2011 NHL Playoffs: 5 Things the Canucks Need To Do To Sink the Sharks
The Vancouver Canucks have played great hockey throughout the first and second rounds of the 2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs. After a few minor blips of inconsistency against the Blackhawks in the quarterfinals, the Canucks tightened their helmets and played excellent hockey against a peppy Nashville Predators squad bent on advancing to their first conference final.
Looking at the matchup between the San Jose Sharks and the Vancouver Canucks in the Western Conference Final, however, the journey begins to get difficult for the boys in blue. The Sharks battled through a first-round series versus division rival Los Angeles Kings and eked out a series win against the powerful, but aging, Detroit Red Wings.
The Canucks and Sharks have years of playoff anguish to wipe away with a series win. Both teams are longtime "chokers" by hockey fan standards, with the Canucks famously failing to beat the New York Rangers in Game 7 of the 1994 Stanley Cup Finals.
The Sharks haven't had as long a history as contenders, but several seasons of struggling to beat elite teams deep in the playoffs have created much dissent amongst the Sharks fanbase.
For the Canucks to walk away with an appearance in the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals, they will have to get past a Sharks team that boasts a high octane offense, great goaltending and a desire to advance to their first Cup Final. It won't be easy, but should coach Alain Vigneault and his roster of superstars take these points into account, the Canucks will easily drown the Sharks.
Henrik Sedin Must Party Like It's the Regular Season
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The Sedin twins are the centre piece of Vancouver's recent success. Drafted by long gone GM Brian Burke over 10 years ago, brothers Henrik and Daniel have gone from overpaid, underplaying draft busts to NHL darlings.
Henrik Sedin, last year's Hart and Art Ross Trophy winner, has failed to live up to expectations in the postseason. Last year, he registered just three goals and 11 assists in two rounds of play, hardly the kind of numbers a team needs its superstar to produce.
So far in this year's playoffs, he's tallied two goals and nine assists. What kind of playoff run can the Canucks make if their captain and franchise face cannot put the puck away when it counts the most?
Brother Daniel Sedin, on the other hand, has played excellently. Posting a team-leading six goals and four assists, he has done everything in his power to reverse the so-called "playoff curse" currently exhibited by the other Sedin.
Henrik came under the microscope at the close of this season when the Hart Trophy debate was once again opened up. The Canucks play in the soft Northwest Division against some of the league's worst defences and goalies.
The consensus among hockey analysts was that Henrik's numbers would fall come the postseason, and so far the writers and statisticians have been right. A tight first-round series against the rival Blackhawks, whose defence expertly shut down the superstar Swede and a defensive series against the Nashville Predators isn't good for stats, but Henrik's play should be better than it is right now.
Unlike the Predators, the Sharks play a North-South system very similar to the Canucks. Maybe the novelty of open ice will trigger the spark necessary to get No. 33 producing at his regular season level. With that scoring push, the Canucks should roll right past San Jose and into the Finals.
Make Niemi Sweat
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Antti Niemi is far from being a household name in the NHL. His biggest claim to fame so far is playing absolutely incredibly for the Blackhawks last season during their Stanley Cup run. A pay cut refusal later, Niemi found himself playing in San Jose for the 2010-2011 season.
While things have worked out for the former Finnish zamboni driver in San Jose, his play has not been as consistent as the Hawks 2010 playoff campaign.
In the first round, Niemi struggled early against the Kings, but found his confidence in Game 4 as the Sharks pushed to a six-game series victory. Against the Wings, Niemi played well compared to Red Wings netminder Jimmy Howard, but gave up goals at key moments in Games 4, 5 and 6.
While not all of the blame can be put on the shoulders of the goaltender, the previous paragraph does raise questions about his consistency and ability to function under pressure. The Sharks are anxious for catharsis given the last two seasons of misery, and Niemi is their last line of defence and last hope.
The Canucks must keep their offensive pressure high around the net and whack away at every bouncing puck to keep Niemi from sitting back and making easy saves. His play style is not as erratic as Tim Thomas, for example, but it does show signs of weakness—particularly when the game appears to be in his hands. Too many times this postseason has he been at the helm of last game burnouts and overtime stumbles.
Good puck cycling in the offensive zone as well as taking lots of shots should open up Niemi's net permanently in the series. Remember, Niemi already has a ring to show for his efforts and unlike most of his teammates, his desire to win is likely not as high. He also has never lost a playoff series in his career, but given his opponents and teams in front of him, that statistic holds no water outside of hopeful Sharks fans.
Engage in Trash Talk
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The Canucks are not known for their trash-talking ways, but that may have to change to beat the Sharks if the series drags on past Game 5. The Sharks have plenty of players on their roster worthy of a good soundbite or two, namely Joe Thornton and Kyle Wellwood.
Wellwood, of course, is a Canucks outcast. In the days leading up to the series he attacked the Canucks faithful for their obsession with winning the Cup and claimed that the 'Nucks "[have] a few more lessons to learn...".
While the Canucks may not take Wellwood's jab too seriously in the early stages of the series, repeated trash talk out of the San Jose dressing room may wear down the tight-lipped Canucks. Canucks coach Alain Vigneault is notoriously protective of what his players say to the media, and that may make his team appear weak to the pestering Sharks.
A return of Ryan Kesler's regular season "Interview Bomber" is not what the team needs, but concise, clever, well-timed nitpicks aimed at the boasting confidence level of the Sharks should be enough to give the Canucks a win away from the confines of the rink. As followers of the 2011 playoffs know, mental toughness off the ice usually translates into wins off the ice.
Look for enforcers like Raffi Torres and Victor Oreskovich to come under media fire for the remarks and cheapshots they will have to dish out to give the Canucks a chance to beat the opposition off the scoreboard. It sounds dirty, but it may be all the Canucks need to lock up a Stanley Cup Finals appearance.
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Make the Sharks Pay for Penalties
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At the close of the second round, the Canucks power play was sixth amongst playoff teams at roughly 22 percent. While power-play goals are harder to come by in the postseason, a team that had the league's top man advantage squad in the regular season should have a higher success rate on the power play in the postseason.
The Canucks must improve their power-play efficiency against this San Jose Sharks team. With heart and soul players like Ryan Kesler, Christian Ehrhoff and Alex Burrows, healthy and playing well, the Canucks have exhausted their excuses. San Jose is not tight defensively and will allow for a lot more goals against them when the Canucks have the man advantage.
The Sharks had the 24th ranked penalty kill in the regular season, but has risen to over 80 percent in the playoffs. They are turning on the heat while shorthanded and will pressure the Canucks to make mistakes. If they could mute the offensive attack of the explosive Kings and experienced Red Wings, they will pick apart the Canucks' power play too.
This is the biggest test of the Western Conference Finals and it's at the Canucks feet. Whether or not they can solve it is up to them. Start scoring goals with the man advantage, and the 'Nucks chances of walking away victorious increase exponentially.
Luongo Must Tune out the Hometown Pressure
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Canucks have the population of Canada on their shoulders right now, much like the Montreal Canadiens did last year in the Eastern Conference Final. With a whole nation watching—a nation of rabid puck fans, that is—the Canucks must be able to harness the good energy and tune out the negativity.
Vancouver City Council has thrown around the idea of free television screens around city blocks to promote street parties before and after the game, a la the 2010 Winter Olympics. Newspapers are running Canuck-fandom trivia contests for bragging rights and free tickets. People who barely follow the team during the regular season are buying into the fervour surrounding the team right now.
That recipe could spell disaster if not handled right. Finishing first place in the league should equate a championship, and the team must deliver if the Canucks are to increase their fanbase in Western Canada and avoid disappointing their diehards like they've done in past springtimes.
The biggest potential victim of the hype is goalie Roberto Luongo. Infamous for choking during clutch games, namely Games 5 and 6 of the Chicago series and letting Zach Parise score in the dying second of the 2010 Gold Medal Game, Luongo must be able to keep his head focused on playing well and getting the wins. When he is on his game, he is one of the best netminders in the entire league, but once a few soft shots bulge the twine behind him, it can get ugly.
The Sharks have plenty to worry about if Luongo can beat the pressure around him and focus on stopping shots. Playing against a headstrong goalie like Luongo when he is in his zone is a frightening thing to any offense.
The Vancouver Canucks, and Roberto Luongo, must be able to save the party for after the playoffs. Failing that, they will have an entire country to answer to. A country that could be responsible for the downfall of the Canucks superb 2010-2011 season.
What's Ahead
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The 2011 Western Conference Final will continue to be all about great hockey between two great teams, but the Canucks have the upper hand.
The combined strengths of their offense, defense and team spirit will be enough to push them over the San Jose Sharks. The Sharks do not have enough gas in their tank nor enough tricks up their sleeves to outsmart Daniel Sedin and company this year.
Prediction: The Canucks will steal a win away from the Sharks in either Game 3 or 4 and it will be all downhill from there. Canucks in six games over the San Jose Sharks.
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