Viktor Kozlov. Igor Larionov. Vlastimil Kroupa. Sandis Ozolinsh. The list reads longer then War and Peace.

Of course, Grapenlov is a Swede (you need United Nations assistance to understand some of the conversations in San Jose's locker room), and there is your usual smattering of Americans, Canadians and Rhode Islanders.

But Coach Kevin Constantine has somehow overcome the language barrier to teach his team the fundamentals of team defense, and just as Florida almost rode John Vanbiesbrouck to the playoffs in its first year of NHL existence, San Jose has a true cash cow in Irbe, who outshined the Maple Leafs' more Heralded Felix Potvin in Game One.

Doug Gilmour, considered by some to be the NHL's best active player, was held to only one assist last night; Dave Andreychuk, his high-flying left-wing partner, was shut out.

It's not always pretty hockey, but it works. As Constantine said at the season's start, "This team will be ready to play every night," and Detroit's Scotty Bowman may have lost his coaching job thanks to the doings of Constantine's Dirty Half-dozen.

When you consider that another team with the 16th-best regular season record made it to the Stanley Cup Finals only three years ago (Minnesota), who knows, Maybe the Sharks have what it takes to be the answer to a more meaningful trivia question than "Which team popularized teal uniforms?"