke but I saw his bout with Crombeen, and he’s good.  Clowe is not the only fighter on this team – in fact, 12 different Sharks have fought this season.  You’re likely familiar with winger Shelley (6’3″, 225lbs, 2-2-3) from his days in Columbus as well as his scrap with Janssen last month.  Winger Staubitz (6’1″, 215lbs, 2-2-3) is also not afraid of fisticuffs.  Winger Frazer McLaren (6’5″, 235lbs, 2-3-3) registers the most fights on the team with 8, but he was sent back to the minors last month when Shelley was taken off IR.  Other Sharks with multiple fights include center Scott Nichol (5’9″, 178lbs, 1-0-2) and defenseman Jay Leach (6’4″, 220lbs, 0-0-1 in SJ and 0-1-1 overall).  Another fighter to look out for, just for pure size reasons, is Team Sweden Olympic defenseman Douglas Murray (6’3″, 240lbs, 1-0-0).

Might David Backes battle Murray in honor of Team USA?  Backes gives 15 pounds to Murray, but they both are Olympians and it sure would be exciting.  Excepting that, Shelley and Janssen are familiar with each other as are Shelley and DJ King.  There are many possibilities in this matchup for fisticuffs as the Sharks are trying to hold off the Blackhawks for top spot in the West, while the Blues are trying to ratchet up the NHL standings and get INTO the postseason.  And they may want to break the tie of the season fight record, too.  1-1-1 is WAY too even.

#2 in the West last night.  #1 in the West TONIGHT.  Let’s get it done.

LET’S GO BLUES!!!!!

Information obtained via the incomparable Fried Chicken’s Hockey Fights