The San Jose Sharks fell two wins short of hockey's ultimate prize, setting franchise record after franchise record along the way on an incredible postseason run.
But after four grueling series and two extra months of maximum effort, it's difficult for the Sharks to find many positives after being eliminated in the Stanley Cup Final.
"The playing, the traveling, playing every other day for a long time, you can't believe you're still not playing," captain Joe Pavelski said, according to Shawn Roarke of NHL.com. "It doesn't feel like it should ever end and that you should keep playing."
Polarizing Sharks forward Joe Thornton, who reached his first Final in his 18-year career is also coming to grips with the loss.
"It (stinks), you know," Thornton said. "That's the bottom line, it (stinks). We thought we had the team by going through the teams we went through in the West (to get here). It's just tough right now."
However, charismatic defenseman Brent Burns was able to shed some light on the darkness, declaring the camaraderie within his team.
"It's been such a great run," Burns said. "It's been fun."
"I don't even know what day it is. I know it is June. But whatever day it is, this is a special group of guys. Sometimes, you lose in the first or second round and it feels hard, and then you get a group like this and you get a chance (to go all the way) and it has just been fun."
As fun as it may have been, the blur of the Stanley Cup Playoffs will surely take it's toll on everybody.
"It'll hit the body in a couple days," Burns said. "And it won't feel good."
