TYMNHS-5/15/16 Game 1 Western Conference Finals

So most of the talking heads believe that the Sharks were the better team in Game 1 (Final 2-1 Blues) but didn't win the game. Well, in this corner we think that if you score more goals than the other team, you are the better team on that night. If you take the goaltenders out of the game, maybe SJ was better. But you can't do that. Moose was better than Jones. And they still play the game with goaltenders. But I would like to see the Blues control the puck a lot more in Tuesday's game. On to the Things You Might Not Have Seen on TV in Game 1.

• Joe Micheletti is probably the nicest guy in the world...or at least in the top ten.
  
  The former Blues defenseman is working the Blues-Sharks series for NBC in the booth with Kenny Albert and Brian Boucher at ice level. I got to know Joe well during his days doing radio for the Blues with the great Dan Kelly at around the same time I started doing the Blues PA announcing. I was always impressed with his genuine interest in people and their well-being. He would always ask about how my wife and kids were doing and we would discuss our families. This was at a time when he was a young family man and just starting to have kids of his own. We usually talked about "real life things" more than hockey. Every time Joe is back in town, I make an effort, or he does, to get together somewhere in Scottrade and say hello and catch up. And he always asks about my family...and I do the same of him. He is the kind of person you are lucky to know...and thrilled to see have success in broadcasting at a very high level. But I will always be jealous of the fact that he doesn't seem to age...while my hair keeps getting whiter. Joe, a Hibbing MN native, played for the legendary Herb Brooks at U of Minnesota and was named the MVP of the 1976 NCAA hockey finals. He's another outstanding broadcaster that traces his professional roots back to the Gateway City. 
• Jamie Hersch, another Minnesota native and a studio host for NHL Network, is in town for this series.
  
  When I reported to my microphone for game 1, she was doing a live shot on NHL Network in the penalty box. When she was finished, we chatted and each took a selfie. Obviously, she is quite photogenic while I still have the "face for radio". I also have an issue with holding the phone steady...sorry about the blur. 
• In my last edition, I mentioned how the press lounge food is always consistently good, but that high-end touches such as carving stations hadn't been seen
  
  since the Dave Checketts ownership days. Well...voila!! The picture illustrates my power over things with the Blues organization :) Delicious pork tenderloin being doled out at the carving station last night. Of course, I had nothing to do with this. It has much more to do with the Blues stepping up the game for the national press group covering the WC finals. And, there was a large group of out-of-town press on hand. 
• The pre-game show was tweaked a bit for this next round of the playoffs. Another outstanding presentation by our group
  
  of professionals. This shot of the rink was taken during the pre-game rehearsal which is standard for the playoffs at around 2-1/2 hours before game time. 
• The back-up officials for last night's game were referee Francis Charron and linesman Jonny Murray. So two of the best were once again ready if needed. 
• In earlier days, Blues fans loved to hate Mike Ricci, a former agitator for the Sharks. I noticed on the game notes that he continues to be employed by the Bay-area fish in a player-development job. Talk about a face for radio. I think he's got
  
  me beat. 
• The crowd was very supportive and loud at all the right times last night. I was a bit worried about this going in because some of the 300-level fans sometimes have a difficult time affording playoff tickets. But last night's crowd was in it from the start and gave the team the home-ice advantage they needed. 

Thanks for reading. I'll have another edition after game 2.