When you see a guy as big as Sharks defenseman Douglas Murray on the ice in the playoffs having to deal with the likes of the Sedin twins and Ryan Kesler you realize what a difficult job he has. After all, having to match up against last year’s MVP, a potential MVP this year, and a guy who can do virtually no wrong so far in the playoffs is some hard work.

Fortunately for Murray he’s a smart guy as well and the Cornell University graduate uses his brains and his brawn in having to deal with the circus of talent that Vancouver throws his way. Murray is perhaps the one truly physical defensive defenseman in the Sharks lineup and his play throughout the playoffs has made him especially important to the team’s success.

What you may not know about him is that he also doubles as a genius in the art of brewing as The Vancouver Sun’s Cam Cole made mention of when profiling the hulking defender.

His shape is more bouncer than defenceman. His look is more biker than athlete. His hair is more Mike Ricci than the average hockey ’do.’ He’s an Ivy Leaguer with a degree in hotel administration from Cornell, where he got together with some classmates and invented — where but college would a thing like this be developed? — a hands-free, three-spout beer keg tap that he now markets.

So hang on, a hockey player that’s into beer so much he helped invent something to make it better? All hail your new leader of the beer and hockey loving world. What Murray and his pals came up with is something called the Ubertap. As it’s described on the site, the Ubertap is a keg tap that allows its users to pour more beer, faster from your favorite party keg full of brew. Not only is Douglas Murray a fine player, but he’s a great American Swede as well.

Murray’s genius off the ice is an awful lot of fun to hear about but it’s too bad for him he can’t sway his opponents with such a sweet invention and promises of future beers. The Sharks defense isn’t overly physical and Murray’s presence out there makes him more of an anomaly than being one of many instruments of punishment. Then again, if the Sharks had more guys as big and imposing as Murray, they’d be terrifying to deal with defensively.

Perhaps the guy Sharks and fans alike call “Crankshaft” can set the tone and lead the Sharks to victory tomorrow night to even up the series. Then again, with the penchant Vancouver fans have for partying, we wouldn’t hold it against Murray to make a killing both on and off the ice as well.