2011 NHL Playoff Predictions: 5 Keys to San Jose Sharks' Success Against L.A.

With the 2011 NHL Playoffs set to begin this Thursday, the San Jose Sharks finished as the No. 2 seed, and they drew the Los Angeles Kings in the first round. This is set to be quite an exciting matchup between two Western Conference foes, not to mention the outstanding rivalry between these two teams. 

"There's a little more to it when you're playing a division team opposed to a conference team," Kings head coach Terry Murray told ESPN.com on Sunday. "I think it's going to bring a little more intensity to it. The fact that it's two California teams will also play into it, and I think it's going to be fun."

The Sharks are 3-1-2 against the Kings this season, so the two teams have virtually split the season series three games apiece. This should be an intense battle, and a tight series throughout.

Here are five keys the Sharks must accomplish in order to win the series:

1. Playoff Experience

For the first time in six years, the Sharks made it to the Western Conference Finals in the 2010 postseason. For the most part, they have the same team as they had last year, so there is no reason why the Sharks will not be able to make it to the Conference Finals again, if not to the Stanley Cup Finals.

They just need to rely on their experience. They need to use the tools that they garnered during that hard-fought six-game series in the first round against the Colorado Avalanche last year, and put them to use.

After Dan Boyle's own goal in Game 3 against the Avalanche, the Sharks recovered, winning the next three games to win the series, 4-2. 

"Our experience last year of finding a resiliency to get through that first round, we may need to rely on that at some point," Sharks head coach Todd McLellan remarked. The Sharks need to show off some of that resiliency in order to win.

2.  Sharks' Blue-Line Needs to Step It Up

Many scouts think that the Kings will try and exploit the Sharks' blue-line, which is one of their weaker points. However, they have improved. Acquiring Ian White gave them a puck-moving offensive defensemen, while Marc-Edouard Vlasic has shown big improvements over the course of the year.

But, like in every other game, the Sharks will over-play Dan Boyle, which leads to fatigue, and just might cause a letdown like in Game 3 of the first round last year against Colorado. (Who knows?) 

"That's going to be a part of the game we're going to talk about, to get pucks in behind them and make them go back," says Douglas Murray, who is one of the Sharks most physical defensemen.

So, what the Sharks need to do in order to avoid exploitation of their blue-line is to spread out the minutes evenly.

Give the young guys (Jason Demers, Justin Braun) and the under-appreciated veterans (Niclas Wallin, Kent Huskins) more playing time, in order to give Boyle and Murray some rest.

3. Special Teams Play

The Sharks' No. 2-rated power play going against the Kings' No. 4-rated penalty kill. This special teams matchup will decide the series. (Ever heard that prediction before?)

Douglas Murray and Todd McClellan agree: "Absolutely. That might be the key to the whole thing," Murray said.

"Their power play is outstanding. They have a lot of experience and composure and have big shooters. We're going to have to make sure we play the right way, play between whistles and keep the referees out of the series as much as possible. At the same time, that's going to be a real important part of this series. Whenever they get on the power play, we got to execute the proper way."

"Their penalty kill has been exceptional all year," McClellan said of the Kings. "They've got some units that do a tremendous job and then their goaltender might be their best penalty killer. We do rely on our power play and we expected it to be sharp."

4. Thornton, Marleau and Heatley Need to Get Hot

Joe Thornton, Dany Heatley and Patrick Marleau have been long referred to as playoff underachievers. Thornton seems to disappear during the postseason, and Marleau, who often relies on Thornton's passes and set-ups, will fade off as well.

Heatley seems to live in his own world. He has the ability and potential to be a top goalscorer in the NHL, but that did not show this year. He needs to focus and get it all back together this postseason.

5. The Antidote

The Sharks need to rely on Anti Niemi to make big saves when they are needed. Niemi backstopped the Chicago Blackhawks en route to the Stanley Cup last year, and the Sharks will depend on him to lead them this time. 

However, Kings' goaltender Jonathon Quick will be the center of attention this series. He is a young, inexperienced goaltender who has not seen much in the playoffs. The Sharks need to take advantage of that and sneak some pucks past the nervous Quick.

Final Thoughts

This should be tight, hard-fought series that will involve plenty of physical play and intense action. 

My Prediction: Sharks in six, based on Niemi's experience vs. Quick's inexperience.

What do you think? Will the Sharks be upset in the first round? Or will the Kings just be another hurdle en route to the Stanley Cup?