San Jose Sharks: Five Things They Must Do to Advance to Round 2

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I think there’s going to be a team that comes back from 3-1 in this playoff series. There’s a number of us that are at it, may as well be us.

—Sharks head coach Todd McLellan

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Following a 2-1 defeat at the hands of the St. Louis Blues at HP Pavilion on Thursday night, the Sharks have joined the Vancouver Canucks, Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins as teams that must overcome a 3-1 series deficit in order to advance to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The Canucks get home ice advantage in Games 5 and 7, but the four other teams must travel for Game 5.

Save for a last-second goal from trekker Andrew Desjardins and an overtime blast from Martin Havlat in Game 1 in St. Louis, this series could have been a four-game sweep.

The young Blues have done what they’ve set out to do, keeping San Jose superstars Patrick Marleau and Joe Pavelski pointless and only allowing Joe Thornton and Logan Couture to a point per game.

Martin Havlat leads the team with two goals and Brent Burns and Colin White have scored from the blue line.

However, the scoring has not been enough for this once-dynamic offense.

The team did not score in Game 2 and did not have enough time left in Game 3 or 4 to tie the game and force overtime.

If the Sharks are going to be that team, the team that comes back from the deficit, they must do the following five things.

Tom Schreier is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. He covers baseball and hockey.

Follow him on Twitter @tschreier3.

All quotes were obtained first-hand.

Expect the Same Lineup

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Zeus came in and gave us a solid effort through the middle and Brad Winchester’s size was effective alongside the boards. I was happy with those changes.

—Coach Todd McLellan

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Not really a "must do," but rather "gonna happen."

McLellan was happy with his team’s performance, save for the loss (of course), so expect to see Michal Handzus (Zeus) and Winnie in the lineup for Game 5.

As for Marleau and Couture, they appeared comfortable in their new roles—Couture had a chance early, Marleau on the power play—and should remain on the top line as a wing and the second line as a center, respectively.

Acknowledge That Momentum Is Not Carrying over

No epic quote here.

This is just true. Look at it…

Game 1: Ends on two last-ditch goals from Desi and Havlat

Game 2: No goals, ends in bedlam

Game 3: No fights, two goals late in the game, but too little too late

Game 4: St. Louis scores first, Sharks do same thing…score too late

Don’t expect any consequences from the first four games to carry over except for the fact that if the Sharks don’t win Game 5 on Saturday, they’ll be reserving tee times on Sunday.

The Defense Needs to Get Pucks Through

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They’re in the lanes, they’re doing a good job of blocking the shots when they can and forcing us to shoot wide. That’s good defense, that’s what they do.

—Sharks defenseman Dan Boyle

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The Baby Blues know that two of the Sharks’ most dynamic scorers, Burns and Boyle, play along the blue line and they’re doing all they can to keep the puck from getting from the back end of the offensive zone to the twine behind Elliott.

In Game 4, the Sharks' first shot on net came in the third period.

If Burns and Boyle can generate some offense from the blue line it will take pressure off of Thornton, Marleau, Couture and Pavelski up front.

Their Superstars Must Score

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This time of year we need our goalscorers to be goalscorers and we’ve got to score on those chances.

—Forward Logan Couture

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Duh.

But really, Marleau and Pavelski have no points. Thornton and Couture only have a point per game. And White has as many goals (one) as Burns and Boyle from the blue line.

Credit the Blues defense, they’ve been phenomenal, but superstars step up this time of year and the Sharks are banking on their playmakers to, well, make plays and find the back of the net.

The Team Must Score Early

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I wish I could have that back, do something different.

—Logan Couture on his breakaway chance in the 1^st period

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Burns fired a pass from deep in his own zone to Couture, who was wide open along the blue line, in the first period. Everything was lined up for the Sharks to take a 1-0 lead at around 14-minute mark of the first frame.

Unfortunately, Couture was stoned by St. Louis goaltender Brian Elliott and the Blues would score roughly a minute-and-a-half later, establishing a lead that they would not relinquish for the rest of the game.

“It could be a momentum changer early in the game because they came back a few minutes later and get the first,” said McLellan. “We know they’re a better team with the lead.”