2011 NHL Playoffs: 5 Keys to Winning the Biggest Game in Sharks History
Tomorrow, the San Jose Sharks will play in their first Game 7 since 2008. They didn't expect to be here, but after blowing third period leads in Game 5 and 6, San Jose finds themselves on the brink of elimination.
While this franchise has played in other Game 7s, none have been as monumental as this one.
First of all, the Sharks have never arrived in a Game 7 due to a blown 3-0 series lead.
More importantly, more is at stake this year than ever before. Most Sharks fans agree that the 2010-11 San Jose team is the most Cup-ready group the Sharks have ever had. They're deeper up front and on defense, they have a big-game goaltender, and one of hockey's best two-way players leading the way.
They have responded to adversity this season that would have seen past Sharks teams fold, and every bump in the road has made them stronger.
This is the biggest game in franchise history because in other game sevens, a win has meant a loss next round, but this year, a win could very well be the final push this team needs.
This is also the biggest game ever for San Jose because it will be the hardest to win. But it will be winnable nonetheless. Here's what the Sharks must do in order to take the next step as a franchise.
Stay Positive...
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While the Sharks' last three games have left them on the brink of elimination, it is not as if they are in a deep hole. The players must remember and keep in the front of their minds that all they need to do is win this one home game, and their three consecutive losses will be erased.
The Sharks have, in a way, blown their 3-0 edge, but they can still go to their quick start this series for confidence: Because they started this series off so strongly, they had the luxury of being able to lose three straight games and still be one win away from advancing.
San Jose also must remember that they've lead every single game in this series except game four, and that despite three straight losses, Detroit is by no means an unstoppable force. If the Sharks find their game and play it for 60 minutes, they will have a great chance to win, but for this to happen, they need to realize that it can.
...But Play Desperate
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Staying positive is important because the Sharks need to know this game is there for the taking, but playing desperately is what needs to happen in order for the taking to happen.
After San Jose went up 3-0, the Red Wings were, understandably, the more desperate team. This was clear when they went up 3-0 in the first period of Game 4, and when, after the Sharks tied it, the Wings put on perhaps the strongest push of the entire series to close it out and win 4-3.
Since then, the Red Wings have continued to play desperate, and as much as the Sharks have tried to match that level of intensity, they haven't.
While no one wants to play in an elimination game, doing so may be the only way to truly reach full desperation on the ice, and by pushing the Sharks to the brink, Detroit may have neutralized the desperate edge that they've ridden to this point.
Give Antti Niemi a Chance
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The Sharks netminder has been nothing short of a saviour this season. He carried the Sharks out of 11th place and into second by season's end, he's been huge in five overtime victories this postseason, and he's the only reason the Sharks are even playing a Game 7 in this series. San Jose could and would have lost any of the first three games if Niemi had been less than stellar, but he wasn't, and timely goals mixed with bare-down defense gave him the wins he deserved.
Since, Niemi's been no worse, but his team has simply sabotaged him.
It's one thing to be outplayed and outshot. A goalie can steal a game like this. But San Jose has literally joined Detroit's attack in the last three games, and this is no way a goalie can win.
In each game, a Sharks defenseman has gotten tangled up with Niemi at least once, leading to goals that, in one goal games, have been the difference. Detroit can screen Niemi as much as they want, but if they physically stop him from making a save, it's goaltender interference and a Sharks power play. When his own teammate does it to him, the penalty is much more severe—a game deciding goal against.
It'd be nice if the Sharks could dominate Game 7 and give Niemi an easy time, but this isn't necessary. All that's being asked of the Sharks D is to stay out his way and give him a chance to sit on his own head, rather than Niclas Wallin sitting on it.
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Clean Up the Breakout
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It's a common saying, and it's not that simple. Usually. The losing team almost always points to the fact that they were careless in the neutral zone and didn't get pucks deep. But usually, this is due to the winning team taking the play to them, keeping them in the defensive zone and allowing their defensemen to keep pushing the puck back. If all that a team had to do was make good decisions, they would.
The fact is that the Sharks are a good enough, fast enough, strong enough, deep enough team that they truly can make clean plays through the neutral zone and cycle pucks deep by choice. In order to do so, they have to skate and play with confidence, two things that Detroit cannot stop them from doing.
After playing on bad ice in Game 6, a return to the fast, smooth HP Pavilion ice will be a huge plus for San Jose, and if they do play with this aforementioned confidence, the breakout should be much improved. This will allow the Sharks to get pucks deep, cycle lines, take pressure off Niemi, and get the crowd into it.
It might be going a little too far to say the level of cleanliness and consistency in the Sharks' breakout will determine which team advances, because playoff hockey is a game of weird bounces and plenty of random chance. But looking at this series, save a wacky third period of Game 5, the Sharks have not faltered with their home ice and home crowd.
Use Their Strength Up the Middle
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Both of these teams have an insane amount of skill. Both squads have scary scoring lines, deep defenses and solid young goaltenders. There is, however, one area in which the Sharks have a clear personnel advantage: up the middle.
Pavel Datsyuk is the best player in this series, hands down. He's dominated the Sharks in each and every way, and if I were writing about how Detroit needs to play to their strengths, I'd certainly highlight Datsyuk. San Jose simply cannot stop him.
They can, however, neutralize him. While he is the best center in the series, the second, third, and fourth best centers are all on team teal. Joe Thornton is no Datsyuk, but his play on both ends is one of the biggest reasons San Jose is still alive.
Valtteri Filppula, Darren Helm, and Kris Draper are all solid players, and Helm has been instrumental in Detroit's comeback. However, these guys are no match for Logan Couture and Joe Pavelski.
Couture and Pavs can, and must, exploit these mismatches. They can dominate the Red Wings centers in the faceoff circle. They can outwork them down low and on the boards. They can lead attacks with a level of pressure that Filppula and Helm can't stop, and that Filppula and Helm can't sustain if Couture and Pavs play defense the way they're capable of.
Even if Datsyuk has a monster game seven, scoring multiple points, playing stellar defense, and leaving as a +2, San Jose can use their depth at center to dominate the second and third line matchups.
If this happens, San Jose has a chance. If this happens AND Joe Thornton plays Datsyuk not even but close to it, the Sharks have a clear edge.
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