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"We need them to get on the scoreboard," coach Todd McLellan said Wednesday. ...
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Source: http://www.sharkspage.com/atom.xml

<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?><?xml-stylesheet href="http://www.blogger.com/styles/atom.css" type="text/css"?><feed xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom' xmlns:openSearch='http://a9.com/-/spec/opensearchrss/1.0/' xmlns:georss='http://www.georss.org/georss' xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2318140195445836514</id><updated>2010-05-01T09:25:40.708-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Sharkspage San Jose Sharks NHL hockey and local sports blog</title><subtitle type='html'>The Bay Area's longest running San Jose Sharks, NHL, hockey, MMA, soccer, tennis, kickboxing, boxing and local sports blog, in operation since 1998.</subtitle><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2318140195445836514/posts/default'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.sharkspage.com/'/><link rel='hub' href='http://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/'/><link rel='next' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2318140195445836514/posts/default?start-index=26&max-results=25'/><link rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#feed' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.sharkspage.com/atom.xml'/><author><name>PJ Swenson</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/10263208264922939673</uri><email>jon@sharkspage.com</email></author><generator version='7.00' uri='http://www.blogger.com'>Blogger</generator><openSearch:totalResults>596</openSearch:totalResults><openSearch:startIndex>1</openSearch:startIndex><openSearch:itemsPerPage>25</openSearch:itemsPerPage><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2318140195445836514.post-2391257347065795646</id><published>2010-04-30T08:36:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2010-04-30T08:41:21.974-07:00</updated><title type='text'>WCSF Game 1: San Jose Sharks set tone with hard work and three points by Joe Pavelski in game 1, down Red Wings 4-3</title><content type='html'><object width="476" height="289"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/tvX8EmSe-Go&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/tvX8EmSe-Go&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="476" height="289"></embed></object>
<a href="http://sharkspage.com/galleries/2010_sharks_detroit2/" target="_blank"><img src="http://sharkspage.com/galleries/2010_sharks_detroit2/images/sharks_detroit1.jpg" width="402" height="600" alt="San Jose Sharks Detroit Red Wings playoffs Joe Pavelski faceoff" border="0"></a> <CODE>#8 JOE PAVELSKI FALLS BUT WINS FACEOFF VS #40 ZETTERBERG IN 1ST</CODE> 
<a href="http://sharkspage.com/galleries/2010_sharks_detroit2/" target="_blank"><img src="http://sharkspage.com/jpgs6/sharks_detroit11b.jpg" width="425" height="282" alt="San Jose Sharks Detroit Red Wings Semifinals Joe Pavelski Big Lebowski" border="0"></a> <CODE>FANS CELEBRATE JOE PAVELSKI'S SECOND GOAL ON 3RD PERIOD PP</CODE> 
<a href="http://sharkspage.com/galleries/2010_sharks_detroit2/" target="_blank"><img src="http://sharkspage.com/jpgs6/sharks_detroit10b.jpg" width="425" height="285" alt="San Jose Sharks Stanley Cup Playoffs Evgeni Nabokov save" border="0"></a> <CODE>#33 DRAPER AND #22 BOYLE CRASH INTO GOALTENDER #20 EVGENI NABOKOV</CODE> 
Notes from the San Jose Sharks <a href="http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2009030231&navid=sb:recap" target="_blank">4-3 win</a> over the Detroit Red Wings in game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals will be posted soon. Youtube video highlights from the game are available <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvX8EmSe-Go" target="_blank">here</a>. A Sharkspage photo gallery from the game is available <a href="http://sharkspage.com/galleries/2010_sharks_detroit2/" target="_blank">here</a>.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2318140195445836514-2391257347065795646?l=www.sharkspage.com' alt='' /></div></content><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2318140195445836514/posts/default/2391257347065795646'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2318140195445836514/posts/default/2391257347065795646'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.sharkspage.com/2010_04_01_archive.html#2391257347065795646' title='WCSF Game 1: San Jose Sharks set tone with hard work and three points by Joe Pavelski in game 1, down Red Wings 4-3'/><author><name>PJ Swenson</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/10263208264922939673</uri><email>jon@sharkspage.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='12905731543131551762'/></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2318140195445836514.post-8829402446587363853</id><published>2010-04-29T14:28:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2010-04-29T16:15:38.090-07:00</updated><title type='text'>WCSF Game 1: Detroit Red Wings gameday skate video, pre-series comments by head coach Mike Babcock</title><content type='html'><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/V8uD6xH7w2c&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/V8uD6xH7w2c&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>
A few raw video clips of the Detroit Red Wings morning skate, a shoot around with starting goaltender Jimmy Howard, and the post-practice media scrum with head coach Mike Babock is available on youtube <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8uD6xH7w2c" target="_blank">here</a>. 
The lineup at the Sharks morning skate was status quo, with Torrey Mitchell joining Patrick Marleau and Joe Thornton on the top line according to beat writer <a href="http://blogs.mercurynews.com/sharks/2010/04/29/getting-ready-for-detroit-setoguchi-on-the-challenge-helminens-michigan-roots-stuarts-homecoming/" target="_blank">David Pollak</a>. That could change prior to the 6PM drop of the puck, or during an in-game adjustment. Pollak also noted Todd McLellan's wish to spread the offense around, and checking forward Dwight Helminen's 3-year University of Michigan playing background.
On the Red Wings side, mLive.com's <a href="http://www.mlive.com/redwings/index.ssf/2010/04/red_wings-sharks_line_combinat.html" target="_blank">Ansar Khan</a> noted that defenseman Brian Rafalski was the only player who did not skate in the pregame practice. Lines for Detroit apparently will remain status quo according to Khan: Franzen-Datsyuk-Holmstrom, Filppula-Zetterberg-Bertuzzi, Draper-Helm-Eaves and Miller-Abdelkader-Cleary. 
The NHL's national cable broadcast partner <a href="http://www.versus.com/nhl" target="_blank">Versus</a> will air the first two games of the series, game 1 Thursday at 6PM (PT), and game 2 Sunday at 5PM. HP Pavilion in San Jose is booked on Friday and Saturday for an Eagles concert. According to a <a href="http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/hockey/comments/watching_versus_during_the_conference_semifinals/" target="_blank">press release</a>, there will be a pre and post-game Hockey Central highlight show before and after each nationally broadcast game. Versus will be the exclusive home for the East and West Conference Finals, and games 3 and 4 of the Stanley Cup Final.
Comcast SportsNet California <a href="http://www.csncalifornia.com/04/28/10/Sharks-vs-Detroit-Series-Schedule-Releas/landing.html?blockID=225422&feedID=2798" target="_blank">announced today</a> that exclusive coverage of games 3-7 can be found on their channel. Each game broadcast will also include a Sharks Pregame Live and Sharks Postgame Live half hour analysis and highlight show. A special edition of Chronicle Live will be aired tonight at 5PM with guests including President/CEO Greg Jamison, EVP/GM Doug Wilson, and former player Jeremy Roenick among others.
[Update] <a href="http://detnews.com/article/20100429/OPINION03/4290349/1128/sports0103/When-stars-shine--Red-Wings-are-hard-to-beat" target="_blank">When stars shine, Red Wings are hard to beat</a> - Detroit News. 
[Update2] <a href="http://www.freep.com/article/20100429/SPORTS05/100429066/1053/Babcock-Sharks-McLellan-have-mutual-admiration" target="_blank">Former comrades Mike Babcock, Todd McLellan have mutual admiration</a> - Detroit Free Press. 
<blockquote>McLellan worked as an assistant for Babcock in Detroit in 2005-08, until he was hired by the Sharks to help exorcise their record of regular-season achievement followed by playoff failure. He had a rough opening year, with the Sharks getting upended by Anaheim in the first round last year, but there’s little question he’s a very talented coach. 
“He’s smart,” Babcock said this morning at HP Pavilion. “He’s a good man, he’s a good family guy. I rode to the rink with him every year for three years. I coached against him in junior hockey. When I was going to hire him, I met with him early, it was during the lockout year -- I think it was Cincinnati, could have been anywhere -- and kind of put a bug in his ear and met with him a few times.</blockquote> 
[Update3] <a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/news;_ylt=AhCouA5fZfageG2mpiluqJN7vLYF?slug=rm-nhlwestsemis042810" target="_blank">Best of the West fill out its final four</a> - Ross McKeon for Yahoo.com. 
[Update4] <a href="http://blog.mlive.com/snapshots/2010/04/prepare_for_the_master_versus.html" target="_blank">Prepare for the 'master versus apprentice' storyline as Red Wings' Babcock tangles with Sharks' McLellan</a> - George Malik for Snap Shots. Not even sure if Malik is aware the Skywalker Ranch is a short hop across the Bay from HP Pavilion. <a href="http://g4tv.com/attackoftheshow/exclusives/70635/Inside-ILMs-FX-at-Skywalker-Ranch.html" target="_blank">Darth Babcock</a>?
[Update5] <a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/Red-Wings-could-be-fined-for-breaking-San-Jose-c?urn=nhl,237605" target="_blank">Red Wings could be fined for breaking San Jose curfew</a> - Greg Wyshynski for Puck Daddy.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2318140195445836514-8829402446587363853?l=www.sharkspage.com' alt='' /></div></content><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2318140195445836514/posts/default/8829402446587363853'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2318140195445836514/posts/default/8829402446587363853'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.sharkspage.com/2010_04_01_archive.html#8829402446587363853' title='WCSF Game 1: Detroit Red Wings gameday skate video, pre-series comments by head coach Mike Babcock'/><author><name>PJ Swenson</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/10263208264922939673</uri><email>jon@sharkspage.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='12905731543131551762'/></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2318140195445836514.post-1285155721028319533</id><published>2010-04-29T12:40:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2010-04-29T12:54:15.340-07:00</updated><title type='text'>WCSF Game 1: Detroit Red Wings gameday practice photo gallery</title><content type='html'><a href="http://sharkspage.com/galleries/2010_sharks_detroit1/" target="_blank"><img src="http://sharkspage.com/galleries/2010_sharks_detroit1/images/sj_det8.jpg" width="402" height="600" alt="Detroit Red Wings goaltender Jimmy Howard" border="0"></a> <CODE>DETROIT RED WINGS ROOKIE GOALTENDER #35 JIMMY HOWARD THURSDAY IN SJ</CODE>
<a href="http://sharkspage.com/galleries/2010_sharks_detroit1/" target="_blank"><img src="http://sharkspage.com/jpgs6/sj_det7b.jpg" width="425" height="285" alt="Detroit Red Wings Playoffs goaltender Jimmy Howard" border="0"></a> <CODE>GOALTENDER #35 JIMMY HOWARD, 6-FOOT-0, 210-POUNDS, 26 YEARS OLD</CODE> 
A small photo gallery from the Detroit Red Wings pregame skate Thursday is available <a href="http://sharkspage.com/galleries/2010_sharks_detroit1/" target="_blank">here</a>. Video of the practice and pregame notes will be posted soon.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2318140195445836514-1285155721028319533?l=www.sharkspage.com' alt='' /></div></content><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2318140195445836514/posts/default/1285155721028319533'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2318140195445836514/posts/default/1285155721028319533'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.sharkspage.com/2010_04_01_archive.html#1285155721028319533' title='WCSF Game 1: Detroit Red Wings gameday practice photo gallery'/><author><name>PJ Swenson</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/10263208264922939673</uri><email>jon@sharkspage.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='12905731543131551762'/></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2318140195445836514.post-4412937736804302158</id><published>2010-04-29T06:39:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2010-04-29T09:59:29.776-07:00</updated><title type='text'>WCSF Game 1 preview: A look back at Colorado, a look ahead to Detroit</title><content type='html'><img src="http://sharkspage.com/galleries/2010_sharks_colorado3/images/sharks_colorado_g5_14.jpg" width="399" height="600" alt="San Jose Sharks playoffs Torrey Mitchell" border="0"> <CODE>#17 TORREY MITCHELL JOINED THORNTON AND MARLEAU ON TOP LINE</CODE>
<img src="http://sharkspage.com/jpgs6/sharks_avs1.jpg" width="293" height="185" alt="San Jose Sharks vs Colorado Avalanche Stanley Cup Playoff series stats" border="0"> <CODE>SAN JOSE DEFEATED COLORADO IN THE WCQF 4-2</CODE> 
San Jose Sharks preview: 
<blockquote>The Sharks stressed a theme of overcoming obstacles prior to the start of the 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs, and they would return to that theme early and often in the first round against the Colorado Avalanche. Odd bounces off of Rob Blake's skate, Marc-Edouard Vlasic's throat, and a Dan Boyle shot that deflected off of Ryan O'Reilly's stick resulted in three own-goals over the first three games. The Avalanche emerged with a 2-1 series lead, each in one-goal affairs, but the tide would turn.
The Sharks stuck with the Todd McLellan philosophy of playing the body hard, funneling shots on net, and trying to wear down a young and hobbled Avalanche squad on both sides of the ice. Colorado quizzically adopted a counter-punching style, laying back in the neutral zone waiting to capitalize on mistakes. Mistakes that either never came, or were swallowed up by a sharp Evgeni Nabokov. The Avalanche may have been taking a page from the Anaheim Ducks one year earlier. The Ducks lulled the Sharks into complacency early, took the series lead, and then let them beat themselves as they tried a desperation comeback.
What worked for San Jose: The Clowe-Pavelski-Setoguchi line combined for 22 points (9 goals, 13 assists), and 6 points (2 goals, 4 assists) on the power play. Joe Pavelski continued a trend of clutch performances with the game tying goal with 32 seconds left in game 2, the overtime game winning goal in game 4, the game winning goal in game 6 as well as an assist on Dan Boyle's game tying goal in the third period. The 5-foot-11, 190-pound Pavelski thinks the game well, makes a b-line for the front of the net, and plays 20 pounds above his weight. Ryane Clowe is a player in the power forward mould, one head coach Todd McLellan called the Sharks MVP down the stretch. Clowe excelled at winning puck battles in the corner, and creating scoring chances with puck possession around the wings. Devin Setoguchi had to be settled down by teammates after a penalty in game 1, but a voracious forecheck and at times a head hunting style made him a handful for Colorado. If Setoguchi can mimic the puck possession style of Ryane Clowe, take it to the net instead of making plays high in his zone, his goal and penalties drawn totals will skyrocket.
Evgeni Nabokov and Craig Anderson each had a forgettable game 2, but Nabokov quickly worked himself back into the series. An aggressive style that saw him challenge shooters at the top of the crease remained consistent despite anemic shot totals from Colorado. Nabokov allowed a combined 1 goal against in games 4 and 5, and held the Avalanche to 2 goals or less for all but 1 game in the series. Not shaken by a puck that deflected in off the skate of Rob Blake for a game winner in the opening contest, or a puck that beat him on Dan Boyle's shot in overtime of game 3, Nabokov kept the team pointed in the right direction for the rest of the series. According to HNIC, a heated offseason meeting between general manager Doug Wilson and Nabokov centered around being a better teammate. Nabokov put that into practice during the regular season, and could be one of the most sought after free agents in the offseason. He needs to direct traffic and at times act as a third defenseman when the d is pressured in his zone.
The overwhelming trend was shots on goal in all situations. The Sharks outshot Colorado 245-149, and the disparity was equal with shots that missed the net 87-57. Getting pucks through traffic was a major factor in the series, as the Avalanche averaged over 20 blocked shots a game (21.3). Also notable was the Sharks play late in game 6 with a one goal lead. From the 12 minute mark to the Sharks second empty net goal at 19:29, San Jose got the puck deep in the Colorado zone 8 times. It forced the Avalanche to skate 200 feet for a comeback. They were only able to set up in the offensive zone 5 times, and the scoring chances lacked the intensity and desperation needed to even the series.
What needs work: The Marleau-Thornton-Heatley line was held to 1 goal in the series. Heatley missed game 3 with an undisclosed lower body injury, looked hobbled in game 4, but started to return to form in the final two games. He directed a shot off the post that nearly ended game 4 in overtime. Marleau registered a goal in the 5-0 blowout in game 5, but needs to have more of an impact on both sides of the ice. Shift-to-shift intensity and compete level have been the criteria this blog used to evaluate Marleau and Thornton the last 3 postseasons. This year both could be better. Thornton had spurts where he bull rushed centers on faceoffs, and where he ran over bodies down low, but it needs to happen every shift. As Owen Nolan proved several years ago during the year of hit posts and crossbars, if you are not a factor on the scoreboard, you need to exact a physical toll on the defense, fluster the goaltender with contact, or draw penalties. Thornton finished the first round 58-45 from the faceoff circle.
The Sharks exhibited a little posteason misdirection regarding the fate of Marleau-Thornton-Heatley for game 1. There have been hints Todd McLellan will leave Torrey Mitchell up on the <a href="http://www.mercurynews.com/sharks/ci_14942825" target="_blank">top line</a> with Patrick Marleau and Joe Thornton. Heatley skated on a line with rookie Logan Couture and center Manny Malhotra. San Jose Mercury News opinion columnist Mark Purdy <a href="http://www.mercurynews.com/sharks-headlines/ci_14980823" target="_blank">speculates</a> Patrick Marleau could join a checking line with Manny Malhotra and Torrey Mitchell. Todd McLellan could reunite "the big three" 5-on-5, but they should be reunited regardless on the power play.
The Sharks were disciplined in their own zone, but the pressure will be on the defense with the amount of bodies Detroit likes to plant in front of the crease. Rob Blake, Jason Demers and Kent Huskins will have to maintain that discipline and keep the play at 5-on-5. Huskins and Demers both took large steps forward in the first round, but they will be targeted by the Red Wings in round two. Communicaton between defensive partners, communication with the goaltender, and communication with the forwards will allow them to determine when they have time to play the puck and when they need to make a hard chip off the boards. It needs to happen on every sequence. McLellan's philosophy of "puck management", making smart decisions with the puck while moving it out of your zone, will be key against Detroit.
The Sharks first defensive pair of Dan Boyle and Douglas Murray also displayed a few rough edges. This is Murray's first season on the top d-pair after the departure of Brad Lukowich and Christian Ehrhoff in the offseason. The 6-foot-3, 240-pound Murray blossomed defensively with Ehrhoff by taking straight lines to the puck, and maximizing his size and leverage advantage in front of the net. An intelligent Cornell grad, Murray did not miss a beat playing with Boyle during the first three quarters of 2009-10. Towards the end of the year, coverage mistakes and excess skating started to creep into his game. That was also evident on a few shifts in the first round against Colorado, which Murray admitted to Scott Oake of HNIC during the second intermission of game 6. "We are trying to make too many plays, instead of playing straight lines," Murray told Oake. If Murray creates a 20-25 foot zone of responsibility around Evgeni Nabokov, and makes strong first pass when he has time, it will bode well for San Jose in the Semifinals.</blockquote>
<img src="http://sharkspage.com/galleries/2008_sharks_detroit2/images/sharks_detroit1.jpg" width="399" height="600" alt="San Jose Sharks playoffs Torrey Mitchell" border="0"> <CODE>DETROIT C #13 PAVEL DATSYUK 2 GOALS IN GAME 7 - FILE PHOTO</CODE> 
<img src="http://sharkspage.com/jpgs6/wings_pho1.jpg" width="284" height="183" alt="Detroit Red Wings vs Phoenix Coyotes Stanley Cup Playoff series stats" border="0"> <CODE>DETROIT DEFEATED PHOENIX IN THE WCQF 4-3</CODE> 
Detroit Red Wings preview: 
<blockquote>The Red Wings also faced a 2-1 deficit in the opening round against Phoenix, but a more informative comparison might be to the regular season finale against the Chicago Blackhawks. With the Sharks finishing their season against Phoenix one night earlier, the Detroit Red Wings dominated the Blackhawks down low en route to a <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/recap?gameId=300411004" target="_blank">3-2 overtime</a> win at the United Center. Against a similar speed and puck possession based team, the Red Wings repeatedly pinned the Blackhawks deep and created scoring chances with bodies in front.
A quick look at the Detroit roster shows the usual suspects that will be planted in front of Evgeni Nabokov in round two. Tomas Holmstrom, Todd Bertuzzi, Darren Helm and Dan Cleary will offer a fixture in front on all 4 lines. Gaining body position in front, and taking away the stick will be key factors throughout the series. This doesn't need to be a "key to the series", not sure if it even needs to be taught anymore by head coach Mike Babcock, in Detroit it just happens. It is one element of the Detroit style the Sharks utilize often, but have not perfected.
Detroit drew heavily on its veteran leadership in game 7. Pavel Datsyuk and Nicklas Lidstrom each scored a pair of goals, and defenseman Brian Rafalski and Henrik Zetterberg registered 3 assists. The Red Wings picked Phoenix apart, and had them staring at the ice as the final horn rang on their Cinderella postseason. Too often the Sharks have allowed Datsyuk and Zetterberg the space needed to skate and make plays. They need to plant a body on both early and often, then offer an elbow behind the play to make sure they get their point across.
Despite recently turning 40, defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom is still an all-world caliber athlete. He finished third on the team with 49 points (9 goals, 40 assists), but was left out as a finalist in Norris Trophy voting for the first time in recent memory. Lidstrom won the Norris three straight times from 2001-2003, and again from 2006-08. Lidstrom can pick apart a team if given the opportunity. He once fired a 60 foot backhanded saucer pass through the neutral zone at HP Pavilion that lead to a Datsyuk breakaway goal. The Sharks need to burn a few scoring chances a la the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers, dump the puck deep, and hammer Lidstrom and Brian Rafalski as they try to play it. Unless this is a physically grueling series for both, they will beat you.
A scouting report on "rookie" goaltender <a href="http://www.hockey-reference.com/players/h/howarja02.html" target="_blank">Jimmy Howard</a> will posted later in the series.</blockquote> 
Other series notes: The San Jose Sharks have lost the last four playoff game 1's, each on home ice. The last time the Sharks were successful to open a series was in 2007. San Jose defeated Nashville 5-4 in double overtime to open the 2007 WCQF, and began the 2007 WCSF series with a 2-0 shutout against Detroit. The Red Wings were 3-0-1 against San Jose in the regular season this year, and hold a 11-6 alltime edge in the playoffs. The Sharks are 25-55-8 alltime against Detroit in the regular season, but have won only 8 of 44 road games at Joe Louis Arena.
Outside of HP Pavilion, the coldest and wettest local weather season in 10 years continues. Heavy rains have helped Califoria emerge from a 3 year drought. San Jose is expecting a winter-like high of 62 (game time should be in the 50's). More condusive to good ice at HP Pavilion is humidity, and there is a partly cloudy/slight chance of rain on Thursday. 
[Update] <a href="http://sharks.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=527322&navid=DL|SJS|home" target="_blank">Red Wings Are Round 2 Opponent</a> - SJsharks.com. 
<blockquote>"They are patient and they play well defensively, they wait for you to make mistakes and then they capitalize going the other way," said Sharks Head Coach Todd McLellan. "We've known for a number of years Detroit’s power play can be really successful."</blockquote> 
[Update2] George Malik's <a href="http://blog.mlive.com/snapshots/index.html" target="_blank">Snap Shots</a> blog at Mlive.com should be considered the Drudge Report of blogs covering this series for San Jose and Michigan fans alike. As the first Californian-born descendant from a long line of Michiganders, let me be the first to say "Lets go Blue". 
[Update3] <a href="http://www.coppernblue.com/2010/4/27/1446527/sharks-avs-scoring-chances-totals" target="_blank">Sharks - Avs Scoring Chances Totals</a> - Derek Zona for Copper and Blue.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2318140195445836514-4412937736804302158?l=www.sharkspage.com' alt='' /></div></content><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2318140195445836514/posts/default/4412937736804302158'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2318140195445836514/posts/default/4412937736804302158'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.sharkspage.com/2010_04_01_archive.html#4412937736804302158' title='WCSF Game 1 preview: A look back at Colorado, a look ahead to Detroit'/><author><name>PJ Swenson</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/10263208264922939673</uri><email>jon@sharkspage.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='12905731543131551762'/></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2318140195445836514.post-5083623701394440133</id><published>2010-04-28T09:48:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2010-04-28T09:52:11.480-07:00</updated><title type='text'>DOH Podcast #97: Colorado finish, upcoming Detroit series, report card</title><content type='html'> <embed height="40" src="http://www.blogcastone.net/audio/player.swf?soundFile=http%3A%2F%2Fdudesonhockey.com%2Fpodcast%2Fdoh_2010_0428.mp3&amp;playerID=10&amp;bg=0xeeeeee&amp;leftbg=0x357dce&amp;lefticon=0xFFFFFF&amp;rightbg=0xf06a51&amp;rightbghover=0xaf2910&amp;righticon=0xFFFFFF&amp;righticonhover=0xffffff&amp;text=0x666666&amp;slider=0x666666&amp;track=0xFFFFFF&amp;border=0x666666&amp;loader=0x9FFFB8&amp;loop=no&amp;autostart=no" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="290" wmode="transparent"></embed>
Mike Peattie and Doug Santana break down the Colorado Avalanche Western Conference Quarterfinal finale, preview the upcoming Detroit Red Wings series, and grade the lineup top to bottom on the 97th episode of the Dudes on Hockey podcast. 
This Sharks podcast is posted here with permission. Visit <a href="http://dudesonhockey.com/" target="_blank">dudesonhockey.com</a> for more coverage of the team, or download the MP3 file directly <a href="http://dudesonhockey.com/podcast/doh_2010_0428.mp3" target="_blank">here</a>.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2318140195445836514-5083623701394440133?l=www.sharkspage.com' alt='' /></div></content><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2318140195445836514/posts/default/5083623701394440133'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2318140195445836514/posts/default/5083623701394440133'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.sharkspage.com/2010_04_01_archive.html#5083623701394440133' title='DOH Podcast #97: Colorado finish, upcoming Detroit series, report card'/><author><name>PJ Swenson</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/10263208264922939673</uri><email>jon@sharkspage.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='12905731543131551762'/></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2318140195445836514.post-6863381002954525656</id><published>2010-04-27T14:26:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2010-04-27T14:38:50.914-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Joe Pavelski 4-27 NHL conference call transcript</title><content type='html'><a href="http://www.sharkspage.com/2009_10_01_archive.html#8948940737972641692" target="_blank"><img src="http://sharkspage.com/jpgs6/wavemag1.jpg" width="400" height="456" alt="The Wave Magazine October San Jose Sharks issue cover photo Joe Pavelski" border="0"></a> <CODE>OCTOBER WAVE MAGAZINE COVER OF JOE PAVELSKI, PHOTO/JON SWENSON</CODE>
A transcript of today's NHL conference call with San Jose Sharks center Joe Pavelski: 
<blockquote>[DAVID KEON] Good afternoon, everyone. I'm David Keon of the National Hockey League's public relations department and I'd like to welcome you to today's call. With us we have San Jose Sharks forward Joe Pavelski. Thanks to Joe for taking the time today and answer your questions, and thanks to Scott Emmert and Tom Holy of the Sharks public relations staff for arranging the call. 
Joe led San Jose in scoring recording eight points in the Sharks six-game victory over the Colorado Avalanche in the opening round of the National Hockey League playoffs. Among his five goals was a last-minute game-tying goal in Game 2, the overtime winner in Game 4, and the series?clinching game winner in Game 6. 
In his fourth NHL season, all with the Sharks, the Plover, Wisconsin native appeared in 67 regular-season games, recording 51 points on 25 goals and 26 assists. He was also a member of the silver medal winning Team USA at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver this past February. Later this week the Sharks will open the Western Conference Semifinals against the winner of the Detroit?Phoenix series, which concludes with Game 7 in Phoenix tonight. 
[Q] The post-season you've had statistically has been remarkable. One of the by-products of it in the media has been a comparison, contrasting between your performance and that of Joe Thornton. Does that comparison make you uncomfortable at all, the scrutiny Joe goes under in comparison to the success you've had? 
[JoePa] No, I don't think so. I think he would say we're trying to -- obviously, this first series we talked about was overcoming. Didn't really matter how we got there, we just wanted to win. I think other years he's led the way at times. It was just important we won. We found a way, however it got done. I think we're happy to be moving on to the next round. 
[Q] Joe, seeing how you're going to be meeting the Coyotes-Red Wings winner, what impresses you about both teams based on regular-season play and what you've seen in the post-season? What is going to be the most challenging aspect of playing against either the Coyotes or the Red Wings? 
[JoePa] They're both really disciplined teams. I think that's one of the biggest things. They've had good goaltending throughout the year when we've seen them. They're really structured. You've kind of seen it go back and forth throughout their series. I guess it's going to Game 7. 
It's been pretty impressive the way Phoenix has stepped up, and they are really deep. I don't think they have really one guy who steps up all the time; they kind of get it done by committee. 
It's the same way with Detroit. They got a lot of really good players and good defense. They're just kind of solid all the way through. They're fairly similar. It will be an interesting Game 7 tonight. 
[Q] What about the prospect of the Sharks facing either of these teams? What is going to be the thing that's going to keep you up at night in preparation for the series? 
[JoePa] Well, I think we don't care who we're playing right now. We're going to have to overcome a good team throughout the way you look at any team that wins the Stanley Cup at the end. There's good teams along the way, every series, especially this year, the way every series has went pretty deep for the most part. 
Whether we see Phoenix or Detroit, obviously you got Detroit, and they've been there and they've had the experience. That's why you give them the edge I think in tonight's game, is they've been there and they've done it. 
At the same time Phoenix, you can tell they're really hungry. So a lot of it will be about what we do, how everybody steps up. Every series you need some depth and you need your role players to score a few goals, you need your top lines to perform. It's something that every game is really critical. That first game should be, you know, pretty exciting, I think. 
[Q] Joe, can you talk about the feeling in the locker room after Game 6 when you closed out Colorado. Were you happy or was it more of like a sigh of relief that you were able to clear this first hurdle? 
[JoePa] By no means was it a sigh of relief. I think we were happy, we were excited. A lot of work went into that series. You look at the first couple games, see the games we lost, putting 50 shots. We invested quite a bit physically. It paid off at the end. 
It was good. We didn't want a Game 7. That third period they were up 2-1. We wanted to get it done. We put on a little press. Danny made a great shot there to tie it up. We were able to find a way to win that game. 
I think it was more satisfying because it felt like we put the work in and we didn't really take any nights off. We didn't have a good game, then take a step back, kind of let them walk all over us. So that was encouraging there. That was one of the obstacles we wanted to overcome, was keep going, keep pressing, putting the hard work in, see where it gets us. You do it right, you're more than likely going to win most series. 
[Q] Joe, it's been a couple days since your series ended. It will be a couple more before the second round begins. I'm wondering what you are doing with the time in the middle and if you prefer it get going sooner than later? 
[JoePa] I think the earliest we can play is Thursday, latest Sunday. Guys want to play Thursday. Four days off I think we'll have then. That's more than enough. Either way, I think we'll be ready. But Thursday would be good. 
Just trying to keep your legs, get your rest when you can recover. You know, you're still preparing a little bit. You see these teams enough to know that you can go and play them back-to-back and be ready for them either way. 
For the most part we have an understanding of what they're doing, their tendencies. So I think we'll have a day or two to prepare and then we'll just go. 
[Q] On a personal level, what do you enjoy most about the post-season? 
[JoePa] Well, just the atmosphere. It's unbelievable, the intensity. You feel it the night before games. You feel it watching all the games on TV. Sometimes you just got to step away and just kind of try to get away from it because you can get yourself overexcited. That's an easy thing to do. 
You step out on the ice, especially in the Shark Tank at the HP there, the crowd has been great. Game 5, we scored a couple goals, I think that's the loudest it's ever been in the building. It helps us. We like playing in there. The fans have been great for us. It's a good thing we have home ice. Hopefully we can use it a little better here in the next series. 
[Q] Joe, you talked earlier about the idea of overcoming and how the first round is about overcoming. Obviously the Sharks have done so well in the regular season over the last few years, not done well in the playoffs. Can you talk about the idea of overcoming that reputation or just the feeling that you have trouble advancing. How do you overcome that? 
[JoePa] Well, that is our reputation right now. You got to work extremely hard to change your reputation once something happens. A lot of us in that room have only been to the second round. I mean, a few guys won Cups. We know that experience. But it's something, you always got to reprove yourself every year. 
So it's a new challenge for us. We haven't made it past the second round in four or five years, I think, not since I've been here. It's new territory. We got to understand it only gets harder and more important games. The mental side of the game I think is really important for us. 
Overcoming situations, we got to take it game by game. The first game is important. We haven't won one of those in a while. I think the guys will be ready for that one. 
[Q] Is this something that you guys actually have talked about, like, We got to turn this around? 
[JoePa] No, not really. We've heard it in the media. You know, I think guys are aware of it. But there hasn't been, We got to win Game 1 or we're not going to win the series. But it's going to make our jobs a lot easier if we can accomplish that and hold on to home ice. 
[Q] Joe, you talked a little bit earlier about everybody needing to produce, whether it's your depth players or top line guys. Like your reputation for being in the playoffs, Thornton, Marleau, Heatley are counted on to lead you guys. How can you help get them rolling and have them be the regular-season players they are in the post-season? 
[JoePa] You know, that's a tough question. Everybody feels different at certain times. I guess the only way you can help is just worry about yourself. 
You know great players are going to work it out. You know, we earned another series, which gives them time. You know, we expect great things from them. They've led us all year. That's what we expect now. 
But, as well, everyone's got to lead in their own way and establish their game. You saw in the first series, Scottie Nichol and Manny, Malhotra, they all scored big goals for us, got us going at certain times in the games. It's important. So we expect them. 
They had some good looks at the net, as well. A few pucks didn't go in. They're working just as hard as anybody right now. They want it just as bad as anybody. So hopefully it goes in for them and hopefully it keeps going in for everyone else, too.</blockquote> <div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2318140195445836514-6863381002954525656?l=www.sharkspage.com' alt='' /></div></content><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2318140195445836514/posts/default/6863381002954525656'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2318140195445836514/posts/default/6863381002954525656'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.sharkspage.com/2010_04_01_archive.html#6863381002954525656' title='Joe Pavelski 4-27 NHL conference call transcript'/><author><name>PJ Swenson</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/10263208264922939673</uri><email>jon@sharkspage.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='12905731543131551762'/></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2318140195445836514.post-3634581215881240981</id><published>2010-04-27T09:10:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2010-04-29T09:25:01.500-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Dany Heatley loses opening pitch duel with 17-year old girl at AT&T Park</title><content type='html'><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/PavTkUOaf9E&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/PavTkUOaf9E&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>
San Jose Sharks right wing Dany Heatley learned the first rule of Bay Area major league baseball Monday night at AT&T Park in San Francisco, always root for the Oakland Athletics. On the mound to throw out the opening pitch, Heatley watched as the young girl that preceeded him threw a high arcing strike. With the pressure on in front of 30,035 fans, Heatley fired a bounce pass to Barry Zito at home plate. 
To add insult to injury, teammate Ryane Clowe added on the CSN television broadcast "I was impressed by Zito's pickup." The Sharks had Sunday off after ousting the Colorado Avalanche 4-2 in the Western Conference Quarterfinals, but returned to practice for the second round Monday. Heatley, Jed Ortmeyer and defenseman Niclas Wallin were given Monday off to recuperate from undisclosed lower body injuries. 
The Giants went on to put a <a href="http://sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com/news/wrap.jsp?ymd=20100427&content_id=9601848&vkey=wrapup2005&fext=.jsp&team=home&gid=2010_04_26_phimlb_sfnmlb_1" target="_blank">5-1 hurting</a> on the Philadelphia Phillies. Hat tip to the inestimable <a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/Video-In-pitchers-duel-Dany-Heatley-loses-to-?urn=nhl,236978" target="_blank">Puck Daddy</a> for the video.
[Update] <a href="http://www.csncalifornia.com/04/26/10/Sharks-Settle-In-to-Wait-Watch-Rest-img-/landing.html?blockID=223726&feedID=2798" target="_blank">Sharks Settle In to Wait, Watch, Rest</a> - Comcast Sportsnet California. 
[Update2] <a href="http://sharks.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=527282&navid=DL|SJS|home" target="_blank">Dany Heatley's First Pitch, The Sharks forward threw out the first pitch at a Giants game</a> - SJsharks.com. 
<blockquote>"I’d never thrown out a first pitch before and it was a thrill," Heatley said. "But now I’d love to take batting practice." 
Heatley may have grown up in Canada where hockey is the national sport, but it never stopped him from following baseball. "Definitely I’m a fan," Heatley said. "I'm from Canada, but I've been in the States a lot. I love watching games and love being at the park." 
Heatley even attended a Giants game at their previous stadium, Candlestick Park, long before he moved to the Bay Area. "We were just in California," Heatley said of his visit to the Giants old home. "We were on a family vacation and ended up at a game."</blockquote> 
[Update3] In other baseball-Shark related news, the San Jose Mercury News featured a Sunday <a href="http://www.mercurynews.com/search/ci_14948794" target="_blank">article/photo feature</a> on the city of San Jose's efforts to prepare downtown for a possible Athletics ballpark. A 2-phase traffic project would create a streamlined thoroughfare between I-880 and the new arena/HP Pavilion. It would link Coleman Avenue and Julian Street, and allow fans an easier access to I-880 and 101 to the north.
According to the Mercury News, the city purchased one of four plots for phase one of the project, and made offers on three others. With regards to land needed for the second phase, the city also purchased one of four plots. San Jose spent $24.4 million on land for the proposed ballpark, less than half of what is needed for the 14 acre location. There is also the possibility the city could invoke eminent domain to seize properties needed for the project. 
Mercury News reporter Scott Herhold parses the <a href="http://www.mercurynews.com/search/ci_14962274" target="_blank">traffic congestion</a> that would follow lengthy construction, and adds more details of the financial costs that could delay the second phase of the proposed "Autumn Street connector". With 2 competing sports arenas in the planning stages for the Earthquakes near the airport, and the 49'ers near Great America in Santa Clara, voters could see a glut of proposed sports complexes on the ballot in the near future. Voters would also have to weigh the city's financial burden during an extraordinaryly tough fiscal crisis.
That being said, the impact the new thoroughfare and stadium would have on downtown would be similar to the massive revitalization efforts of the 1990's. It would provide jobs, add to the "big city status" city leaders have been striving for, and it would make San Jose more of a destination. It could also connect penninsula and east bay baseball fans with those in the south bay for a very successful box office draw. Right now fans in the penninsula are hampered by almost untenable east bay traffic levels, and BART trains leading to Oakland currently cut off in Fremont.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2318140195445836514-3634581215881240981?l=www.sharkspage.com' alt='' /></div></content><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2318140195445836514/posts/default/3634581215881240981'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2318140195445836514/posts/default/3634581215881240981'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.sharkspage.com/2010_04_01_archive.html#3634581215881240981' title='Dany Heatley loses opening pitch duel with 17-year old girl at AT&T Park'/><author><name>PJ Swenson</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/10263208264922939673</uri><email>jon@sharkspage.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='12905731543131551762'/></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2318140195445836514.post-8195765904482446409</id><published>2010-04-27T07:52:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2010-04-27T08:54:29.589-07:00</updated><title type='text'>San Jose Sharks right wing Jed Ortmeyer named as finalist for Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy</title><content type='html'><img src="http://sharkspage.com/galleries/2009_sharks_ducks3/images/sharks_ducks3_21.jpg" width="399" height="600" alt="San Jose Sharks right wing Jed Ortmeyer named as finalist for Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy" border="0"> <CODE>SHARKS RW #41 JED ORTMEYER NAMED AS FINALIST FOR MASTERSON TROPHY</CODE>
San Jose Sharks right wing Jed Ortmeyer was named Monday as a finalist for the <a href="http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=527076#&navid=nhl-search" target="_blank">Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy</a>. Defenseman Kurtis Foster of the Tampa Bay Lightning, and goaltender Jose Theodore of the Washington Capitals, join Ortmeyer in contention for the annual award given to the player "who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey."
The Bill Masterson Memorial Trophy is selected by a poll of the Professional Hockey Writers Association and will be awarded at the 2010 NHL Awards show in Las Vegas on June 23rd. 
Ortmeyer's situation in San Jose was rather unique. Signed in the offseason along with Manny Malhotra and Scott Nichol, Ortmeyer was considered a veteran "grinder" who could add another layer of defensive responsibility and snarl on the Sharks third or fourth line. A fan favorite on the HMO line in New York (Hollweg-Moore-Ortmeyer), Ortmeyer saw his role drastically diminish in Nashville. After registering 51 games played in 2007-08, he skated in only 2 the following year.
According to a <a href="http://www.globalhockey.net/news-full.php?id=77" target="_blank">November article</a> by San Jose Mercury News beat writer David Pollak, Ortmeyer nearly walked away from the game after battling a hereditary blood-clotting disorder. The condition initially presented itself after knee surgery performed during his sophmore season at Michigan in 2001. It returned while he was with the Rangers in 2006 as pulmonary embolisms in each lung. "Even then I didn't really know how serious it was until all of the nurses came in, one by one, and gave me hugs," Ortmeyer told the Mercury News. "At that point I was like 'What's going on?' And I realized how lucky I was that it pushed through my heart and didn't cause any major problems."
After a third knee surgery in Nashville, more blood clots emerged and Ortmeyer had a filter inserted to stop them from reaching critical organs. He missed the first two months of the 2008-09 season with the Predators, but what was termed a "conditioning assignment" turned into 55 games played with AHL affiliated Milwaukee Admirals. Ortmeyer registered 10 goals and 23 points during the regular season, and 7 points during an 11-game run in the AHL Calder Cup playoffs. He skated only twice with the Predators that season.
The Sharks pointed to Ortmeyer's ability to overcome obstacles when they signed him for 2009-10. According to the Mercury News, Ortmeyer has to take regular shots of an anti-coagulant in order to play in the NHL. He also has a special diet, and uses compression socks to minimize the risks he takes to play. According to the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/17/sports/hockey/17ortmeyer.html" target="_blank">New York Times</a>, Ortmeyer has to wear special rib padding to cut down on the risk of internal injuries, and he undergos monthly ultrasound examinations to detect any potential problems.
"He’s just a very, very driven young man that doesn’t take no for an answer," his brother Jake Ortmeyer told the New York Times. "I wanted to go out on my terms," Jed Ortmeyer added. 
The Bill Masterson Memorial Trophy is named in honor of the former Minnesota North Stars center and NCAA tournament MVP. Masterson was checked to the ice by a pair of Oakland Seals during a 1968 home game in Minnesota's inaugural season. Masterson never recovered from the serious head injuries he sustained on the play. The NHL created an award given to the player that best exhibits dedication, sportsmanship, and perseverance. 
Since the 1967-68 season, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Masterton_Trophy" target="_blank">41 players</a> have received the award including Mario Lemieux, Cam Neely, Lanny McDonald and former Sharks Tony Granato, Adam Graves and Teemu Selanne. 
[Update] <a href="http://slapshot.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/17/hooked-on-hockey-from-a-young-age-in-omaha/#more-24457" target="_blank">Hooked on Hockey From a Young Age in Omaha</a> - New York Times. 
[Update2] <a href="http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=527076#&navid=nhl-search" target="_blank">Foster, Ortmeyer, Theodore vie for Masterton</a> - NHL.com. 
<blockquote>The veteran forward not only has to work hard each shift to ensure he has a place in the NHL, but also battles a challenging health condition that requires daily attention. At some point each day, Ortmeyer must use a needle to inject a blood thinner directly into his stomach to combat a hereditary blood-clotting disorder that has threatened not only his hockey career, but also his life... 
The process is tricky and the timing must be precise. The blood thinner, Lovenox, needs to be in his system during the down time when he's not on the ice and it needs to be out of his system when he plays or practices so that a hard check or a high stick does not cause fatal bleeding.</blockquote> 
[Update3] <a href="http://sharks.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=527158&navid=DL|SJS|home" target="_blank">Ortmeyer A Masterton Finalist The Sharks are excited with Ortmeyer's Masterton nomination</a> - SJsharks.com.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2318140195445836514-8195765904482446409?l=www.sharkspage.com' alt='' /></div></content><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2318140195445836514/posts/default/8195765904482446409'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2318140195445836514/posts/default/8195765904482446409'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.sharkspage.com/2010_04_01_archive.html#8195765904482446409' title='San Jose Sharks right wing Jed Ortmeyer named as finalist for Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy'/><author><name>PJ Swenson</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/10263208264922939673</uri><email>jon@sharkspage.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='12905731543131551762'/></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2318140195445836514.post-7776785366042850752</id><published>2010-04-25T15:08:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2010-04-25T16:26:32.812-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Darryl Hunt: Zalewski, WorSharks Win Game One Over Manchester 4-3</title><content type='html'>The Worcester Sharks overcame an early two goal deficit and scored three goals in the third period to defeat the Manchester Monarchs 4-3 in game one of their best of seven Atlantic Division Final Sunday afternoon at the DCU Center in Worcester, Massachusetts. Game two is Wednesday in Worcester.
 
The last thing the WorSharks wanted to do was fall behind early to one of the AHL's best defensive teams, but that's exactly what they did just 35 seconds into the contest. With Worcester opening the game pressuring the Monarchs the WorSharks turned over the puck just inside the Manchester zone, where Oscar Moller was able to stay just a half stride ahead of Worcester defensemen Mike Moore through three zone and skate in on Alex Stalock. Moller fired a wrister over Stalock's glove for the 1-0 lead.
 
Manchester would make it 2-0 at 9:17 as the teams skated four on four. With the Worcester defense scrambling around in their own zone, Manchester defenseman Viatcheslav Voynov threw a shot on net from the right point that John Zeiler was able to tip past Stalock.
 
Worcester would cut the lead in half at 14:54 of the second period when a couple of bounces fell perfectly for them. The first lucky bounce went to Dennis McCauley, who scooped up a loose puck in the neutral zone and skated down the left wing side. McCauley then fed Benn Ferriero, who fired a shot that Monarchs Jonathan Bernier looked to have an easy bead on. Unfortunately for Bernier, the shot tipped off a Manchester defenseman and bounced around Bernier to light the lamp.
 
The WorSharks would get even early in the third period when Brandon Mashinter crashed the net raising the ire of Bernier, who knocked the onrushing forward to the ice. While that was going on Danny Groulx sent a hard pass from the left point across the slot to Steven Zalewski, who was unable to control the speedy puck and it bounced away from him. Dean Strong was able to pounce on the loose puck and blast a one-timer past Bernier at 2:02 to make the game 2-2.
 
Just seconds after the WorSharks tied the score Manchester almost grabbed the lead right back when Gabe Gauthier found himself all alone in the slot with the puck coming right at him, but Stalock was able to square himself to the shot and get the glove up to snuff out the scoring chance.
 
Cory Quirk would give Worcester its first lead of the series at 6:29 after a great play by McCauley sent Quirk and Ferriero into the Manchester zone on a two on one. After some pressure from Manchester McCauley was able to dig the puck free from along the left side halfboards and send it up ice, where Quirk picked it up and skated into the Monarchs zone. With several Monarch players diving to get into the passing lane Quirk never took his eye off of Bernier, and beat the netminder over the glove side.
 
No one expected Manchester to roll over after giving up the lead, and they gave their numerous fans in the building something to cheer about when Dwight King took a Justin Azevedo feed from behind the Worcester net and blasted the puck on goal. Stalock was able to get a small piece of it with his glove, but not enough to stop the laser from lighting the lamp at 9:32.
 
The WorSharks would put the final nail in the coffin under two minutes later when Strong sent Mashinter deep in to the Manchester zone with a pass from the left point. Bernier made the pad save on Mashinter's blast, but Zalewski was streaking to the far post and flipped the rebound over Bernier to make it 4-3 at 11:10 of the third.
 
Manchester continued to press in the Worcester zone, with the WorSharks defense collapsing on their netminder to prevent any rebounds from being shot back on goal. The Monarchs were unable to generate much offense with an extra attacker after pulling Bernier, and after an easy clear after a late faceoff in the WorSharks zone time expired on Manchester's hopes of tying game one.
 
GAME NOTES 
Worcester started the game with the same line-up as game five against Lowell, but lost T.J. Trevelyan for the game to a high stick just over six minutes into the contest. Manchester defenseman Joe Piskula received a double minor for the high stick, although it looked like the stick that injured Trevelyan belonged to linemate Kevin Henderson.
 
The game one victory was the first ever in WorSharks history, having lost the first game in each of their four previous playoff series. Manchester and Worcester have previously met in the playoffs, with the Monarchs defeating the WorSharks 4-2 in a best of seven opening round series in 2006-2007.
 
According to the Manchester Monarchs, Oscar Moller’s goal 35 seconds into the game marks the third time in the last three games that the Monarchs have opened up a playoff game by scoring within the first 35 seconds; center Marc-Andre Cliche scored 35 seconds into game three of the Portland series and right wing Trevor Lewis scored 31 seconds into game four of that same series. They also note that Worcester's three third period goals are the most Manchester has given up all season.
 
The three stars of the game were 
1. Zalewski (gwg,a) 
2. Strong (g,a) 
3. King (g,a)
 
The Sharkspage player of the game was Dennis McCauley.
 
BOXSCORE 
<blockquote>Manchester 2 0 1 - 3 
Worcester 0 1 3 - 4
 
1st Period-1, Manchester, Moller 2 (Loktionov, Lewis), 0:35. 2, Manchester, Zeiler 2 (Voynov, King), 9:17. Penalties-Piskula Mch (double minor - high-sticking), 6:18; Braun Wor (hooking), 8:49; Desjardins Wor (high-sticking), 10:11.
 
2nd Period-3, Worcester, Ferriero 4 (McCauley), 14:54. Penalties-King Mch (hooking), 3:01; Henderson Wor (holding), 9:41; Desjardins Wor (unsportsmanlike conduct), 11:56.
 
3rd Period-4, Worcester, Strong 1 (Zalewski, Groulx), 2:02. 5, Worcester, Quirk 1 (McCauley, Joslin), 6:29. 6, Manchester, King 1 (Azevedo, Holloway), 9:32. 7, Worcester, Zalewski 1 (Mashinter, Strong), 11:10. Penalties-No Penalties
 
Shots on Goal 
Manchester 12-7-6-25 
Worcester 7-9-11-27.
 
Power Play Opportunities 
Manchester 0 of 4 
Worcester 0 of 3.
 
Goalies 
Manchester, Bernier 4-1-0 (27 shots-23 saves) 
Worcester, Stalock 5-1-0 (25 shots-22 saves).
 
A-1,708. Referee-Chris Brown (86). Linesmen-Bob Bernard (4), Chris Libett (19).</blockquote><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2318140195445836514-7776785366042850752?l=www.sharkspage.com' alt='' /></div></content><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2318140195445836514/posts/default/7776785366042850752'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2318140195445836514/posts/default/7776785366042850752'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.sharkspage.com/2010_04_01_archive.html#7776785366042850752' title='Darryl Hunt: Zalewski, WorSharks Win Game One Over Manchester 4-3'/><author><name>Darryl Hunt</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11114491334523693045</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='07082686015710078670'/></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2318140195445836514.post-5922858587693279274</id><published>2010-04-25T10:08:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2010-04-27T07:42:59.433-07:00</updated><title type='text'>WCQF Game 6: Pavelski shines with 2 goals, assist -- Sharks down Avalanche 5-2 and advance to Semifinals</title><content type='html'><object width="476" height="289"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/22YVgmvlJK8&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/22YVgmvlJK8&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="476" height="289"></embed></object>
The San Jose Sharks closed out the WCQF with a <a href="http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2009030156" target="_blank">5-2 win</a> over the Colorado Avalanche Saturday night at the Pepsi Center. Clutch center Joe Pavelski scored 47 seconds into the game, added an assist on Dan Boyle's game tying goal, and roofed the game winner 9:02 into the third period. Devin Setoguchi and Douglas Murray added empty net goals, and Evgeni Nabokov stopped 16 of 18 shots against to advance the Sharks to the semis.
Two trending themes remained constant throughout this series. The San Jose Sharks stressed a message of overcoming obstacles. That came when Marek Svatos and Brandon Yip erased a 1-goal lead. Svatos drove around Joe Thornton on the left wing, who stopped skating just long enough for him to turn the corner. With Murray and Boyle focused on covering players yet to reach the goal mouth, Svators cut across the crease and deposited the puck in the back of the net on a diving shot. Yip gave the Avalanche their only lead of the game 4:51 into the third period on a hard cross ice feed by Paul Stastny.
The Avalanche threw cauton into the wind all series, but injuries to key players and the physical toll exacted by San Jose started to have an impact. The Avs had no answer for the puck possession style of 6-foot-2, 225-pound Ryane Clowe. Clowe sent a fluttering puck across the goal crease in the second period, and was a screen twice on the scoring sequence by Dan Boyle to tie the game. Clowe plowed defenseman Kyle Cumiskey to the side of the crease, allowing a Dany Heatley shot to ring off the crossbar. He then made a b-line for a screen in front of Craig Anderson. Dan Boyle's heavy point shot beat Anderson gloveside to tie the game at 2-2.
The Clowe-Pavelski-Setoguchi line finished as the hottest line of the game, and the hottest line of the series. On Saturday night they combined for 3 goals, 3 assists, 9 shots on goal, and a +11. Pavelski's intial goal in the first period came on a solid individual effort behind the net. He battled defenseman Kyle Cumiskey for body position, then snapped a wraparound that beat Anderson 5-hole. Pavelski's game winning goal 9:02 into the third period came on a variation of the "Pavelski move" normally unleashed in the shootout. On a 2-on-1 rush with Devin Setoguchi, Pavelski fumbled the puck on his patented hesitation shot. He regained control, and roofed the puck over a Craig Anderson who was clearly thinking 5-hole. The Sharks scored two goals in 1:29 to earn a 3-2 lead.
The Avalanche called a timeout with 1:46 left in the game, and pulled Craig Anderson for an extra attacker. Devin Setoguchi worked the puck free from a pile along the half boards, and scored on an empty net to effectively seal the win. Douglas Murray scored a second empty net goal 21 seconds later. 
Evgeni Nabokov turned in another solid performance in goal. His toughest save came on a first period one-timer by former Hobey Baker winner Kevin Porter. After making a hard push across the crease to his right, Cody McLeod fell on the prone Nabokov with a hard elbow. No call. Nabokov also made key stops on Paul Stastny and Marek Svatos. He finished with 16 saves on a minisule 18 shots against. "He has one of the best glove hands in the league, and it has been on display all series long," CBC analyst and former goaltender Kevin Weekes said after a highlight reel Nabokov glove save in the second period.
On the physical side of the ledger, 5-foot-9, 180-pound Scott Nichol lead both teams with a game high 6 hits. He launched T.J. Galiardi sideways with a huge hit in the neutral zone in the first period, and followed that up with a big hit on defenseman Kyle Cumiskey in the second. Kyle Porter answered for the Avalanche with a check that sent Nichol hurtling towards the ice later in the period.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2318140195445836514-5922858587693279274?l=www.sharkspage.com' alt='' /></div></content><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2318140195445836514/posts/default/5922858587693279274'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2318140195445836514/posts/default/5922858587693279274'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.sharkspage.com/2010_04_01_archive.html#5922858587693279274' title='WCQF Game 6: Pavelski shines with 2 goals, assist -- Sharks down Avalanche 5-2 and advance to Semifinals'/><author><name>PJ Swenson</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/10263208264922939673</uri><email>jon@sharkspage.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='12905731543131551762'/></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2318140195445836514.post-1309568619712999913</id><published>2010-04-24T22:57:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2010-04-25T10:46:34.061-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Post-series comments from San Jose Sharks head coach Todd McLellan and Colorado Avalanche head coach Joe Sacco</title><content type='html'><embed src="http://player.theplatform.com/ps/player/pds/vwC4DxENNF&pid=HUFkOcqRvXiSnd244XDgHE6nWk6BiCZa" width="480" height="269" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullScreen="true" bgcolor="#095564"/></embed>
Post-series comments from San Jose Sharks head coach Todd McLellan: 
<blockquote>"It was a hell of a game tonight. They played extremely hard. We knew they would do that. The third kind of mirrors what has happened throughout the whole series. We picked that overcome theme in the beginning. With about 8 or 9 minutes left in the game, we were still trying to overcome." 
"I am proud of the way the guys played, but it was a hard series for us to play in. 1-8, we learned how tough that could be last year. Just because the numbers are 1 and 8 doesn't mean the teams are that far apart. I said that earlier in the series. Colorado did a tremendous job in competing. They pushed us to the limit. It was a tough series for us, not only while the play was going on, the passing, the hitting and the shooting. But it was tough between the ears. I was proud that we managed that part of the series well."
"There was some frustration in our team today. We had a lot of the play in some of the games, and maybe showed up expecting some of that again. We talked about it between the second and the third. They are allowed to push back, they are allowed to play hard. We had to channel the frustration the right way. We calmed down, and started to play." 
"I believe it does (prepare us for the next round). Obviously we will need some rest. The game we played we will have to take with us to the next round. We don't know who our opponent is, so a lot of things might change. The general type of game we played is the game we have to, to have a chance at being successful." 
"I thought Danny (Boyle) got better as the game went on again tonight. You need your top players to do that so that everyone else settles down. I think you are refering to his goal, but he did a lot of real good things down below our goal line. Their dump and their forecheck was a lot better tonight than it had been earlier. He and the other 5 defenseman did some really good work below the goal line to get our puck out." 
"Joe (Pavelski) has talent. You can't do what he did in this series and not have talent. He has the ability to do it. He has got a real good drive and a will to win. He wants to be up to bat in the bottom of the ninth with 2 men out, is probably the best way of putting it." 
"I talked about (top line scoring) earlier. I thought they needed to get on the scoreboard for us to have success. Patrick Marleau did. They were probably not at the top of their game. I actually liked their last 15 minutes of play. I thought that was maybe some of their best hockey. They looked strong and fast. They got themselves through it, they will be fine. We will continue to work, we will move forward." 
"If I wasn't involved with any of the teams, I would tell you this anyhow. It is so competitive, it is hard to win. 1, 8, 2, 7, it is hard to win when the playoffs start. It just doesn't matter. The only benefit you have is home ice for one extra night." 
"Nabby was very, very good. I think when I talked about the game between the ears, in game 2 Nabby put it behind him. We also talked about how tough that game was for him to play. He hadn't had any shots. They got a couple of bounces again. I thought you could tell he was a veteran that had played in a lot of pressure type games down the stretch." 
"I think the second period of game 1 (was the turning point). When we didn't peform well. We didn't manage the neutral zone, that was the talk after game 1. I thought we made some adjustments, and did a much better job coming through and playing in their end."</blockquote> 
Post-series comments from Colorado Avalanche head coach <a href="http://player.theplatform.com/ps/player/pds/vwC4DxENNF?pid=8y0hZnekDLhaQa2e8P5d_dTyMvPslUm5" target="_blank">Joe Sacco</a>: 
<blockquote>"I think that from day 1 in training camp we tried to recreate the identity of this organization as far as how we wanted to play. How we wanted to be perceived. We wanted to try to do it as quickly as possible. We had no timetable on it, but we thought we could do it quickly. We thought we could turn things around quickly. I think we did that. I think we got back on track. We established the type of team we want to be, and how we want to play." 
"I think there were a couple of good turning points in the series. I thought we battled extremely hard. We got off to a good start in game 1. In game 2 we gave up the lead with a minute to go, or under a minute to go. In game 4 we lose in overtime, kind of a turning point to the series. It was what we expected, it was hard fought. I am proud of the way our guys competed throughout the series. Not once did we ever mention our injuries. I have to admit that it really took a toll on us. It affected us over the course of a series, there is no question we were missing some key players. I am proud of the guys that stepped in there and did a good job, the guys that were able to come in and grab an opportunity."
"We are certainly headed in the right direction. We are going to be a team that is young, full of energy, we are going to play to our identity. I really see a lot of upside here. It is tough right now because we are disappointed. We thought that we if we could win tonight we could force a game 7, but its not going to happen. There is a lot to look forward to, the future is bright. We have to work and do the right things to get ready for next season." 
"I thought that whole line played very well (Clowe-Pavelski-Setoguchi). When you lose in a series, somebody has got to beat you. It was that line, and the other line I thought we did a good job against. They were opportunistic, they did well. It is a good mix with him, Clowe and Setoguchi. They were probably the difference, they were the difference in the series for sure."</blockquote> 
[Game Notes] With the <a href="http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2009030156" target="_blank">5-2 win</a> over the Avalanche in game 6, the San Jose Sharks increased their overall franchise playoff record to 63-68, and their overall franchise playoff series record to 10-12. A dismal 2-13 franchise record (13.3%) in game 6's now stands at 3-13 (18.75%), but the Sharks are a respectable 9-4 in the opening round of the WCQF (69.2%). 
Center Joe Pavelski scored a pair of goals, including the game winner and an assist on Dan Boyle's game tying goals in the third period. Pavelski (5G, 3A) and linemate Ryane Clowe (1G, 7A) lead the San Jose Sharks in playoff scoring with 8 points each. Paul Stastny lead the Avalanche with 1 goal and 4 assists, including an assist Saturday night on Brandon Yip's third period goal. The Sharks top line of Marleau-Heatley-Thornton was held to only one goal in the series, but they registered a combined 7 assists.
The Sharks overcame a littany of unexpected obstacles and odd bounces. The Avalanche received deflection goals off the skate, throat and stick of defenseman Rob Blake, Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Dan Boyle in the first three games. The fans, media and players keyed on Boyle's "own goal" to end game 3. He quickly made ammends with a bomb from the point 1:12 into game 4, but he did not put the incident behind him. "I put it aside, I didn't necessarily put it behind me," Boyle told CSNCA's Brodie Brazil after the series finale. "Now I can officially turn the page."
San Jose Sharks goaltender Evgeni Nabokov held the Avalanche to two goals or less all but once in the series, and earned his 7th career playoff shutout in game 5. When asked whether he would like an extra day or two of rest prior to the next series, Nabokov displayed a little combative truculence with the media. "It is really tough to even think what do you like and what you don't. Whatever comes, we will take it. We have no choice, you would rather play a game 7?" Colorado Avalanche goaltender Craig Anderson set a franchise record for saves made in a playoff series with 223. Evgeni Nabokov stopped 138-of-149 shots against for a .926 save percentage, Anderson stopped 223-of-239 shots for a .933 mark to lead the NHL.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2318140195445836514-1309568619712999913?l=www.sharkspage.com' alt='' /></div></content><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2318140195445836514/posts/default/1309568619712999913'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2318140195445836514/posts/default/1309568619712999913'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.sharkspage.com/2010_04_01_archive.html#1309568619712999913' title='Post-series comments from San Jose Sharks head coach Todd McLellan and Colorado Avalanche head coach Joe Sacco'/><author><name>PJ Swenson</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/10263208264922939673</uri><email>jon@sharkspage.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='12905731543131551762'/></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2318140195445836514.post-2844394861826537263</id><published>2010-04-24T09:39:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2010-04-24T14:31:57.402-07:00</updated><title type='text'>NCSF Game 4: Stockton dominant with 6-2 win over Bakersfield in ECHL Battle of California playoff matchup, lead series 3-1</title><content type='html'><a href="http://sharkspage.com/galleries/2010_stockton_bakersfield1/" target="_blank"><img src="http://sharkspage.com/jpgs6/stockton_bakersfield1b.jpg" width="425" height="285" alt="ECHL Kelly Cup Playoffs national conference semifinals Stockton Thunder forward Matt Marquardt" border="0"></a> <CODE>STOCKTON THUNDER FORWARD #37 MATT MARQUARDT DRIVES ZONE IN 2ND</CODE>
<a href="http://sharkspage.com/galleries/2010_stockton_bakersfield1/" target="_blank"><img src="http://sharkspage.com/jpgs6/stockton_bakersfield8b.jpg" width="425" height="285" alt="ECHL Kelly Cup Playoffs national conference semifinals Stockton Thunder fan mohawk" border="0"></a> <CODE>YOUNG FAUHAWK WEARING STOCKTON THUNDER FAN CHEERS TEAM</CODE> 
<a href="http://sharkspage.com/galleries/2010_stockton_bakersfield1/" target="_blank"><img src="http://sharkspage.com/jpgs6/stockton_bakersfield13b.jpg" width="425" height="285" alt="ECHL Kelly Cup Playoffs national conference semifinals Bakersfield Condors Stockton Thunder J.P. Levasseur" border="0"></a> <CODE>2005 ANAHEIM 7TH ROUND DRAFT PICK J.P. LEVASSEUR 17 SAVES ON 22 SHOTS</CODE> 
The Stockton Thunder exploded for 3 goals in a span of 5:09 against Bakersfield on Friday night. In what has been a very tight ECHL National Conference Semifinal series, both teams combined for 5 goals in a wild second period. One game after being a healthy scratch, left wing Matt Robinson scored a goal and added two assists, and 5 other Stockton players scored in a <a href="http://www.stocktonthunder.com/news/latestnews/?article_id=1261" target="_blank">6-2 route</a> on home ice.
"I don't think we scored the first goal all series, or even in the playoffs. It was huge," Robinson said after the game. "It was very big to get the ball rolling, we were all over them in the first period." 
Right wing James Bates split a pair of defenseman to find Robinson in front of the net with one minute left in the first period. After a slight hesitation, the British, Columbia native snapped it pased Bakersfield Condors goaltender J.P. Levasseur. It was the first time in 8 playoff games the Thunder have scored the first goal. 
"As well as we played in the first period, to only score with a minute left, I think if it ends up 0-0 after one there is a potentially different element to the remainder of the game," Stockton Thunder head coach Matt Thomas said. "It was a huge goal, and a huge play. More importantly it was a play we have been preaching. James Bates doesn't try to beat a guy one-on-one, he puts it into a space and goes over and gets it. We have good support with Robby driving down the gut... and a good finish. It was an important goal for us, it really got us going and we responded well with that momentum in the second period."
Left wing Garet Hunt's hit on Bakersfield defenseman Kevin Morin set the tone physically for Stockton in the second period. The Condors were scrambling in their own zone, resulting in a goal by Jason Pitton with one minute left. Morin tried to retaliate behind his own net with a monster hit that a Stockton forward sidestepped at the last second. Pitton, alone on the right wing, popped in an easy shot far-side against Levasseur. The 5-1 lead carried into the second intermission all but sealed Bakersfield's fate.
"You want to win every game. Waiting to win a game is something you never want to do. As much as the playoffs are a marathon, for us it is a sprint. You want to get to those wins as quick as you can," Stockton head coach Matt Thomas said on his team's approach to Game 5. "At the end of the day, it is a seven game series for a reason. We are looking to take care of business in our own building where we have all of the elements that give us an edge." 
Stockton goaltender Andrew Perugini stopped 27 of 29 shots against. The Thunder were held without a power play for the game, but took 4 minor penalties of their own in the third period. Bakersfield's only penalty came on matching fighting majors when Pokuluok fought Gongalsky in the first. The Condors finished 1-4 on the man advantage. The Thunder will have an opportunity to advance to the third round of the ECHL Kelly Cup playoffs tonight for the first time in their 5-year franchise history.
A photo gallery from the game is available <a href="http://sharkspage.com/galleries/2010_stockton_bakersfield1/" target="_blank">here</a>. Video highlights and postgame reaction from Thunder left wing Matt Robinson, left wing Garet Hunt and head coach Matt Thomas are available from the Stockton Thunder youtube channel <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-lP7pn8Wiw" target="_blank">here</a>. 
Official box score: 
<blockquote>Bakersfield Condors 2 at Stockton Thunder 6 
Apr 23, 2010 - Stockton Arena 
Bakersfield 0 1 1 - 2 
Stockton 1 4 1 - 6 
1st Period-1, Stockton, Robinson 3 (Bates), 19:00. Penalties-Pokulok Bak (fighting - major), 20:00; Gongalsky Stk (fighting - major), 20:00. 
2nd Period-2, Stockton, Eizenman 3 (Caudron, Constant), 0:53. 3, Stockton, Young 1 (Hunt, Eizenman), 4:46. 4, Bakersfield, Goulet 3 (Regan, Stoflet), 7:04. 5, Stockton, D'Alvise 5 (Robinson, Hemingway), 9:55. 6, Stockton, Pitton 4 (Hunt, Bendfeld), 19:00. Penalties-No Penalties. 
3rd Period-7, Bakersfield, Regan 2 (Naglich, Calder), 10:07 (pp). 8, Stockton, Marquardt 3 (Robinson, Pitton), 18:50 (en). Penalties-Marquardt Stk (interference), 6:02; Caudron Stk (tripping), 9:34; Constant Stk (high-sticking), 11:52; Robinson Stk (hooking), 16:28. 
Shots on Goal-Bakersfield 6-6-17-29. Stockton 11-10-2-23. 
Power Play Opportunities-Bakersfield 1 of 4; Stockton 0 of 0. 
Goalies-Bakersfield, Levasseur 3-2-1-0 (22 shots-17 saves). Stockton, Perugini 6-2-0-0 (29 shots-27 saves). 
A-4,932 
Referees-JM McNulty (21). 
Linesmen-Steven Berry (77), Wally Lacroix (89).</blockquote> 
[Update] <a href="http://www.stocktonthunder.com/news/latestnews/?article_id=1261" target="_blank">GAME 4 RECAP: Stockton 6 - Bakersfied 2, Robinson's three points help Thunder take 3-1 series lead, put Bakersfield on brink of elimination</a> - StocktonThunder.com. 
[Update2] <a href="http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100424/A_SPORTS/4240347" target="_blank">Winning one the easy way</a> - Scott Linesburgh for the Stockton Record. 
<blockquote>Stockton scored first to grab its first lead in regulation in the series and used a four-goal second period to overwhelm the Bakersfield Condors 6-2 in front of 4,952 fans at Stockton Arena. Stockton leads the best-of-seven series 3-1 and can finish off Bakersfield at 7:30 p.m. today at the arena... 
The Thunder had not scored the first goal in any of its postseason contests until Matt Robinson took a pass from James Bates and beat Jean-Phillippe Levasseur to give the Thunder a 1-0 lead with 59.7 seconds left in the opening period. It was Stockton's first regulation lead in 199 minutes, 0.3 seconds of play against Bakersfield.</blockquote> 
[Update3] <a href="http://www.bakersfield.com/news/sports/condors/x735123755/Bakersfield-digs-early-hole-faces-elimination-in-Game-5-today" target="_blank">Bakersfield digs early hole, faces elimination in Game 5 today</a> - Bakersfield Californian.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2318140195445836514-2844394861826537263?l=www.sharkspage.com' alt='' /></div></content><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2318140195445836514/posts/default/2844394861826537263'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2318140195445836514/posts/default/2844394861826537263'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.sharkspage.com/2010_04_01_archive.html#2844394861826537263' title='NCSF Game 4: Stockton dominant with 6-2 win over Bakersfield in ECHL Battle of California playoff matchup, lead series 3-1'/><author><name>PJ Swenson</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/10263208264922939673</uri><email>jon@sharkspage.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='12905731543131551762'/></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2318140195445836514.post-6151226458975019729</id><published>2010-04-24T00:59:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2010-04-24T02:03:42.358-07:00</updated><title type='text'>DOH Podcast #96: WCQF game 5, Sharks second line, first round surprises</title><content type='html'> <embed src="http://www.blogcastone.net/audio/player.swf?soundFile=http%3A%2F%2Fdudesonhockey.com%2Fpodcast%2Fdoh_2010_0422.mp3&playerID=10&bg=0xeeeeee&leftbg=0x357dce&lefticon=0xFFFFFF&rightbg=0xf06a51&rightbghover=0xaf2910&righticon=0xFFFFFF&righticonhover=0xffffff&text=0x666666&slider=0x666666&track=0xFFFFFF&border=0x666666&loader=0x9FFFB8&loop=no&autostart=no" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="40" width="290"></embed>
Mike Peattie and Doug Santana break down a dominant peformance after a 5-0 shutout in game 5, discuss the Sharks second line and first round surprises in the 96th episode of the Dudes on Hockey podcast. 
This Sharks podcast is posted here with permission. Visit <a href="http://dudesonhockey.com" target="_blank">dudesonhockey.com</a> for more coverage of the team, or download the MP3 file directly <a href="http://dudesonhockey.com/podcast/doh_2010_0422.mp3" target="_blank">here</a>.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2318140195445836514-6151226458975019729?l=www.sharkspage.com' alt='' /></div></content><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2318140195445836514/posts/default/6151226458975019729'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2318140195445836514/posts/default/6151226458975019729'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.sharkspage.com/2010_04_01_archive.html#6151226458975019729' title='DOH Podcast #96: WCQF game 5, Sharks second line, first round surprises'/><author><name>PJ Swenson</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/10263208264922939673</uri><email>jon@sharkspage.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='12905731543131551762'/></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2318140195445836514.post-6855732781568596448</id><published>2010-04-23T09:03:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2010-04-23T20:27:20.757-07:00</updated><title type='text'>WCQF Game 5: Scoring across the board, 2 goals by Logan Couture 2 points by Patrick Marleau power Sharks over Avs 5-0</title><content type='html'><a href="http://sharkspage.com/galleries/2010_sharks_colorado3/" target="_blank"><img src="http://sharkspage.com/galleries/2010_sharks_colorado3/images/sharks_colorado_g5_1.jpg" width="402" height="600" alt="Stanley Cup Playoffs San Jose Sharks goaltender Evgeni Nabokov makes a third period save" border="0"></a> <CODE>SAN JOSE SHARKS GOALTENDER #20 EVGENI NABOKOV MAKES A 3RD PERIOD SAVE</CODE>
<a href="http://sharkspage.com/galleries/2010_sharks_colorado3/" target="_blank"><img src="http://sharkspage.com/jpgs6/sharks_colorado_g5_10b.jpg" width="425" height="285" alt="Stanley Cup Playoffs San Jose Sharks fans HP Pavilion celebrate goal" border="0"></a> <CODE>ORANGE AND TEAL DOTTED CROWD CELEBRATE 2ND PERIOD GOAL INSIDE THE TANK</CODE> 
<a href="http://sharkspage.com/galleries/2010_sharks_colorado3/" target="_blank"><img src="http://sharkspage.com/galleries/2010_sharks_colorado3/images/sharks_colorado_g5_15.jpg" width="399" height="600" alt="Stanley Cup Playoffs San Jose Sharks left wing center Patrick Marleau scored a goal and registered an assist" border="0"></a> <CODE>SAN JOSE SHARKS WING #12 PATRICK MARLEAU REGISTERED GOAL, ASSIST, 5 SOG</CODE> 
The hockey gods finally smiled on San Jose, for one game. Two goals by rookie center Logan Couture, and another goal by rookie Dwight Helminen helped shut down a fatigued Colorado Avalanche squad <a href="http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2009030155&navid=sb:recap" target="_blank">5-0 Thursday night</a>. Evgeni Nabokov stopped all 28 shots he faced for his 7th career playoff shutout. A sellout crowd of 17,562 fans, dotted with orange 'get loud' shirts from a playoff promotion, wobbled the Tank with several enormous standing ovations as the Sharks took a 3-2 WCQF series lead.
San Jose sent waves of pucks and bodies to the net in the first period, but Colorado Avalanche goaltender Craig Anderson held firm. An early Marc-Edouard Vlasic shot off the end boards caromed dangerously on net, forcing Anderson to clear it to the side under durress. Manny Malhotra batted at the long rebound, sending it bouncing on goal. A quick healing Dany Heatley tried to fire a wrap around on the right side before running into traffic. Logan Couture tried a wraparound centering pass on the left side that deflected off of a stick. Four seperate scoring chances came at Anderson on the sequence, from four different angles. He would have his hands full all night.
Anderson maintained his composure, but there were cracks. The confidence and puck handling ability that allowed him to shine in this series eluded him on play after play. A Kent Huskins rush up ice and point shot was bobbled by Anderson, allowing a charging Joe Pavelski to crash the net and jostle the puck free. An early whistle prevented the scoring chance from developing any furthur. 
Patrick Marleau also exposed a gap in the defense on a late rush down the right wing. Marleau snapped a shot on goal around the body of defenseman Kyle Quincey, and followed his shot into the 6-foot-2, 180 pound Colorado goaltender. The puck trickled free across the goal crease. Torrey Mitchell tried to backhand a quick shot off of the body of Anderson, but a late stick check muffled his shot. 
After registering only 2 shots on goal in the first period, the Avalanche were placing their entire hopes on Craig Anderson in the second. Almost like a counter puncher in boxing, the Avs were hanging back and looking to capitalize on any Sharks mistake. For a series that had yet to see a single 2-goal lead, one mistake is all it could take to make the difference in each game. 
As mentioned in the earlier <a href="http://www.sharkspage.com/2010_04_01_archive.html#2752609787563820350" target="_blank">scouting report</a>, Yahoo NHL editor Ross McKeon mentioned an "off" body language for the Colorado netminder during the end of year slide. Two followups to that scouting report, the Sharks television broadcast tandem called Anderson's puck handling a strength in this series, and noted that he works on it extensively in practice. An NHL front office official, who asked not to be named, also pointed to Anderson's positional strength and sometimes borderline stickwork regarding opposing bodies parked in front of his net.
The fumbling and bobbling of pucks continued in net for Anderson. His body language screamed anxiousness and frustration. A turnover at center ice created a breakaway opportunity for checking line center Scott Nichol. Chased by 3 Avalanche players, Nichol snapped a backhand 5-hole that was not played cleanly by Anderson. Minutes later a one-touch pass by Jamie McGinn broke Helminen through the neutral zone with speed. Helminen blew by defenseman John-Michael Liles, who reacted late on the play. Helminen turned the corner with his off-hand on the stick, then shoveled a shot that rang off the near post.
The Sharks had sustained pressure through half of the game when rookie Logan Couture finally broke through. Patrick Marleau pulled up just inside the blueline on a 3-on-3 rush. He found Heatley on the right wing, who fired a shot-pass at Couture in front of the net. With his back to the goal, Couture redirected it under the leg pad of Craig Anderson to open the scoring at 8:25. The Sharks would add a second goal on their third power play attempt. After Devin Setoguchi was third man in to win a Manny Malhotra faceoff, Joe Pavelski wound up and fired a big point shot to make the score 2-0. Anderson intially stumbled to his left, then dove back to his right on Pavelski's shot. It was a desperation attempt, and it should have been a signal for rookie head coach Joe Sacco to pull him.
The lack of net front presence and goaltender contact against the Anaheim Ducks in last years WCQF is a distant memory. Devin Setoguchi did his part to serve as a giant eraser with a highlight reel collison. After a heavy Ryan Clowe slapshot, Setoguchi split a porous Cumisky-Foote defense and "lost an edge". It resulted in a spectacular collision with the goaltender. A hurtling Setoguchi took Anderson, the puck, and any stray piles of snow flying into the back of the net. Frustrated, Craig Anderson punched the prone Sharks right winger after the play.
A poor line change and another unfortunate carom off the end boards resulted in a tap-in goal for Dwight Helminen at the end of the period. The Sharks would add two more goals in the third. Couture cleaned up a rebound after a dominating puck possession drive by Ryane Clowe, and Patrick Marleau scored his first goal of the playoffs on the power play at 13:24. 
Evgeni Nabokov was solid in goal, but he needed a pair of clutch saves to close the shutout in the third period. A two-pad stack shut down T.J. Galiardi's centering pass to Darcy Tucker in front of the net. With time ticking down in the game, Nabokov also sealed off the post with Quincy and Stewart driving hard. Nabokov was able to freeze the puck down low as a pile of bodies collapsed around him. 
A photo gallery from the game is available <a href="http://sharkspage.com/galleries/2010_sharks_colorado3/" target="_blank">here</a>. Youtube video highlights from game 5 are available <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yve7e4N5764" target="_blank">here</a>. 
Sharks lines and pairings: 
<blockquote>Marleau-Thornton-Mitchell 
Clowe-Pavelski-Setoguchi 
Malhotra-Couture-Heatley 
Helminen-Nichol-McGinn 
Boyle-Murray 
Vlasic-Blake 
Demers-Huskins</blockquote> 
[Update] Ratings for Game 5 via Jay dela Cruz of Comcast Sportsnet California: 
<blockquote>Comcast SportsNet California's telecast of last night's San Jose Sharks-Colorado Avalanche game five of the Western
Conference Quarterfinals delivered an average 4.15 television household
rating An average of over 104,000 households were watching in the San
Francisco/Oakland/San Jose television market. The game drew a peak
audience of over 140,000 households (5.58 rating). In addition, playoff
ratings are up 8% versus the comparable period last season.</blockquote> 
Game 5 of last season's WCQF with Anaheim drew a 4.62. 
[Update2] <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/playoffs/2010/columns/story?columnist=lebrun_pierre&id=5128281" target="_blank">These Sharks aren't folding just yet</a> - Pierre LeBrun for ESPN.com. 
[Update3] <a href="http://blogs.denverpost.com/avs/2010/04/23/postgame-avs-sharks-game-5-washington-generals-would-have-been-ashamed/" target="_blank">Postgame Avs-Sharks Game 5 – Washington Generals would have been ashamed</a> - Adrian Dater's blog for the Denver Post. 
<blockquote>At least when the Generals know they are going to lose every single game to the Harlem Globetrotters, they at least make a good run that gives some pause for worry to the kids and moms in the crowd. Tonight, the Avs were the Washington Generals version that refused to even make a run.</blockquote> 
Dater has a point with some of the officiating calls that have been made in this series, but when you receive 3 goals in 3 games (including 2 game winners) off of the opposing team, it is hard to make the case that you have been wronged. Tradionally, Joe Thornton is a teach-your-rookie-defenseman-how-to-slash video waiting to happen. Refs have been enormously reluctant to call penalties taken against the 6-foot-4, 230-pound center. It makes his 379 consecutive game ironman streak all that much more impressive.
As for Dater's earlier claims of borderline/suspension-worthy Rob Blake checks, fellow captain Adam Foote has matched him borderline hit for borderline hit. Both former teammates play a snarly, old school style of hockey that is slowly starting to disappear in the modern NHL. In a word, they play mean. The Avs have been worn down physically, and are throwing spaghetti at the wall trying to overcome injuries to Mueller, Hejduk, Jones et all. Given the Sharks sustained attack throughout the series, they are going to have their work cut out for them in game 6.
[Update4] <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/recap?gameId=300422018" target="_blank">Couture, Helminen score first playoff goals as Sharks push Avs to brink</a> - ESPN.com. 
<blockquote>Scott Hannan made sure the Avalanche went into the second intermission with some fire as he skated into the middle of a confrontation behind the Sharks' net and took on Jamie McGinn, drawing a double-minor. 
It was instigated when Cody McLeod shoved Doug Murray into Nabokov, who took a stick to the mask. It was clearly a response to Devin Setoguchi's uncontrolled rush into Anderson earlier in the period. 
McLeod eventually drew a major for charging into McGinn with 9 minutes remaining.</blockquote> 
It was the largest melee of the game, and a clear blown call by the officials. Nabokov was down on the ice for nearly a minute after the play. The McLeod vs the Sharks angle was up front and center during the last two head-to-head games of the regular season. Almost every McLeod shift would devolve into pushing and shoving, with McLeod vs Ryane Clowe the most involved pair. At this point in the series it is hard to figure out if McLeod's antics will help or hurt the Avalanche. Their margin for error is slim.
[Update5] <a href="http://blogs.mercurynews.com/sharks/2010/04/23/game-5-aftermath-on-wearing-down-the-avs-mcginns-physical-play-and-those-orange-t-shirts/" target="_blank">Game 5 aftermath: On wearing down the Avs, McGinn’s physical play — and orange T-shirts</a> - David Pollak's Working the Corners blog.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2318140195445836514-6855732781568596448?l=www.sharkspage.com' alt='' /></div></content><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2318140195445836514/posts/default/6855732781568596448'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2318140195445836514/posts/default/6855732781568596448'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.sharkspage.com/2010_04_01_archive.html#6855732781568596448' title='WCQF Game 5: Scoring across the board, 2 goals by Logan Couture 2 points by Patrick Marleau power Sharks over Avs 5-0'/><author><name>PJ Swenson</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/10263208264922939673</uri><email>jon@sharkspage.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='12905731543131551762'/></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2318140195445836514.post-2538148446867749636</id><published>2010-04-23T08:21:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2010-04-23T08:56:53.083-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Post-game comments from San Jose Sharks head coach Todd McLellan and Colorado Avalanche head coach Joe Sacco</title><content type='html'><a href="http://sharkspage.com/galleries/2010_sharks_colorado3/" target="_blank"><img src="http://sharkspage.com/galleries/2010_sharks_colorado3/images/sharks_colorado_g5_20.jpg" width="402" height="600" alt="Stanley Cup Playoffs San Jose Sharks head coach Todd McLellan postgame press conderence" border="0"></a> <CODE>SAN JOSE SHARKS HEAD COACH TODD MCLELLAN POST-GAME PRESS CONFERENCE</CODE>
Post-game comments from San Jose Sharks head coach Todd McLellan: 
<blockquote>In any series, you have to invest in the series. It is not won or lost in game one. As you go deeper and deeper, emotionally and physically you have to be invested in it. I thought again tonight we had some real good board work. You can be physical with the puck, so we held on to the puck tonight and ended up wearing them down for a few shifts in a row where we got the line changes we needed. Fatigue takes over, then you end up making mistakes. There have been moments thoughout the series where they have done that to us as well. That is the nature of the game, whoever can do it longer and harder usually wins.
It has been a strange series, with the bounces and the way the pucks are going into the net, the number of shots and production goal-wise. Finally tonight, the puck went over the goal line when we needed it to. In fact, I think we were probably better offensively in game three, and probably game four, than we were tonight but we were rewarded with 5 goals. I think that is a matter of that investment again. Players wearing down, goaltenders getting tired. We have to keep doing it.
Leadership. I think the leaders in the locker room kept everything calm, when we could have been riled up. I think there is a lot of leadership there. The fact that they came out and established their game, the players game again, they did that right off the bat, with the power play off the opening faceoff in Denver the other night. Tonight we came out and established our game right away again. We didn't put our toe in the water, for a lack of a better word. We jumped in the water and went after them.
Our leadership group is a big one. We can talk about the guys wearing C's and A's, we have all been through that in San Jose. You don't necessarily have to have a letter on. In my opinion, Scott Nichol is a hell of a leader. Everybody leads in a different way. I think we needed some depth of leadership to get through the adversity we faced, or to get to this point anyway. 
We talked about momentum this morning with some of the media people. I really believe that momentum has to be reestablished every night. So we will be looking to go in there (to Colorado for game 6) and try to establish our game, establish our momentum. To think we can just go in there and play, we will be very sorry if we have that attitude. 
We have a lot of confidence in Logan (Couture). We saw it during the year. For his development, it was good that he got to spend almost a full year in the American Hockey League. He got to lead and become one of the go-to guys, and I think it paid dividends for him now that he is up here and playing. 
I was really glad Dan Boyle did score that goal. If you could pick anybody to leave it behind him, then three hours later Nabokov gets the win. We did put those demons behind us that night. We got the win, Boyle contributed. I don't hear anyone in the locker room talking about it. I think we have moved on. 
I was really pleased with the contributions throughout the lineup. Often you win games 5-0 and one line takes over and dominates, everybody else is a supporing cast. I think everybody found a way to contribute. That is what we are happy with. There are still some concerns in our game. There always are, as coaches we are never happy. We will address them as we go. 
The (defense) moved the puck up, they got it out of the end quickly. It is one of the things we want to do, get it into the forward's hands and let them do some work down low. The d-men did a real good job there. 
We don't have to talk about it any more for one (after Marleau's goal). We don' have to answer the questions. I think that takes a little pressure away from them. I thought the three of them, not together on the same line, but I thought the three of them had real good games. They found a way to contribute, and maybe the monkey is off their back tonight. Heatley skated much better than he did in game four, they found a way.</blockquote> 
<a href="http://sharkspage.com/galleries/2010_sharks_colorado3/" target="_blank"><img src="http://sharkspage.com/galleries/2010_sharks_colorado3/images/sharks_colorado_g5_19.jpg" width="399" height="600" alt="Stanley Cup Playoffs Colorado Avalanche head coach Joe Sacco" border="0"></a> <CODE>COLORADO AVALANCHE HEAD COACH JOE SACCO POST-GAME PRESS CONFERENCE</CODE> 
Post-game comments from Colorado Avalanche head coach Joe Sacco: 
<blockquote>I don't think we played well in the second half of the second period. They started to play in the offensive zone and wear us down a little bit. We got caught on some long shifts in our own end. Then when we tried to change our defenseman were not able to change because the puck wasn't deep in their zone. You get caught back a little on your heels. First period we killed a couple penalties off, obviously they outshot us but it was still 0-0 and we were in decent shape to start the second period. I feel we got what we deserved tonight. I don't think we played well enough to win for 60 minutes.
I don't think it is so much generating more shots, I think it is maybe not giving up as many shots as we did again. I go back to you want to play with energy in this game. That is something we talk about as a group all the time. If you want to play with energy, you really have to do a good job looking after the puck in the neutral zone. Because if you start to turn it over, you end up chasing the puck, you end up backchecking. You spend more time in your own end, in turn that leads to more shots against. For me, it is just how we look after the puck, and make sure part of our gameplan is to get it deep. We didn't do that consistently enough tonight.
This is playoff hockey here. We shouldn't be tired at this time of the year. We should be reenergized. We should be playing with energy and passion. You have to find a way to get yourself going because the level of the play picks up in the playoffs. Certainly it did tonight. I think each game has picked up the intensity. At this time of the year you have to find a way to battle through. If you are feeling fatigued, if you are feeling tired, you have to find a way to battle through it.
I meant on the scoreboard we got what we deserved. Things happen quick out there. It is a fast game. There is a descrepancy in penalties again. Part of that is our fault, no question. We need to do a better job. I thought the McLeod hit was a hit from the side, not neccessarily worthy of 5 minutes. Things happen quick out there. We can't use that as an excuse. We have to be better than that, more disciplined.</blockquote> <div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2318140195445836514-2538148446867749636?l=www.sharkspage.com' alt='' /></div></content><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2318140195445836514/posts/default/2538148446867749636'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2318140195445836514/posts/default/2538148446867749636'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.sharkspage.com/2010_04_01_archive.html#2538148446867749636' title='Post-game comments from San Jose Sharks head coach Todd McLellan and Colorado Avalanche head coach Joe Sacco'/><author><name>PJ Swenson</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/10263208264922939673</uri><email>jon@sharkspage.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='12905731543131551762'/></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2318140195445836514.post-6704948962019422777</id><published>2010-04-22T14:43:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2010-04-23T11:23:03.086-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Hockey Notes - 4/22</title><content type='html'><a href="http://sharkspage.com/galleries/2010_sharks_colorado2/" target="_blank"><img src="http://sharkspage.com/jpgs6/sharks_colorado_g1_6b.jpg" width="425" height="285" alt="San Jose Sharks Stanley Cup Playoffs Joe Thornton" border="0"></a> <CODE>JOE THORNTON WALKS TO THE RINK - GAME 1 PHOTO JON SWENSON</CODE>
<a href="http://sharkspage.com/galleries/2010_sharks_colorado2/" target="_blank"><img src="http://sharkspage.com/galleries/2010_sharks_colorado2/images/sharks_colorado_g1_10.jpg" width="399" height="579" alt="San Jose Sharks Colorado Avalanche Stanley Cup playoff hit game 1" border="0"></a> <CODE>SJ AVERAGING 10.25 MORE HITS VS COLORADO THAN REG SEASON, AVS +8.25</CODE> 
<a href="http://sharkspage.com/galleries/2010_sharks_colorado2/" target="_blank"><img src="http://sharkspage.com/jpgs6/sharks_colorado_g1_12b.jpg" width="425" height="285" alt="San Jose Sharks Colorado Avalanche playoff regular season faceoff percentage" border="0"></a> <CODE>REG SEASON FACEOFF PERCENTAGE VS COLORADO - 56.25%, PLAYOFF FACEOFF - 51%</CODE> 
- In 4 previous playoff home openers, the San Jose Sharks have had a small cadre of VIP's, team officials and kids welcome them on their brief walk to the Sharks head. Usually smiling, Thornton often high fived children on his way out, offering words of encouragement to help fire up the team before taking home ice for the first time. 
In 2010, the Sharks <a href="http://sharkspage.com/galleries/2010_sharks_colorado2/pages/sharks_colorado_g1_7.html" target="_blank">passed by</a> a lone blue coat security guard and an aggressive fog machine en route to the rink. It was a small change, but it signaled a move towards a more business-like, more playoff hardened approach. There are no frills to this playoff squad in 2010, no Presidents trophy, no Art Ross or Rocket Richard trophies. They started the playoffs with an immediate sense of urgency that had not been seen in years past.
It was s small, but very good sign for Sharks fans. 
- Latest updates for Game 5: According to San Jose Mercury News beat writer <a href="" target="_blank">David Pollak</a>, Sharks head coach Todd McLellan may experiment with splitting up the big line of Marleau-Thornton-Heatley. Pollak notes that it might be playoff misdirection, but that Thornton skated with Torrey Mitchell and Patrick Marleau, and Dany Heatley may join a line with Logan Couture and Manny Malhotra. 
McLellan experimented shifting Mitchell, Malhotra and even Setoguchi for shifts on the top line to add a speed element against Colorado, but late in the regular season he had success mixing all 3 on seperate lines for a change of pace. He was noncommittal at the start of the playoffs whether he would adopt that strategy again. 
The Sharks held a light practice on Wednesday, right wing Jed Ortmeyer and defenseman Niclas Wallin were listed as day-to-day. Dany Heatley told <a href="http://www.denverpost.com/avalanche/ci_14933013" target="_blank">Mark Emmons</a> his injury was improving. "I wasn't 100 percent, but I was able to do a little more out there," he told Emmons. When asked to describe where and how he was injured, "We don't have to say... it's not the NFL," Heately said. 
Denver Post beat writer Adrian Dater <a href="http://blogs.denverpost.com/avs/2010/04/22/jones-not-even-on-ice-today/" target="_blank">reports</a> that Marek Svatos might join Ryan O’Reilly and Kevin Porter for game five. Porter, the 2008 recipient of the Hobey Baker award as the top player in college hockey, missed two previous contests with an upper body injury suffered in game two. Milan Hejduk did not fly to San Jose with the Avalanche after injurying his jaw skating into Paul Stastny with his head down in game three. Center Peter Mueller will also remain out of the lineup.
"We have had some injuries, we need some guys to step up. I don't know what the scenario is going to be tonight, but if it is there it is an opportunity for us to score some goals, we need some secondary scoring", right wing Darcy Tucker on tonight's game. 
Dater also posted video of brief chats with Colorado Avalanche head coach Joe Sacco <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQT7XGMdJV4" target="_blank">yesterday</a> and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89xWkuh3bgo" target="_blank">this morning</a>. 
- A couple of trends are starting to emerge after 4 games in the faceoff circle, and with the hit register. Through 4 regular season meetings the Sharks averaged 21.25 hits a game vs 22 for the Avalanche. That would include the late season Rob Blake hit that injured trade deadline acquisition Peter Mueller. In the playoffs the physical play has intensified considerably with ferocious yet borderline play by captains and former teammates Rob Blake and Adam Foote. The Sharks averaged 31.5 hits a game, with checking line center Scott Nichol registering a series high 8 in the 6-5 win on April 18th. The Avalanche averaged 30.25 hits a game, including a team high 6 by veteran center Stephane Yelle in game 4, and agitating Cody McLeod in game 1.
In the regular season, the Sharks were far and away the faceoff kings with three players in the top-16: Scott Nichol (1st - 60.6%), Joe Pavelski (4th - 58.1%) and Joe Thornton (16th - 53.9%). Manny Malhotra finished with a 62.5% from the dot, but a late season switch to the wing did not give him enough draws to qualify for the league lead. 
In four head-to-head matchups, the Sharks averaged a 56.25 faceoff percentage vs a 43.75 for Colorado. In the playoffs that has dipped to 51% for San Jose and a 49% for Colorado. Key offensive zone draws have helped Colorado gain momentum, and faceoffs won on the penalty kill automatically wipe 15-20 seconds off the clock. In order to advance in the series, a return to form in the faceoff circle is one area where the Sharks need to key on. 
- <a href="http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=526529&CID=6604952&CMPID=NHL1113-198312" target="_blank">Sharks still waiting for top line to break through</a> - NHL.com. 
<blockquote>Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau and Dany Heatley have 103 regular season goals, three gold medals and plenty of other accolades accumulated already this season. The one thing the high-scoring trio is missing so far is a playoff goal. The Sharks' top line has played nothing like that in the first four games of their first-round series against the Colorado Avalanche. 
"We need them to get on the scoreboard," coach Todd McLellan said Wednesday. "We can talk about how they're playing and the chances they're creating and their contributions at the other end of the rink, which are all very important. They're doing a pretty good job in those areas. But ultimately they have to find a way to get on the scoreboard, particularly on the power play. It will come."</blockquote>
- National Post writer Joe O'Connor ratchets up the annual playoff pressure on Sharks assistant captain Joe Thornton: <a href="http://www.nationalpost.com/sports/nhl-playoffs/story.html?id=2936565" target="_blank">Thornton still an ordinary Joe in playoffs, Shark never seems to find extra gear in post-season</a>. 
O'Connor points to Thornton's dip in production from the regular season to the playoffs, from 1.26 points per game to 0.82 points per game, points to his 2 assist total after 4 games against Colorado, and points to the success of Sidney Crosby and Henrik Zetterberg leading their teams early in the playoffs. He calls for Thornton to do more to lead his team. 
It is a fairly standard rant, but Thornton is doing more than backchecking and "playing hard". He has been storming opponents on the faceoff dot, a sign he is playing a more physical game, and bull rushing defenseman in front of the net and in the corner. Out of the "big three" line, Thornton may be playing the best playoff hockey at this point in time. Dany Heatley was hobbled after a check during overtime in game 2, but he rang a shot off the crossbar earlier in that game, and redirected an OT shot inches wide of the post in game 4.
"As long as we win, everybody’s OK... Obviously we’d like to contribute offensively. That’s what everybody looks for, but if we’re doing things defensively and we get scoring from other areas, that’s good too. But definitely, we look upon ourselves to get the job done," Thornton told SJ Mercury News beat writer David Pollak on <a href="http://blogs.mercurynews.com/sharks/2010/04/20/heatley-a-game-time-decision-hejduk-definitely-out-and-marleau-thornton-talk-about-series-so-far/" target="_blank">Tuesday</a>.
The X-factor on the big line has been Patrick Marleau. There are bursts of speed, and glimpses of the scorer who racked up 44 goals and 39 assists in the regular season, but the playoffs are a completely different animal. Shift-to-shift intensity and compete level need to be redlined at almost a constant pace. Right now Marleau, an unrestricted free agent in the offseason, is being clearly outworked by T.J. Galiardi, Paul Stastny and Chris Stewart. 
The team may have bristled at former Shark Jeremy Roenick's recent proclamtion on Toronto 640AM, "When's Patty Marleau going to come out and hit somebody in a playoff game... When is he going to come out and start showing why he was so good in the regular season? Not just scoring goals, but playing physical and being emotional in a playoff round." 
Not exactly sure what the problem with Roenick's statements are. Marleau does not need to come out and pretend to be Douglas Murray or Brad Staubitz, but his blazing speed has been sorely lacking on the top line. Speed that opens up holes in the defense for Thornton and Heatley to slide into, speed that gets the defense on their heels instead of challenging entry into the zone. Marleau started the 2008-09 and 2009-10 seasons playing an almost angry style of hockey, something out of the ordinary for the mild mannered, even tempered former captain. That speed and that snarl disappeared at some point prior to the Olympic break.
That sentiment was reinforced when eyeballs outside of the Bay Area labeled the big line "slow", almost an unheard of thought for a line with Marleau on it. After the gold medal winning Olympic performance, New York Times blogger Stu Hackel tackled the <a href="http://slapshot.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/03/01/the-morning-skate-canadas-golden-moment/" target="_blank">matchup problems</a> between Team USA head coach Ron Wilson and Team Canada head coach Mike Babcock in the finals.
<blockquote>Ron Wilson, his U.S. counterpart, on Sunday. But he had one big matchup he wanted, even without the luxury of the last change. He used the Jonathan Toews line, with Mike Richards and Rick Nash, against the top U.S. line of Parise, Paul Stastny and Jamie Langenbrunner. Wilson would have been happier with his big line skating against the slightly slower, less defensive Shark line of Joe Thornton centering for Patrick Marleau and Dany Heatley. 
With about 12 minutes gone in the first period, the game having been roughly even, Babcock had the the Shark line on and Wilson changed on the fly to get the Stastny line on against them. Erik Johnson of the U.S. misfired a pass that went for icing and, with the play stopped and a faceoff coming deep in the U.S. zone, Babcock without hesitation pulled the Shark line off and sent the Toews line on. The icing call prevented Wilson from changing players.</blockquote> 
Galiardi-Stastny-Stewart have not looked out of place in the slightest against Marleau-Thornton-Heatley. During the second intermission of game 4 on CBC, the speed of the young Avalanche line was touted against the "slower" Sharks. One analyst added, "the Sharks are a fast team, but not a hungry team." Canadian analysts can always be expected to throw another log on the fire with a controversial take, but unlike last season this year the criticism is warranted. 
Last year Marleau played somewhere around 60% against Anaheim after suffering the first major knee injury of his career. This year, there are no excuses. If the Sharks played in a major Canadian market, or in Boston, Philadelphia, Detroit or Pittsburgh, a lackluster performance on the ice would result in an onslaught of grinding media criticism. Criticism that can either inspire or grind down talented players. In San Jose, Marleau is going to have to inspire himself. 
- San Jose Sharks President/CEO Greg Jamison discussed the play of goaltender Evgeni Nabokov and Patrick Marleau today with Gary Radnich on <a href="http://www.knbr.com/OnKNBR680/GaryRadnich/tabid/596/Default.aspx" target="_blank">KNBR 680AM</a>: 
<blockquote>Evgeni Nabokov, if he is not the best goaltender in the league, he is in the top three. We have great faith in him. He has played well, he has fought. He takes some criticism, for a game or two, but he always comes back. He made a huge save, huge save in overtime to preserve that and help the bench, and help set the stage for Pavelski to go forward. We have great belief and faith in Nabokov. I think he is going to have great success. 
The thing we have always had with Evgeni is a wonderful relationship, a great understanding. He has really played well for us the last few years. Every player goes through a time where it doesn't go as well as he wants it to go. It is really the mark of a player or a man, how they hang in there, how they fight through it and emerge on the other side. Over the years Evgeni has done a great job of that... 
There was a lot of criticism about Patrick Marleau last year. The captain's C was changed and he steps up with 44 goals in the regular season. It is a real good season in the modern day NHL. I think Patty is working hard. I think that line is working hard, sometimes they go in, sometimes they don't. They have played defensively, they move the puck. I think they will get rewarded. I believe that. If they continue to bring their effort, it will turn out positive for them. There is a lot written about 'the big line'. You know that with that type of publicity comes the possibility of criticism if you don't produce at people's expectation levels. I honestly think if they keep working at it they way they have, they will break through.</blockquote>
- A Sharkspage photo gallery from game one of the Avs-Sharks playoff series is available <a href="http://sharkspage.com/galleries/2010_sharks_colorado2/" target="_blank">here</a>. 
- The Sharks television crew of Randy Hahn and Drew Remenda, as well as the radio side Dan Rusanowsky and Jamie Baker, are at or near the top of the league with their accessible blend of information and entertainment. Longtime hockey fans or transplants are as apt to follow along with commentary as are casual fans or first time viewers. They have been having a little fun during the playoffs with a series of road "Sharks Late Night Confidential" videos posted on youtube. The second edition with Jamie Baker is available <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTlKPYke8ys" target="_blank">here</a>, the third with Drew Remenda is <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muoLXzD2wtA" target="_blank">here</a>, (link to episode one <a href="http://player.theplatform.com/ps/player/pds/Dggq5Oq2RW?pid=TK_QWcw3Wjtv0FfhkFWR2T1LQcOsiXxE" target="_blank">here</a>). Episode 4 will be posted from Denver on Friday night.
- One reader asked about whether the responsibility for Dan Boyle's "own goal" in overtime for game 3 belonged to him or Evgeni Nabokov. Neither. Boyle's soft chip deflected off the stick of a forechecking O'Reilly and apparently snuck inside the post and Nabokov. To be honest, after Boyle scored 1:12 into game 4, the incident was put behind Boyle and the San Jose Sharks. The attempted play back around the wall in his own zone may have been a low percentage play when outnumbering the forecheck 2-on-1, but the deflection off of O'Reilly's stick was also an astronomical 1-100,000 play. To end up the game winning goal in playoff OT? A 1-1,000,000 play.
That being said, the responsibility for the play if it has to be meted out has to fall on Evgeni Nabokov. Doing the small things right for a goaltender means being mentally focused even when your defenseman is playing the puck in his own zone. He did not seal off the post. The allowed goal was every bit as bad as the goal Thomas Greiss allowed in from a hard angle below the goal line early in the season on the road in Los Angeles. Greiss performed admirably up until that point, holding the Sharks in the game as they stormed back from a 4-goal deficit. The Sharks lost that game, and game 3 vs Colorado, on plays that should not have been made. No excuses.
- The latest episode of the Globe and Mail's hockey podcast is available <a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/multimedia/podcasts/sports/sports-roundtable/" target="_blank">here</a>. Eric Duhatschek, James Mirtle and Darren Yourk break down each series. On San Jose vs Colorado, Mirtle points to the offseason bargain acquisition of goaltender Craig Anderson as being a large part of the Avalanche turnaround. Duhatschek talked about Thornton's playoff scoring struggles, "One of these days, Joe Thornton will have a big playoff game. I wonder if he has 1 or 2, if it will change the dynamic of his career." Duhatschek continued, "For now, most of the people have have been down on him have had the last word." He also called the 2009-10 regular season for the San Jose Sharks, "the longest 82-game preseason in the history of the National Hockey League."
- Former San Jose Sharks defenseman Andy Sutton vs. a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmVdVJ1sRJI" target="_blank">non-expert</a> hockey reporter, one of the first Stanley Cup Playoff video memes of 2010.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2318140195445836514-6704948962019422777?l=www.sharkspage.com' alt='' /></div></content><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2318140195445836514/posts/default/6704948962019422777'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2318140195445836514/posts/default/6704948962019422777'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.sharkspage.com/2010_04_01_archive.html#6704948962019422777' title='Hockey Notes - 4/22'/><author><name>PJ Swenson</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/10263208264922939673</uri><email>jon@sharkspage.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='12905731543131551762'/></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2318140195445836514.post-1365723628017864873</id><published>2010-04-22T12:57:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2010-04-22T13:11:19.064-07:00</updated><title type='text'>WorSharks Defeat Lowell 5-1 To Win Series</title><content type='html'>The Worcester Sharks used two goal games from both Benn Ferriero and T.J. Trevelyan and another stellar goaltending performance from Alex Stalock to defeat the Lowell Devils 5-1 Wednesday night at the Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell in Lowell, Massachusetts to win their best of seven series four games to one.
 
Because of scheduling conflicts Sharkspage wasn't able to cover the clinching game, so for folks interested in reading about the victory you can check out what WorSharks beat writer Bill Ballou from the Worcester Telegram has to say about the game in his story <a href="http://www.telegram.com/article/20100422/NEWS/4220725/1009/sports">Sharks, Ferriero end it</a> and his WorSharks notes column <a href="http://www.telegram.com/article/20100422/NEWS/4220780/1009/sports">Manchester on a roll, too</a>.
 
Ryan Holt has the story <a href="http://www.sharksahl.com/story.asp?story_id=2115">Sharks Torch Devils, 5-1, Take Series in Five Games</a> on the WorSharks official site.
 
BOXSCORE 
<blockquote>Worcester 2 2 1 - 5 
Lowell 0 1 0 - 1
 
1st Period-1, Worcester, Trevelyan 3 10:24. 2, Worcester, Ferriero 2 (Trevelyan), 13:02. Penalties-Strong Wor (high-sticking), 4:59; Joslin Wor (interference), 17:52.
 
2nd Period-3, Lowell, Palmieri 1 (McIntyre), 2:26. 4, Worcester, Ferriero 3 (Quirk, Wilson), 9:44 (sh). 5, Worcester, Desjardins 2 (Groulx, McCarthy), 19:00 (pp). Penalties-Robitaille Low (roughing), 6:59; McLaren Wor (tripping), 8:52; McCarthy Wor (slashing), 14:38; Mashinter Wor (roughing), 17:01; Davison Low (roughing), 17:01; Nagy Low (roughing), 17:01.
 
3rd Period-6, Worcester, Trevelyan 4 (Henderson, Braun), 4:21. Penalties-McCauley Wor (interference), 6:24; McLaren Wor (roughing, roughing), 7:53; Sestito Low (roughing), 7:53.
 
Shots on Goal 
Worcester 11-11-8-30 
Lowell 9-10-15-34.
 
Power Play Opportunities 
Worcester 1 of 2 
Lowell 0 of 6.
 
Goalies 
Worcester, Stalock 4-1-0 (34 shots-33 saves) 
Lowell, McKenna 1-4-0 (30 shots-25 saves).
 
A-1,153. Referee-Francis Charron (46). Linesmen-Bob Bernard (4), Brian MacDonald (72).</blockquote><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2318140195445836514-1365723628017864873?l=www.sharkspage.com' alt='' /></div></content><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2318140195445836514/posts/default/1365723628017864873'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2318140195445836514/posts/default/1365723628017864873'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.sharkspage.com/2010_04_01_archive.html#1365723628017864873' title='WorSharks Defeat Lowell 5-1 To Win Series'/><author><name>Darryl Hunt</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11114491334523693045</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='07082686015710078670'/></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2318140195445836514.post-7901106513455394413</id><published>2010-04-21T11:51:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2010-04-23T10:54:26.719-07:00</updated><title type='text'>CSN California ratings up 27% for game 4 of the WCQF, up 14% for Sharks-Colorado series</title><content type='html'><img src="http://sharkspage.com/jpgs6/comcastsportsnet.jpg" width="399" height="600" alt="San Jose Sharks California Sports Net California ratings up at start of the season" border="0"> <CODE>SHARKS PLAYOFF RATINGS UP 27% FOR GAME 4, UP 14% FOR SERIES</CODE>
A recent article by John Ourand of the <a href="http://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=article.preview&articleid=65522" target="_blank">Sports Business Journal</a> ranked regular season television ratings numbers for 22 regional broadcasts. The Pittsburgh Penguins on FS Pittsburgh lead the NHL ratings drive in 2009-10 with an 8.05 average (up 26.2%), followed by solid ratings in traditional markets for MSG Buffalo (6.45, down 19%), FS Detroit (4.21, up 5.3%) and CSN Chicago (2.45, up 131.1%). Steve Lepore posted a team-by-team ratings/households chart available at <a href="http://puckthemedia.wordpress.com/2010/04/19/your-final-nhl-local-tv-ratings-and-viewership-rankings-in-the-us/" target="_blank">Puck the Media</a>.
In the first year since <a href="http://sharks.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=498822" target="_blank">switching</a> from CSN Bay Area to CSN California, CSNCA Sharks broadcasts finished 12th among the 22 listed teams with a 1.11 regular season average (down 20.7%), and 28,000 households (down 20%). CSN California playoff ratings are up 27% for game 4, and up 14% during the 4-game series vs. comparable ratings data from last year. 
The move to CSNCA was expected to increase the coverage area statewide for the Sharks, as well as adding additional games broadcast in HD, but a regular season ratings decline of 20% is notable for a team that finished first in the Western Conference. According to CSN spokesman Jay dela Cruz, the move to a new channel at CSN California may not be directly attributable for the ratings decline. He noted that A's broadcasts on the same channel have been up 60%. CSN California also switched from channel 89 to channel 41 late in the season on March <a href="http://sharks.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=521454" target="_blank">24th</a>. The move placed it lower on the dial adjacent to its previous CSNBA home on channel 40, and created a mini sports block along with ESPN (38) and ESPN2 (39).
Another factor may have been the failure of Charter Communications to pick up the CSNCA channel. According to <a href="http://www.sharkspage.com/2009_10_01_archive.html#3525610583118738382" target="_blank">reports</a>, it left as many as 12-26,000 subscribers looking for another option. CSN spokesman Jay dela Cruz notes that Comcast Sportsnet is still in communications with Charter to make Sharks and A's broadcasts available, but that many of those television customers also have options such as Dish Network, AT&T U-verse, and DirecTV . Each of those options has CSN California available. Sharks fans can call Charter at 1-888-438-2427 or send them a message via <a href="http://www.charter.com/customers/contactus.aspx?contactus=6" target="_blank">contact form</a> to request CSNCA.
CSN San Jose Sharks playoff ratings for the last two seasons: 
<blockquote>2009-10 Western Conference Quarterfinal ratings vs. Colorado: 
Game One - 3.85 
Game Two - 4.40 
Game Three - 3.70 
Game Four - 4.70 
2008-09 Western Conference Quarterfinal ratings vs Anaheim: 
Game One - 4.16 
Game Two - 3.75 
Game Three - 3.15 
Game Four - 3.70 
source: CSN California</blockquote> 
In a <a href="http://sportsmediawatch.blogspot.com/2010/04/local-on-eights-ratings-for-nba-mlb-and.html" target="_blank">Sports Media Watch</a> comparison of all NBA, MLB and NHL media markets, Comcast California ranked 65th for the Sharks (1.11) and 69th for the Athletics (0.82), and by household ranked 61st (28,000) for the Sharks and 70th for the Athletics (20,000). Comcast Sportsnet Bay Area finished 25th for the Giants with a 3.27 ratings and 61st for the Warriors with a 1.35 rating.
National ratings for the league's cable broadcast partner are also up. Versus averaged 478,000 viewers and a .5 rating for its triple header to open the 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs on April 14th, up 25%. Through five nights Versus averaged a .6, with 543,000 viewers. It was the largest audience since the 2002 playoffs according to a press release. NBC broadcasts through 2 days over the weekend were on par with last year at 1.4. 
Video usage on NHL.com and unique visitors were also up 108 and 20 percent respectively during the first two days of the post season, with mobile page views up 174 percent. During the first game of the Sharks-Colorado series at HP Pavilion, a rough survey of 44 lower bowl patrons saw all but 9 using mobile phones for content (or text messages/calls) during intermission. Rough survery conducted on my walk to a photo hole. It is without question the wave of the future for NHL broadcasters and media.
Top 18 NHL markets based on growth of unique visitors to NHL.com (through the first week of the playoffs): 
<blockquote>1. Phoenix (+121 percent) 
2. Buffalo (+100 percent) 
3. Nashville (+ 85 percent 
4. Denver (+74 percent) 
5. Boston (+63 percent) 
6. Chicago (+42 percent) 
7. Dallas-Ft. Worth (+41 percent) 
8. Ottawa (+41 percent) 
9. Montreal (+34 percent) 
10. Los Angeles (+34 percent) 
11. Philadelphia (+22 percent) 
12. Washington D.C. (+21 percent) 
13. Vancouver (+17 percent) 
14. Tampa-St. Pete (+13 percent) 
15. Pittsburgh (+11 percent) 
16. Toronto (+10 percent) 
17. Atlanta (+6 percent) 
18. Edmonton (+6 percent) 
source: NHL.com</blockquote> 
[Update] <a href="http://www.fromtherink.com/2010/4/20/1432444/2009-2010-nhl-attendance" target="_blank">2009-2010 NHL Attendance & Television Ratings</a> - Derek Zona for From the Rink. 
[Update2] <a href="http://sportsmediawatch.blogspot.com/2010/04/mighty-pucks-capitals-sharks-drawing.html" target="_blank">Mighty Pucks: Capitals, Sharks, Drawing Good Numbers</a> - Sports Media Watch. 
[Update3] <a href="http://puckthemedia.wordpress.com/2010/04/22/games-2-4-of-sharks-avs-series-up-in-the-bay-area/" target="_blank">Games 2-4 of Sharks-Avs Series Up in the Bay Area</a> - Puck the Media. 
[Update4] Via CSNCA play-by-play announcer Randy Hahn's <a href="http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=543829453" target="_blank">facebook page</a> (hat tip PTM): 
<blockquote>People like Sharks Playoffs Broadcasts on Comcast Sportsnet California: The 3.85 game rating for Game 1 vs Colorado destroyed the season high of 2.09 (1/21 v Anaheim). The 1.78 Sharks Pregame Live rating destroyed the season high of 0.82 (10/6 at LA Kings)</blockquote> <div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2318140195445836514-7901106513455394413?l=www.sharkspage.com' alt='' /></div></content><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2318140195445836514/posts/default/7901106513455394413'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2318140195445836514/posts/default/7901106513455394413'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.sharkspage.com/2010_04_01_archive.html#7901106513455394413' title='CSN California ratings up 27% for game 4 of the WCQF, up 14% for Sharks-Colorado series'/><author><name>PJ Swenson</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/10263208264922939673</uri><email>jon@sharkspage.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='12905731543131551762'/></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2318140195445836514.post-2093803747088299848</id><published>2010-04-21T09:30:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2010-04-21T09:30:44.983-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Darryl Hunt: DaSilva, WorSharks Take Game Four Over Lowell, 4-2</title><content type='html'>The Worcester Sharks twice overcame one goal deficits and used three unanswered third period goals to defeat the Lowell Devils 4-2 Tuesday night at the Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell and grab a 3-1 series lead. Game five is Wednesday night in Lowell.
 
In the previous 13 meeting between the two clubs the team that had scored first won the contest, so both teams knew that grabbing the first goal would be huge in determining who won the game. Unfortunately for Worcester, it would be the Devils that would light the lamp first when Nick Palmieri caused a Derek Joslin turnover and hit a wide open Alexander Vasyunov. Vasyunov fired the puck over WorSharks goaltender Alex Stalock for the 1-0 lead at 1:55 of the first.
 
Andrew Desjardins would get Worcester even at 9:18 on a nice bang-bang play. Dan DaSilva took a pass from John McCarthy and headed behind the net, but instead of wheeling the cage threw a pass behind him into the circle where Desjardins was standing. Desjardins knocked the puck from the air past the glove of Lowell's netminder Mike McKenna to knot the game.
 
Devils winger Patrick Davis would give Lowell a 2-1 lead early in the second period after taking a pass from former San Jose Sharks defenseman Rob Davison. Davis' backhander seemed to surprise Stalock a little, and the puck slid through the legs of the rookie netminder at 3:36. McKenna did everything he could to make that goal stand up, and made incredible save after incredible save to keep Worcester off the board in the middle stanza.
 
Entering the game Lowell was 31-0-1-2 on the season when leading after two periods so the WorSharks knew it would be an uphill battle to just even get the game tied. Luckily for Worcester a Devils miscue resulted in an odd man rush for the "Crazed Rat" third line, and that was all the opportunity the WorSharks would need. With DaSilva holing the puck trying to freeze the defense McCarthy headed for the net, and a nice tape to tape pass to the top of the crease allowed McCarthy backhand the puck past McKenna to knot the game 2-2 at 4:28 of the third. Nick Schaus had the second assist on the goal.
 
Special teams play is huge in the playoffs, and Worcester would capitalize on their first chance with the man advantage. With Davison off for hooking, Danny Groulx fired a wrist shot on net that Benn Ferriero was able to deflect past McKenna to give Worcester a 3-2 lead at 10:27. DaSilva had the second assist on the power play tally. The goal was Ferriero's first since late February, a streak going back 24 games.
 
The WorSharks would gain an insurance goal skating with a two man advantage after Lowell's Louis Robitaille and Matt Taormina we both called for delay of game minors within 47 seconds of each other. T. J. Trevelyan beat McKenna at 13:16 from the bottom of the left wing circle to give Worcester the 4-2 lead. Joslin and Groulx both had the helpers on the goal.
 
Worcester would survive two Lowell power play chances, including over a minute of the Devils skating six on four, to take game four of the best of seven series.
 
GAME NOTES 
Worcester went with the same line-up as game four. Earlier this week the WorSharks signed Marek Viedensky, San Jose’s 7th round pick last season, to an ATO. Viedensky, who still has junior eligibility left, will be old enough to play in the AHL next season should the San Jose Sharks wish him to.
 
Lowell announced the attendance at 1,236. The true number appeared to be less than half that.
 
The win extends Worcester's undefeated string to four in game fours. The WorSharks are also undefeated in round one game fives having defeated Manchester 4-1 in 2006-07, and Hartford 3-1 last season. Worcester lost its second round game five to Providence last season.
 
The three stars of the game were 
1. DaSilva (3a) 
2. McCarthy (g,a) 
3. Groulx (2a)
 
DaSilva was also the AHL's second star of the night.
 
The Sharkspage player of the game was Andrew Desjardins
 
BOXSCORE 
<blockquote>Worcester 1 0 3 - 4 
Lowell 1 1 0 - 2
 
1st Period-1, Lowell, Vasyunov 2 (Palmieri), 1:55. 2, Worcester, Desjardins 1 (DaSilva, McCarthy), 9:18. Penalties-Schaus Wor (tripping), 9:38; McCarthy Wor (high-sticking), 19:03.
 
2nd Period-3, Lowell, Davis 2 (Davison, Gionta), 3:36. Penalties-No Penalties
 
3rd Period-4, Worcester, McCarthy 2 (DaSilva, Schaus), 4:28. 5, Worcester, Ferriero 1 (Groulx, DaSilva), 10:27 (pp). 6, Worcester, Trevelyan 2 (Groulx, Joslin), 13:16 (pp). Penalties-Davison Low (hooking), 9:20; Robitaille Low (delay of game), 11:26; Taormina Low (delay of game), 12:13; McLaren Wor (slashing), 15:29; Mashinter Wor (high-sticking), 18:45.
 
Shots on Goal 
Worcester 10-15-16-41 
Lowell 4-12-11-27.
 
Power Play Opportunities 
Worcester 2 of 3 
Lowell 0 of 4.
 
Goalies 
Worcester, Stalock 3-1-0 (27 shots-25 saves) 
Lowell, McKenna 1-3-0 (41 shots-37 saves).
 
A-1,236. Referee-Chris Ciamaga (41). Linesmen-Chris Aughe (74), Chris Libett (19).</blockquote><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2318140195445836514-2093803747088299848?l=www.sharkspage.com' alt='' /></div></content><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2318140195445836514/posts/default/2093803747088299848'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2318140195445836514/posts/default/2093803747088299848'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.sharkspage.com/2010_04_01_archive.html#2093803747088299848' title='Darryl Hunt: DaSilva, WorSharks Take Game Four Over Lowell, 4-2'/><author><name>Darryl Hunt</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11114491334523693045</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='07082686015710078670'/></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2318140195445836514.post-8586191283061855333</id><published>2010-04-21T08:08:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2010-04-21T11:48:58.453-07:00</updated><title type='text'>WCQF Game 4: Joe Pavelski's OT game winning goal ties series at 2-2, heavy weight lifted off of Bay Area shoulders for 48 hours</title><content type='html'><object width="476" height="289"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/rbSPIvYyX_M&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/rbSPIvYyX_M&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="476" height="289"></embed></object>
The Sharks <a href="http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2009030154&navid=sb:recap" target="_blank">2-1 win</a> in overtime at the Pepsi Center was a difficult game to watch, a difficult game to play in, and a difficult game to coach. What was easy to see was that a building internal and external pressure, combined with <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-b7RmmMJeo" target="_blank">inconceivable</a> bad bounces earlier in this series, weighed heavily on the team in teal. At times, the Sharks looked like they were skating against 10 men instead of 5.
Considering they have been playing against themselves as much as any opponent for several postseasons, that may very well have been the case. It could also have been the byproduct of a third straight overtime playoff game, or the fact that a younger, faster and banged up Colorado Avalanche squad threw the kitchen sink at them in game four. That kitchen sink, along with a pair of Avalanche players in Kyle Cumiskey and Brandon Yip, bounced off the shoulders of defenseman/fullback Douglas Murray 10:20 into overtime. With Colorado in the process of a sloppy line change, Douglas Murray carried the puck into the offensive zone and planted a shoulder into two of the three players in front of him. A trailing Joe Pavelski gathered the puck, dragged it around the chaos at the line of scrimmage, and picked top corner far side using Adam Foote as a screen.
Series tied 2-2, this WCQF now became a best of three contest. A theme song for the Sharks 2010 playoffs: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z66vXxnY4SI#t=1m44s" target="_blank">Carry that Weight</a> by the Beatles. San Jose Sharks EVP/GM retooled the roster from top to bottom in the offseason, saying that he wanted to bring in players who could overcome obstacles and find ways to win. For the first time in the 2010 playoffs, those obstacles were strictly of the difficult playoff opponent variety. For the first time in the 2010 playoffs, the San Jose Sharks scored the opening goal of the game, and they did not score on themselves.
Joe Pavelski reprised his role yet again as deliverer of late game heroics. Scoring with 32 seconds remaining to send game two into overtime, his winning goal and brief stint as <a href="http://www.sharkspage.com/2008_05_01_archive_history.html#4454975138712902730" target="_blank">playoff Elvis</a> against Dallas in 2008, and his game winning goal against Colorado last night smashed talk of playoff curses, voodoo and hexes. There are no aggrieved goats or egregious trades to point a finger at (not including Ed Belfour). The Sharks started game four with a misson to seize the momentum, and set the tone early. They battled significant ebbs and flows over 70+ minutes, and remained confident throughout.
The Sharks opened the scoring 1:12 into the first period on the power play. Dan Boyle took a feed off the wall from Ryane Clowe and hammered a slap shot that beat goaltender Craig Anderson far side. The Altitude Colorado broadcast said it was a small, then corrected to large, measure of redemption for Boyle. The CBC Canadian broadcast bizarrely focused on who Boyle was looking at after the goal, and whether or not he was trying to send a message. The local Sharks broadcast was a little shocked that Boyle was able to answer a lot of questions so quickly into the game. To use a very overused phrase, it looked like a weight had been lifted off of his shoulders.
After a Boyle chip deflected off of Ryan O'Reilly's stick and beat Nabokov to end game three, Boyle said it was a play that he would not wish on anyone. To add insult to insult, the local San Jose Mercury News ran a front page selection of the top 12 "Dirty Dozen" <a href="http://www.mercurynews.com/search/ci_14917574" target="_blank">self-inflicted moments</a> in Bay Area sports. Boyle's own goal, and stay tuned for a note later today of Evgeni Nabokov's role on the play, ranked 5th behind Roger Craig's fumble in the 1990 NFC Final, Dennis Eckersley's home run pitch to a hobbled Kirk Gibson (the horror), Jeremy Giambi's non-silde in 2001, and Roy Reigel's 70-yard wrong way run in the 1929 Rose Bowl (this should be first). When asked if the opening goal made up for game three, Boyle said that only a series win would make him feel any better.
The goal of playoff goaltending is to give your team an opportunity to win. For the fourth straight game, Evgeni Nabokov smoothed over some rough patches in his own zone and held tight on a pair of quality scoring chances in overtime for Colorado. Chris Stewart and Ryan O'Reilly were joined on the rush by former San Jose 1997 first round draft pick Scott Hannan five minutes into overtime. A delay move by Stewart opened up O'Reilly for a clear shot to end the game. Evgeni Nabokov blocked the shot with his body, and squeezed tight to prevent a rebound.
Dan Boyle also might have registered the biggest save of the game eight minutes into overtime. A stick check by O'Reilly knocked the puck from Joe Thornton back to Paul Stastny, who had body position on Boyle in front of the net. Stastny feathered a pass to an unchecked Stewart on the left wing, but Boyle moved over and kicked out his legs to make a sliding blocked shot. In addition to a power play goal, and a game high 30:10 of ice time, his save in overtime might have been the biggest play of the series to date.
Game Notes: Evgeni Nabokov stopped 33 of 34 shots for the win. Dany Heatley rejoined the lineup after missing 1 game with an undisclosed injury. Niclas Wallin and Jed Ortmeyer were not in the lineup, Jay Leach, Brad Staubitz and emergency goaltender Henrik Karlsson were healthy scratches. A battered Colorado lineup was missing Peter Mueller for a fourth straight playoff game after a late season collision with Rob Blake. Milan Hejduk and Ryan Stoa were out of the lineup after suffering injuries in game three, Kevin Porter and Ryan Wilson were also out. There was a moment of silence at the start of the game to honor the death of Colorado Rockies owner Keli McGregor.
[Update] <a href="http://www.mercurynews.com/sharks-headlines/ci_14925203" target="_blank">Purdy: Sharks get some redemption in win, but getting goals would be better</a> - San Jose Mercury News. 
[Update2] <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2010/04/17/sports/s164146D44.DTL" target="_blank">Pavelski's OT goal lifts Sharks over Avalanche</a> - San Francisco Chronicle. 
[Update3] <a href="http://blogs.denverpost.com/avs/2010/04/21/postgame-avs-sharks-game-4-a-hard-boyled-win/" target="_blank">Another draining OT game</a> - Adrian Dater for the Denver Post.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2318140195445836514-8586191283061855333?l=www.sharkspage.com' alt='' /></div></content><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2318140195445836514/posts/default/8586191283061855333'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2318140195445836514/posts/default/8586191283061855333'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.sharkspage.com/2010_04_01_archive.html#8586191283061855333' title='WCQF Game 4: Joe Pavelski's OT game winning goal ties series at 2-2, heavy weight lifted off of Bay Area shoulders for 48 hours'/><author><name>PJ Swenson</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/10263208264922939673</uri><email>jon@sharkspage.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='12905731543131551762'/></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2318140195445836514.post-5171173972174645087</id><published>2010-04-21T06:33:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2010-04-21T06:50:03.941-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Post-game comments from San Jose Sharks head coach Todd McLellan and Colorado Avalanche head coach Joe Sacco</title><content type='html'>Post-game comments from San Jose Sharks head coach Todd McLellan:
<blockquote>Stick with it, overcome, words we have used since the beginning of the series. When I look at how the game played out, one it was nice to see Danny Boyle score right off the bat. I think that put game three to rest in his mind, and probably a lot of other player's minds. It was a real good start for us. Then at the end of the night when Nabby made a real good save for us in overtime, that probably helped us as well, and of course winning the game. It is a best of three now, that is where we are at. Both teams are playing really hard. It is some fierce hockey in the corners, along the boards, and net front. I don't see any reason why that would change for either team right now.
Danny Heatley obviously returning is something we were excited about. He hadn't skated since our last game, I think it showed a little bit. He didn't have the jump in his legs he probably needed. We had to shuffle lines to spread out some of our speed. When we did that, we kind of got rolling a little more. It became a factor as the night went on. 
To be real honest with you, coaches hate when you say it is a must-win, and you had to have it. I don't think you will ever get any of us to admit that it has to be a must-win. We feel good about the team we have, we feel good about the game we are playing. Had we not won, the task would have got that much harder, become that much narrower. I still believe we are doing things the right way. It is hard for me to answer (whether or not this was a must-win game) question, and I don't think you are going to get a lot of coaches to answer that question honestly.
(The second) line has been very good for us. Seto, Pavs and Clowe, it is rewarding because last year we took a lot of heat without secondary scoring. This year they are scoring big goals, and playing well at the other end of the rink. It is nice to see them score, nice to see them produce, but it is a must that it needs to continue. 
We are seeing the same thing you are watching (regarding Craig Anderson's play), that his teammates are watching, that those on tv are watching. He is in the zone. He is playing extremely well. He is playing with confidence, exuding confidence, and his teammates are building off of it. Much the same way Nabby was tonight to tell the truth. Nabby made some very good saves, you could feel our bench settle down. It was real important Nabby performed the same way, the way he did tonight. Give Anderson credit, but I would really like to talk about what our goaltender did tonight. He stood in and did what he was supposed to do.
We would like to have the lead, we would like to get the second goal. We need production from a few more players. If that comes, I believe we can get a 1-2-3 goal lead. It still has to come. That is why we play seven games. We wait for it, expect it, and believe it will show up.</blockquote> 
Post-game comments from Colorado Avalanche head coach Joe Sacco: 
<blockquote>It was a hard fought game out there, it certainly is going to be a hard fought series, just like we thought it would be at the start. I thought it was a good game tonight. I thought we responded well, I thought we had more energy in our game. When it gets into overtime, it just takes one good shot. That is what happened tonight. 
We had a couple of good chances before Pavelski, unfortunately we were not able to capitalize on them. I think there are some positive things to take out of this game for our team. Now it becomes a best of 3 series. We look forward to the next game. 
I liked the way we spent more time in the offensive zone tonight. I thought we were able to sustain a forecheck, and just keep the play in their end more than the last game. That is something positive we can take out of this game. I think we are competing hard, our guys are really laying it on the line. 
I always go back to the identity of our team, trying to use our speed, trying to play agressive and forecheck hard. We try to take away time and space from the opposition, that is it. We try to go back to the things that we have done well in the past, not one specific thing. 
We were out there, we had some guys caught out there on a line change after an icing call. Then after the faceoff in our end, we got the puck deep, and we had a couple forewards change. I know there defenseman had jumped up in the play. I just saw the puck bouncing everywhere inside our own zone. I saw it bouncing, unfortunately for us it went to one of their guys. He made a nice shot.</blockquote> 
[Update] More post-game reactions are available from <a href="http://www.csncalifornia.com/pages/sharks" target="_blank">CSN California</a> and the Colorado Avalanche <a href="http://altitudesports.typepad.com/files/avs-sharks-postgame-game-4-04-20.mp3" target="_blank">podcast</a>.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2318140195445836514-5171173972174645087?l=www.sharkspage.com' alt='' /></div></content><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2318140195445836514/posts/default/5171173972174645087'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2318140195445836514/posts/default/5171173972174645087'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.sharkspage.com/2010_04_01_archive.html#5171173972174645087' title='Post-game comments from San Jose Sharks head coach Todd McLellan and Colorado Avalanche head coach Joe Sacco'/><author><name>PJ Swenson</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/10263208264922939673</uri><email>jon@sharkspage.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='12905731543131551762'/></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2318140195445836514.post-2752609787563820350</id><published>2010-04-20T13:48:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2010-04-20T17:25:06.020-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Scouting Report -- Colorado Avalanche goaltender Craig Anderson</title><content type='html'><img src="http://sharkspage.com/jpgs6/craig_anderson1.jpg" width="399" height="600" alt="Colorado Avalanche goaltender Craig Anderson scouting report" border="0"> <CODE>COLORADO GOALTENDER #41 CRAIG ANDERSON WCQF GM1 - PHOTO JON SWENSON</CODE>
<img src="http://sharkspage.com/jpgs6/craig_anderson2.jpg" width="425" height="282" alt="Colorado Avalanche goaltender Craig Anderson San Jose Sharks Stanley Cup Playoffs" border="0"> <CODE>#41 CRAIG ANDERSON VS SAN JOSE MARCH 28TH</CODE> 
<a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/gamecast?gameId=300418017" target="_blank"><img src="http://sharkspage.com/jpgs6/espn_game3.jpg" width="425" height="225" alt="Stanley Cup Playoffs San Jose Sharks vs Colorado Avalanche WCQF game 3 shot chart" border="0"></a> <CODE>SHARKS-AVS GAME 3 SHOT CHART - ESPN GAMECAST</CODE> 
<a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/gamecast?gameId=300416018" target="_blank"><img src="http://sharkspage.com/jpgs6/espn_game2.jpg" width="425" height="225" alt="Stanley Cup Playoffs San Jose Sharks vs Colorado Avalanche WCQF game 2 shot chart" border="0"></a> <CODE>SHARKS-AVS GAME 2 SHOT CHART - ESPN GAMECAST</CODE> 
<blockquote>COLORADO AVALANCHE GOALTENDER 
#41 - <a href="http://www.hockey-reference.com/players/a/andercr01.html" target="_blank">CRAIG ANDERSON</a> 
6-foot-1, 180-pounds, 28 years old 
Career reg. season record - 74-68-2-18 
Playoff record - 2-1 
Career reg. season GAA - 2.77 
Playoff GAA - 2.26 
Career reg. season SV% - .913% 
Playoff SV% - .946%</blockquote> 
Goaltender Craig Anderson passed over multiple offers last July to sign a 2-year, $3.6 million free-agent contract with the Colorado Avalanche according to the <a href="http://www.denverpost.com/avalanche/ci_12737489" target="_blank">Denver Post</a>. At the time, few would have suspected Anderson's impact would be equal to or greater than that of big ticket acquisitions Chris Pronger, Marian Gaborik and Dany Heatley. "I admit there were a lot of times when I was playing behind Nikolai Khabibulin in Chicago and Tomas Vokoun in Florida where my career seemed like it was on hold, but I never lost confidence that I could play at the NHL level," Anderson told NHL.com's Larry Wigge in <a href="http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=501635" target="_blank">October</a> during his first week as a definitive starting goaltender.
Anderson's performance more than held its own. In his first full season, he registered a 38-25-7 record while setting franchise marks for games played (71) and minutes (4,235). He also set franchise records while leading the NHL in shots faced (2,233) and saves (2047). Despite Colorado's 3-10 finish, the Avalanche edged the Calgary Flames for the last playoff spot in the Western Conference during the final week of the season. 
In his first three Stanley Cup Playoff games Anderson has been the beneficiary of a pair of fluke bounces for game winning goals, but his performance in net has been impressive. Anderson made 46 saves on 52 shots against in a game two where the Sharks attempted 100 total shots (16 missed the net, 32 were blocked). The pressure was far more lopsided on home ice in game three. Anderson stopped all 51 shots on goal, but San Jose also missed the net 20 times and Colorado blocked 22 shots. In just over 120 minutes of play, the Sharks tried to put 193 shots in the back of his net.
In a word, pressure. 
A long, lanky butterfly goaltender whose pads seem to have grown slightly with the trip to Colorado, Anderson excels at coverage around the lower part of the net. Not taking up as much space as Anaheim's technical <a href="http://sharkspage.com/galleries/2009_sharks_ducks2/pages/sharks_ducks5_15.html" target="_blank">Jonas Hiller</a>, Anderson instead anticipates the play well and uses quick reflexes to get into position. Colorado Avalanche head coach Joe Sacco, according to CSNCA's Drew Remenda, said that Anderson excels at reading the puck off the stick of a shooter. Even on shots in tight, solid rebound control allows him to deflect pucks into the corner and away from the goal scoring red zone in front of the crease.
According to Red Line Report scout and Sharkspage contributor Max Giese, a former goaltender himself, Anderson "is focused on each shot, sturdy in traffic... and tough to rattle in net." Another former Blackhawks scout added that Chicago's 1999 draft pick Michael Leighton was a more talented goaltending prospect, but "Anderson got to where he is because he worked his (bleep) off for it." 
A video review of the shots Anderson faced against the Sharks in the postseason and regular season show excellent rebound control, and a propensity to flash a wide 5-hole to shooters before quickly snatching it away. Even with 2 or 3 bodies proving a screen in front of him, Anderson is often able to keep eyes on the puck. His glove might not be the most flashy in the NHL, but it is positionally strong when standing, and when held low above the pad in the butterfly. 
Very quick up and down, when Anderson is struggling he will remain set in one position too long. During the Sharks <a href="http://sharkspage.com/galleries/2010_sharks_colorado1/pages/sharks_colorado10_17.html" target="_blank">4-2 win</a> against the Avalanche on March 28th, Yahoo NHL editor Ross McKeon described Anderson's body language as "off". A few national hockey analysts attributed it to the jump from 29 and 31 games played, his previous career highs with Chicago and Flordia, and the 71 games played he just completed with Colorado. One play that might be representative of that late in the season was Anderson putting his paddle down to block a wraparound, then pushing it out in front of his body several times instead of regaining a set position in goal.
San Jose Sharks blog Fear the Fin speculates <a href="http://www.fearthefin.com/2010/4/20/1431583/sharks-gameday-fatigue" target="_blank">fatigue</a> may be a factor in game four, and it is possible. Each playoff win the Sharks afford Colorado and goaltender Craig Anderson increases their energy reserves as they to attempt to close out the series. Instead, the Sharks need to be crashing the net, piling up shots, and attempting to wear #41 down. 
How do the Sharks get pucks by Craig Anderson... shoot where he isn't. Use Anderson's anticipation and aggresiveness against him. A shot/pass for a redirection at the side of the net, tips in front, side-to-side passes to force lateral movement and open up holes. The Sharks struggled to get bodies in front of Jonas Hiller last year, and contact with the opposing goaltender was non-existent until the final games of the series. This year the Sharks piled up more net front presence and goaltender contact in the first period of game one, than 3 of the first 4 games against the Ducks last year combined. Heatley, Pavelski, Thonrton and Ryane Clowe lead the way. Devin Setoguchi scored a goal while falling, and took a goaltender interference penatly, on the same play late in game two. The goal was disallowed. Head coach Todd McLellan would take that penalty every day of the week and twice on Friday. It was evidence of the his game plan being put into action on the ice.
The Sharks piled up 103 shots on Colorado in games two and three, but the net front presence (using head coach Todd McLellan's terminology) went down from Friday to Sunday. A rough estimate, the Sharks fired a third to half the number of shots below the faceoff circles on Sunday. The Sharks finished 0-5 on the power play, with only 10 shots. They struggled mightily to get a shot on goal during the final 2-minute minor on T.J. Galiardi. Defenseman Adam Foote registered a shorthanded shot, and another Pavelski shot was blocked before the Sharks could register the final two power play shots on goal.
San Jose either needs to hit the offensive zone with more speed on the power play, or dump the puck deep and overload that side of the ice. Instead the Sharks are trying to make too many finesse moves at the top of the zone, and stationary forwards are not providing outlet support. One of Craig Anderson's weaknesses according to the Denver Post is puckhandling. The Sharks have yet to test him in that area that enough. 
The team defensive effort in front of Craig Anderson has also been stifling. Averaging 23.6 blocked shots a game, the Sharks are having trouble getting pucks on net. In a practice years back, Christian Ehrhoff, Marc-Edouard Vlasic, Matt Carle and Derek Joslin each practiced taking two hard strides to the left or right after receiving a pass on the point. It opened up shooting and passing lanes, and made setting up for a blocked shot take a split second longer. CSNCA television analyst Drew Remenda said the Sharks are looking at tweaking the shooting angles and shooting lanes to cut down on blocked shots, whether they can put that into practice in game four remains to be seen.
Remenda also at one point in Sunday's game exclaimed, "there is an invisible force field in front of their goal line." That force field wore #41 for Colorado. 
[Update] <a href="http://www.chieftain.com/sports/local/article_e0c31af8-4c43-11df-81ca-001cc4c002e0.html" target="_blank">Avalanche goalie follows tradition</a> - Tracy Renck for The Chieftan.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2318140195445836514-2752609787563820350?l=www.sharkspage.com' alt='' /></div></content><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2318140195445836514/posts/default/2752609787563820350'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2318140195445836514/posts/default/2752609787563820350'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.sharkspage.com/2010_04_01_archive.html#2752609787563820350' title='Scouting Report -- Colorado Avalanche goaltender Craig Anderson'/><author><name>PJ Swenson</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/10263208264922939673</uri><email>jon@sharkspage.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='12905731543131551762'/></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2318140195445836514.post-1654495319288843138</id><published>2010-04-20T08:26:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2010-04-20T13:20:09.627-07:00</updated><title type='text'>DOH Podcast #95b: the Sharks curse, 'The Incident', exorcism</title><content type='html'> <embed src="http://www.blogcastone.net/audio/player.swf?soundFile=http%3A%2F%2Fdudesonhockey.com%2Fpodcast%2Fdoh_2010_0419.mp3&playerID=10&bg=0xeeeeee&leftbg=0x357dce&lefticon=0xFFFFFF&rightbg=0xf06a51&rightbghover=0xaf2910&righticon=0xFFFFFF&righticonhover=0xffffff&text=0x666666&slider=0x666666&track=0xFFFFFF&border=0x666666&loader=0x9FFFB8&loop=no&autostart=no" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="40" width="290"></embed>
Mike Peattie and Doug Santana perform a playoff exorcism, discuss 'the incident', and try to expel the ghost of Ed Belfour on a shortened episode 95b of the Dudes on Hockey podcast. 
This Sharks podcast is posted here with permission. Visit <a href="http://dudesonhockey.com" target="_blank">dudesonhockey.com</a> for more coverage of the team, or download the MP3 file directly <a href="http://dudesonhockey.com/podcast/doh_2010_0419.mp3" target="_blank">here</a>.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2318140195445836514-1654495319288843138?l=www.sharkspage.com' alt='' /></div></content><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2318140195445836514/posts/default/1654495319288843138'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2318140195445836514/posts/default/1654495319288843138'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.sharkspage.com/2010_04_01_archive.html#1654495319288843138' title='DOH Podcast #95b: the Sharks curse, 'The Incident', exorcism'/><author><name>PJ Swenson</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/10263208264922939673</uri><email>jon@sharkspage.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='12905731543131551762'/></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2318140195445836514.post-3591533326587649418</id><published>2010-04-19T17:49:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2010-04-23T00:46:11.595-07:00</updated><title type='text'>WCQF Game 3: Own-goal by Dan Boyle sinks Sharks less than a minute into overtime, San Jose trails Colorado in series 2-1</title><content type='html'><object width="476" height="289"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/4Pc_g1swbYk&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0 "></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/4Pc_g1swbYk&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="476" height="289"></embed></object>
The Sharks have scored three game winning goals so far in this edition of the 2010 Western Conference Quarterfinals, unfortunately two of them have been scored into their own net for the Colorado Avalanche. After a puck off the skate of Rob Blake sealed game 1, and a Rob Blake clearing attempt when off the throat of Marc-Edouard Vlasic to open the scoring in game 2, a soft Dan Boyle chip along the boards deflected off the stick of Ryan O'Reilly to beat Evgeni Nabokov in game three. The own goal gave the Avalanche a <a href="http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2009030153&navid=sb:recap" target="_blank">1-0 win</a> less than a minute into overtime, and a 2-1 series lead.
There is a tried and true saying in the National Hockey League that you work hard to earn your own bounces. Despite a blistering offensive attack that saw the Sharks outshoot Colorado 42-7 in the second and third periods, hard work earned a bagel on this night. "We didn't beat their goalie, we found a way to beat ours," San Jose Sharks head coach Todd McLellan said after the game. 
McLellan was making the proper adjustments before and during game 3. The Sharks returned to more of a puck possession style and used their size well down low. For the first time in possibly the last 2 months, all 4 San Jose Sharks lines were rolling and creating scoring chances. With Dany Heatley scratched due to an undisclosed upper body injury, McLellan started the game with Marleau and Thornton joining Manny Malhotra. That changed as Mitchell was moved up to the top line later in the first, with Malhotra joining Logan Couture and AHL Worcester Sharks forward Dwight Helminen.
Rookie defenseman Jason Demers was in the lineup on the blueline with Niclas Wallin and Jay Leach scratched. Demers was goaded into an undisciplined penalty by Darcy Tucker, but a second holding the stick minor later in the first has to go down as one of the softest calls of the postseason to date. Tucker cross checked left wing Jamie McGinn, then was wrapped up by Demers. Colorado was unable to convert on either power play, and it would be the only time in the game they would skate with the man advantage.
Evgeni Nabokov received a lot of criticism locally and nationally for his play in a sloppy game 2, and in the pre-game interviews he pointed the finger at himself and said he needed to make more big saves. That started early as Nabokov exploded to his right with a strong t-push to stop Cody McLeod. O'Reilly and McLeod broke in on a 2-on-1, but Nabokov stuffed the low shot with his right leg pad. 
Despite only facing 17 shots against, Nabokov was forced to make several spectacular saves in the second period to match the play of Colorado Avalanche goaltender Craig Anderson. Nabokov stoned AHL callup Ryan Stoa on a pair of shots in close. Stoa was in the lineup due to the injury to Kevin Porter. Evgeni Nabokov also came up big, with a clutch butterfly save on T.J. Galiardi. Nabokov bit slightly on the backhand to forehand move, but with his pad on the ice Galiardi could not lift it over him on the far side. Nabokov was also solid on an innocent point shot that deflected off of Matt Duchene. The puck nearly deflected into the net off of Matt Hendricks at the top of the crease.
Concentration and mental focus were key for Nabokov, because he went long stretches without facing any rubber. The Colorado Avalanche did not register a shot in the second period until the 7:53 mark, and they were outshot 10-0 before registering a shot in the third at 10:10. 
The scouting report on Craig Anderson in years past labeled him as a quality "journeyman", struggling to break the 30 start plateau with Chicago and Florida. That is easier said than done behind the likes of Nikolai Khabibulin, for a long time Team Russia's #1 starter, and Thomas Vokoun. At 6-2, 180-pounds Anderson is a lanky goaltender with quick reflexes and solid coverage down low. Tenacious on plays in front of his own net, excellent rebound control allows him to direct pucks into the corner in order to minimize them. According to CSNCA, head coach Joe Sacco credited Anderson's hockey IQ and ability to read the puck off the stick as large contributors to his success.
Anderson finished with a 51 save shutout, two days after registering 46 saves on 52 shots against in San Jose (the Sharks put up 100 shots Friday, 52 on goal, 32 were blocked, 16 missed the net). That being said, Anderson is not yet on par with Anaheim Ducks goaltender Jonas Hiller and Dallas Stars goaltender Marty Turco from seasons past. Anderson can be beat, but what became readily apparent Sunday night was that he can stop 52 shots if he could see all of them.
Manny Malhotra rejoined the Marleau-Thornton line early in the second period, trying to break the playoff drought for the big guns by mixing things up. The Sharks generated several scoring chances with a strong forecheck that pinned Colorado deep, a second sequence with Jamie McGinn and Jed Ortmeyer finishing their checks down low created another low cycle. 
A second line of Clowe, Mitchell and Ortmeyer created the best scoring opportunity of the game. Second and third forechecking efforts from Torrey Mitchell pressured the Avalanche to turn back into their own zone. Ryan Clowe was able to keep the puck in at the blueline, and he quickly fired a shot on Anderson. A driving Mitchell ran into the netminder and freed up the puck down low. Mitchell threw it back to Clowe, who spun and fired a blind shot on Anderson. A prone Ortmeyer took a whack at the loose puck, which was also chopped at by Mitchell as Clowe ran over Paul Stastny at the side of the net. Craig Anderson freezed the play, but it was a grinding playoff shift by a San Jose club that was building momentum.
The question of whether the Sharks would be able to continue their momentum in the third period was answered quickly. The second line of Ryane Clowe, Joe Pavelski and Devin Setoguchi was churning early. Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau were being dropped into other lines, Thornton joining Setoguchi and Clowe, and Marleau joining Couture and Malhotra. An excellent pinch by Malhotra created a turnover along the half boards, and Malhotra hit Marleau who had just made a line change. Two quick strides by Marleau and he unloaded a hard shot deflected into the air by Anderson. Marleau batted down the rebound and tried to hit Malhotra at the top of the paint, but Malhotra was leveled by Kyle Quincy. Couture was horse collared by Matt Duchene attempting to get to the rebound.
It was Marleau's best shift of the game, but the Sharks need more from their former captain if they want to pull out a tight series win. Marleau stretches defenses with his speed, and can use his size to manhandle opposing forwards in the corner... when he is motivated. Shift to shift intensity is key. At the start of the 2008-09, 2009-10 seasons, Marleau appeared to be playing a nasty style of hockey. It may or may not have been a result of rampant offseason criticism and speculation, some of it warranted, much of it not. Whatever the reason, he was a driving force in open ice and down low that created matchup problems for Western Conference teams. Repeatedly in this series Marleau has been noted shying away from physical play, not playing the body hard along the boards, and being absent from the goal scoring zone in front of the net. That needs to change for Marleau to have an impact on this series.
Colorado Avalanche defenseman Kyle Quincy and left wing T.J. Galiardi took nearly unforgiveable cross checking and boarding minors with 6 minutes left in the third period. After Craig Anderson shut down big point shots by Dan Boyle and Devin Setoguchi to kill off the first power play, CSNCA announcer Drew Remenda noted, "there is an invisible force field in front of their goal line." That force field wore #41 for Colorado. For a player that did not look comfortable in net at times during a 3-10 run to finish the regular season, Anderson was in perfect position anticipating shots by Ryane Clowe and Manny Malhotra to kill off the second PP.
Dan Boyle's own goal 51 seconds into overtime may go down in the annals of San Jose Sharks playoff futility, but the effort on the ice and the contributions up and down the lineup are enormous warning signs for the Colorado Avalanche moving forward in the series. Last year San Jose Sharks general manager Doug Wilson said possibly 3 players were playing to an acceptable level of intensity against Anaheim, a year before this blog pegged that number at 6-7 (until being down several games into the WCQF series against Calgary, and the WCSF series with Dallas). If the Sharks can match the top to bottom effort in the lineup with scoring by Marleau, Thornton and a possibly returning Dany Heatley, this could be the playoff series to watch in the first round.
The Avalanche are going to have to address those challenges with the addition of center Ryan Stoa and right wing Milan Hejduk to the injury list. Hejduk ran into the shoulder pad of forward Paul Stastny early in the first period as he was looking over his shoulder. The collision appeared to injure his jaw. Hejduk immediately left the ice and went to the locker room. Peter Mueller was already on the injured list after a hit by Rob Blake in the last regular season meeting between the two teams. Kevin Porter was out with an injury in the previous contest.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2318140195445836514-3591533326587649418?l=www.sharkspage.com' alt='' /></div></content><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2318140195445836514/posts/default/3591533326587649418'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2318140195445836514/posts/default/3591533326587649418'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.sharkspage.com/2010_04_01_archive.html#3591533326587649418' title='WCQF Game 3: Own-goal by Dan Boyle sinks Sharks less than a minute into overtime, San Jose trails Colorado in series 2-1'/><author><name>PJ Swenson</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/10263208264922939673</uri><email>jon@sharkspage.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='12905731543131551762'/></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2318140195445836514.post-6937443315313271984</id><published>2010-04-19T13:47:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2010-04-21T09:52:58.391-07:00</updated><title type='text'>WCQF Game 2: Sharks overcome five 1-goal deficits, emerge with 6-5 win on Setoguchi's overtime goal</title><content type='html'><object width="476" height="289"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/aDPGP77yxwE&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0 "></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/aDPGP77yxwE&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="476" height="289"></embed></object>
Work done in the regular season has a way of playing itself out in the postseason. The Sharks reverted back to mid-March struggles early in Friday night's <a href="http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2009030152" target="_blank">6-5 overtime win</a> over Colorado at HP Pavilion. Significant defensive zone lapses and coverage mistakes lead to five straight 1-goal leads for the Avalanche. The Sharks answered as they have all season, with an offensive punch Colorado could not contain.
Center Joe Pavelski reprised his role as deliverer of late game heroics, most notably in game 5 of the <a href="http://www.sharkspage.com/2008_05_01_archive_history.html#4454975138712902730" target="_blank">2008 WQSF series</a>, by burying the rebound of a Dany Heatley shot with 32 seconds remaining in the third period. With the game sent to overtime tied 5-5, an emotional Devin Setoguchi wrapped another rebound around goaltender Craig Anderson before being mobbed in a pile of leaping teammates.
"You never want to go down 2-0. It's a tough hole to climb out of. It can be done, but you don't want to do it. Now we're on a clean slate," Setoguchi told the media after the game. 
The playoffs are a results oriented business, but how the Sharks arrived at this win may raise troubling questions for the future. For the second straight game, a fluke puck off the stick of defenseman Rob Blake resulted in a goal for the Avalanche. In game 1 on Wednesday it resulted in a game winning goal for Chris Stewart with 50 seconds remaining in regulation. In game 2 it was a failed clearing attempt by Blake that gave the puck up to right wing Milan Hejduk less than 10 feet in front of Evgeni Nabokov. Apparently Hejduk fanned on the attempted shot, but the fluttering puck deflected off of the throat of defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic to give the Av's a 1-0 lead 1:10 into the first. The goal was credited to defenseman Kyle Cumiskey, who also fanned on the initial centering pass.
Fluke play or not, the goal counts on the score sheet. As they did for 9 out of 10 games after the Olympic break, and for the second straight game in this playoff series, the Sharks allowed the other team to score first. Playing from a position of strength allows a team to wear down an opponent over 60 minutes, not to mention a 7-game series. Constantly allowing the first goal against only amplifies the pressure on a somewhat fragile team. 
The Sharks have had problems with perimeter movement on the power play, and not enough pucks and bodies sent in front of the crease. After the Avalanche took a too many men on the ice penalty at 17:25, Dany Heatley and Joe Thornton combined to keep possession of a Dan Boyle rebound down low. The Sharks were able to generate a pair of solid scoring chances down low, then on a subsequent scramble Heatley ringed a shot off the crossbar with Anderson prone. 
The Sharks second power play unit was able to convert with 7 seconds left in the man advantage. A clean faceoff win by Manny Malhotra, who finished 8-2 from the circle on the night (80%), drew the puck back to Dan Boyle on the point. A give-and-go created a quality shot from Boyle in the slot, and Malhotra buried the rebound up high on his second attempt. 
The momentum gained after scoring the late first period goal, and by drawing on the enthusiasm of the fans in the home building, lasted all of 24 seconds in the second period. Sophmore forward Chris Stewart, credited with the game winning goal on Wednesday, took a long feed from goaltender Craig Anderson and exploded through the neutral zone. Defenseman Douglas MUrray had a step on Stewart, but set up on the left side he did not realize his right side partner Dan Boyle was caught pinching in. Murray could not close fast enough to prevent or even challenge a wrist shot that beat Nabokov 5- hole.
The big line of Marleau-Thornton-Heatley cycled the puck down low, then fed defenseman Rob Blake at the point who tied the game at 2-2. While HP Pavilion in-arena announcer Danny Miller was still calling off the names of the previous goal scorers, the Avalanche answered 25 seconds later. NHL rookie scoring leader Matt Duchene blew by Dan Boyle on the far side, but Devin Setoguchi was backchecking in an effort to force a low percentage shot. Instead, Duchene read defenseman Douglas Murray also coming over to play him and quickly slid a pass to the unchecked Milan Hejduk on the doorstep. Hejduk one-timed a shot just over the top of Evgeni Nabokov's glove, 3-2 lead Colorado.
To the Sharks credit, they put their heads down and continued grinding. "It was real evident that everybody showed up to play tonight. We had a little extra in the tank that we didn't have the other day," San Jose Sharks head coach Todd McLellan said after the game. 
That was nomoreso evident than on the Sharks third and fourth goals. Ryane Clowe continued his late season trend of carrying the puck down low, drawing bodies to him and opening up space and shooting lanes for his linemates. This time Clowe carried it behind the net and backhanded a shot on Anderson. A driving Devin Setoguchi beat a pair of stationary Av's to the rebound, then pulled the puck around the side of the net and bounced it in off of traffic in front.
An unwieldy Nabokov puck handling turnover resulted in Brandon Yip's goal at 17:30, but the Sharks grinding fourth line was able to tie it at 4-4 with 15 seconds left in the middle period. A Jamie McGinn forecheck forced Craig Anderson to hurry a clearing attempt up along the boards, but Scott Nichol was there to deflect it into the center of the ice. Jed Ortmeyer gathered the puck high in the slot, spun and fired it on net. Anderson could not control the rebound, and a jabbing stick from Scott Nichol punched it home for his first career playoff goal.
The Avalanche capitalized on a blind pass up ice from Kent Huskins in the third period, resulting in a neutral zone turnover and a quick transition up ice. With a pair of Sharks changing or caught deep, center Paul Stastny drove the center of the ice and drew both Huskins and Demers to him. Open on the right wing, Chris Stewart took a hard pass and rifled it past Nabokov far side for his second goal of the night. On a subsequent center ice shot, local San Jose fans gave Evgeni Nabokov a bronx cheer as he made the routine save.
The Sharks came close to tying the game on a power play shift, as Joe Thornton tried to stuff a loose puck by Anderson from the side of the net. Anderson was able to seal off the post with his leg pad, and goalcam and overhead camera angles were not conclusive regarding the puck going over the line. No goal. Anderson was able to stop two more point shots by the defense to close out the sucessful penalty kill.
A second near miss denied Devin Setoguchi a potential goal seconds later in the third. Setoguchi jumped on a turnover in the offensive zone, drove the net, and stopped just short of the net to chop a shot on goal. Momentum, and a cross check from behind carried Setoguchi over the top of Anderson, but he poked the puck in the net on his way down. Goal waived off, Setoguchi was called for goaltender interference at 8:28. 
The comeback would be delayed slightly after a large Rob Blake hip check sent T.J. Galiardi cartwheeling to the ice along the blueline giving the Avalanche 38 seconds of 5-on-3 power play time. Center Torrey Mitchell fumbled a clear pass up ice, but the Avalanche could not capitalize and instead clung to a 1- goal lead. 
The Sharks were misfiring late, a Dan Boyle d-to-d pass popped off the boards, only to be mishandled by a Colorado forward trying to clear. Former Sharks captain Patrick Marleau drove the net, then committed a turnover of his own. Unseasonably cold April temperatures in San Jose should result in better than average ice conditions, but players were struggling to get a handle on the puck late. 
The Sharks were able to pull Evgeni Nabokov for the extra attacker, adding Pavelski and Clowe and defenseman Dan Boyle to the top line of Marleau-Thornton-Heatley. A quick entry into the offensive zone left Thornton unchecked with possession along the half boards. Drawing a pair of Avalanche forwards to him, Thornton made a long cross ice pass to Heatley on the far side. Heatley held the puck for a split second, then lifted a shot over the prone Adam Foote. The Avalanche had blocked a whopping 32 shots on the night, with Foote responsible for a game high 6.
This time the shot and a jumping Pavelski both cleared Foote, and the rebound dropped to the right of Anderson. Pavelski quickly snapped the puck near side to tie the game at 5-5 lighting off a loud celebration from anxious fans on home ice. Pavelski's 7th career playoff goal was his first of this series. 
A strong forecheck by Devin Setoguchi set up his game winning goal in overtime. After pinning the Avalanche deep, Ryane Clowe regained possession and circled high in the slot. He lifted a shot on goal wide of traffic, which was then deflected underAnderson's 5-hole by Setoguchi. HP Pavilion exploded in pom-pom waving Sharks fans as the series was sent back to Colorado for game 3 tied 1-1. The goal by Devin Setoguchi gave the Sharks their first lead of the game.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2318140195445836514-6937443315313271984?l=www.sharkspage.com' alt='' /></div></content><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2318140195445836514/posts/default/6937443315313271984'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2318140195445836514/posts/default/6937443315313271984'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.sharkspage.com/2010_04_01_archive.html#6937443315313271984' title='WCQF Game 2: Sharks overcome five 1-goal deficits, emerge with 6-5 win on Setoguchi's overtime goal'/><author><name>PJ Swenson</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/10263208264922939673</uri><email>jon@sharkspage.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='12905731543131551762'/></author></entry></feed>

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