Sharks win Game 1 of Stanley Cups Playoffs

SAN JOSE, Calif. (KTVU) - The San Jose Sharks kicked off their playoff run on Thursday. The Sharks taking on the Anaheim Ducks in their quest for the Stanley Cup.

Fans turned up in teal as the San Jose Sharks faced off with the Ducks in Anaheim in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

At the official watch party at Britannia Arms in downtown San Jose, fans showed up. One fan in particular covered in teal complete with electronic signage and a playoff beard.

“I have a day job,” said Rick Cady of San Jose. “I’m a software engineer. I went to work like this all day today.”

The highlight of the night for these fans was the arrival of the highly coveted Stanley Cup. Sharks Fan Ramiro Perez was too nervous to touch the cup, not wanting to jinx the Sharks chances.“I feel like it's a sick twist of fate, it's a teaser, but hopefully we will make it a reality this season,” said Perez.

Fans couldn't help but snap pictures and selfies. The trophy is 125 years old, 35 pounds of sterling silver and insured for $1.5 million.

“It’s just so hard to win that when you do win it, you are able to get your name on the trophy,” said Stanley Cup Keeper Howie Borrow.

In the Sharks's 27-year franchise history, the closest the team has gotten to winning the cup two years ago when they made it to the Stanley Cup Finals, losing to the Pittsburg Penguins. 

“It was heartbreaking but they lost to a better team,” said Brian Judd of San Jose.

“It’s a tough league you got to be really at the top of your game. you got to be playing your best hockey at the right time,” said Former San Jose Sharks Player Tom Pederson. 

Pederson knows what it's like to be in the playoffs. The former Sharks defenseman played from 1992 to 1996.

“We’ve got 16 wins for the Stanley Cup, let's get the first one out of the way tonight,” said Pederson. 

“Bringing additional hockey games to SAP Center drives more people downtown which fills restaurants and bars and that's a great thing economically for the city of San Jose,” said Jim Sparaco of San Jose Sharks.

Downtown San Jose is now Sharks territory. The longer the series, the better for San Jose all around.
“Sharks is always consistently the number one supporter for our financial gain in downtown San Jose,” said Britannia Arms Owner Sonny Walters. 

Fans are taking it one game at a time.

“Every year we hunger for the cup,” said Perez. “We hope we get the cup. It’s just a hard fought battle. We have to win every game,” said Perez. 

The Sharks play in Anaheim again Saturday night. The first home game is on Monday with a street rally and new this year a march with fans down Santa Clara Street.