torpainter
05-16-2010, 12:06 PM
c and p from Sam Mcraig
The Sharks captured the conference title in the regular season with 113 points while the ‘Hawks led the West with 52 wins. The Blackhawks had the edge in the regular-season series, winning three of four games including a 7-2 blowout, but Chicago’s two other wins came in overtime.
Both teams boast a balanced scoring attack that runs at least two lines deep and a star-studded defense corps.
The first and most obvious difference is in goal, where San Jose has a veteran stopper in Evgeni Nabokov(notes) – who’s enjoying perhaps his finest postseason to date¬ – while Chicago is putting its faith in first-year NHLer Antti Niemi(notes). The 26-year-old Niemi doesn’t qualify as a rookie, but with just 141 minutes of NHL action to his credit before this season, he’s effectively a Calder kid. He started the season as the backup to Cristobal Huet(notes), but displaced the 34-year-old in mid-March and hasn’t looked back. In the playoffs, Niemi hasn’t been great and he hasn’t been awful, but he’s been good enough. Most encouraging has been his ability to bounce back after a bad performance, while the fact he’s leading the NHL in playoff shutouts (two) is a credit as well.
Give the Sharks an edge in net, but don’t forget that Niemi outplayed Roberto Luongo(notes) in the last round.
At the scoring end of things, San Jose trots out its Olympic line of Joe Thornton(notes), Patrick Marleau(notes) and Dany Heatley(notes) – which got rolling in Round 2 against archrival Detroit after an eerily quiet opening series vs. Colorado – and a second unit of Joe Pavelski(notes), Devin Setoguchi(notes) and Ryane Clowe(notes). Pavelski, with nine goals, including three game-winners, in San Jose ‘s first eight playoff games carried the offense when the top line struggled and is in the early mix for Conn Smythe consideration. San Jose has depth, too, in the likes of Manny Malhotra(notes), Scott Nichol(notes), Jed Ortmeyer(notes), Torrey Mitchell(notes) and rookie Logan Couture(notes).
Chicago, meanwhile, replies with captain Jonathan Toews(notes), the playoffs’ leading scorer through two rounds with 20 points in 12 games, and dynamic winger Patrick Kane(notes), who’s the most electrifying offensive player on either team and boasts game-breaking potential. Plus, there’s dependable Patrick Sharp(notes), a two-way talent, and hulking winger Dustin Byfuglien(notes) showed signs of waking up in the series against Vancouver , including a hat trick in pivotal Game 3. Marian Hossa(notes) has been oddly silent in these playoffs, perhaps a foreboding sign for San Jose, while Dave Bolland(notes), Kris Versteeg(notes) and Tomas Kopecky(notes) are capable of stepping up and contributing clutch scoring. Veteran defensive forward John Madden(notes) provides a calming influence.
With true top-line talent and depth on both sides up front, it’s a saw-off offensively. The Sharks might have an edge given their veteran presence, but the Toews- and Kane-led ‘Hawks have proven they won’t be intimidated and that they’re able to overcome adversity.
On the blue line, Chicago has one of the best tandems in the game in Duncan Keith(notes) and Brent Seabrook(notes), supported capably by back-from-injury Brian Campbell(notes), a puck-moving D-man, and underrated Niklas Hjalmarsson(notes). It drops off after Chicago’s top four, but those guys will play a ton of minutes – especially Keith and Seabrook, who approach 30 minutes on any given night and will likely be handed the task of frustrating the Thornton line.
The Sharks have a different defensive look, led by blue line stalwarts Dan Boyle(notes) (33) and captain Rob Blake(notes) (40). The leadership of Boyle and Blake has received a lot of credit for San Jose finally getting over the playoff hump and advancing to the conference final. Hard-rock Douglas Murray(notes) and smooth-skating Marc-Edouard Vlasic(notes) also will eat up ice time, with Kent Huskins(notes) and Niclas Wallin(notes) – who played in Game 5 against Detroit after missing the previous nine games with a lower-body injury – providing depth.
You’ve got to love Chicago’s kids, but there’s something different about the Sharks in these playoffs – and that’s a good thing. San Jose has gotten stronger as the postseason has progressed, and they know the winner in the West will be a heavy favorite in the Cup final. San Jose in six.
The Sharks captured the conference title in the regular season with 113 points while the ‘Hawks led the West with 52 wins. The Blackhawks had the edge in the regular-season series, winning three of four games including a 7-2 blowout, but Chicago’s two other wins came in overtime.
Both teams boast a balanced scoring attack that runs at least two lines deep and a star-studded defense corps.
The first and most obvious difference is in goal, where San Jose has a veteran stopper in Evgeni Nabokov(notes) – who’s enjoying perhaps his finest postseason to date¬ – while Chicago is putting its faith in first-year NHLer Antti Niemi(notes). The 26-year-old Niemi doesn’t qualify as a rookie, but with just 141 minutes of NHL action to his credit before this season, he’s effectively a Calder kid. He started the season as the backup to Cristobal Huet(notes), but displaced the 34-year-old in mid-March and hasn’t looked back. In the playoffs, Niemi hasn’t been great and he hasn’t been awful, but he’s been good enough. Most encouraging has been his ability to bounce back after a bad performance, while the fact he’s leading the NHL in playoff shutouts (two) is a credit as well.
Give the Sharks an edge in net, but don’t forget that Niemi outplayed Roberto Luongo(notes) in the last round.
At the scoring end of things, San Jose trots out its Olympic line of Joe Thornton(notes), Patrick Marleau(notes) and Dany Heatley(notes) – which got rolling in Round 2 against archrival Detroit after an eerily quiet opening series vs. Colorado – and a second unit of Joe Pavelski(notes), Devin Setoguchi(notes) and Ryane Clowe(notes). Pavelski, with nine goals, including three game-winners, in San Jose ‘s first eight playoff games carried the offense when the top line struggled and is in the early mix for Conn Smythe consideration. San Jose has depth, too, in the likes of Manny Malhotra(notes), Scott Nichol(notes), Jed Ortmeyer(notes), Torrey Mitchell(notes) and rookie Logan Couture(notes).
Chicago, meanwhile, replies with captain Jonathan Toews(notes), the playoffs’ leading scorer through two rounds with 20 points in 12 games, and dynamic winger Patrick Kane(notes), who’s the most electrifying offensive player on either team and boasts game-breaking potential. Plus, there’s dependable Patrick Sharp(notes), a two-way talent, and hulking winger Dustin Byfuglien(notes) showed signs of waking up in the series against Vancouver , including a hat trick in pivotal Game 3. Marian Hossa(notes) has been oddly silent in these playoffs, perhaps a foreboding sign for San Jose, while Dave Bolland(notes), Kris Versteeg(notes) and Tomas Kopecky(notes) are capable of stepping up and contributing clutch scoring. Veteran defensive forward John Madden(notes) provides a calming influence.
With true top-line talent and depth on both sides up front, it’s a saw-off offensively. The Sharks might have an edge given their veteran presence, but the Toews- and Kane-led ‘Hawks have proven they won’t be intimidated and that they’re able to overcome adversity.
On the blue line, Chicago has one of the best tandems in the game in Duncan Keith(notes) and Brent Seabrook(notes), supported capably by back-from-injury Brian Campbell(notes), a puck-moving D-man, and underrated Niklas Hjalmarsson(notes). It drops off after Chicago’s top four, but those guys will play a ton of minutes – especially Keith and Seabrook, who approach 30 minutes on any given night and will likely be handed the task of frustrating the Thornton line.
The Sharks have a different defensive look, led by blue line stalwarts Dan Boyle(notes) (33) and captain Rob Blake(notes) (40). The leadership of Boyle and Blake has received a lot of credit for San Jose finally getting over the playoff hump and advancing to the conference final. Hard-rock Douglas Murray(notes) and smooth-skating Marc-Edouard Vlasic(notes) also will eat up ice time, with Kent Huskins(notes) and Niclas Wallin(notes) – who played in Game 5 against Detroit after missing the previous nine games with a lower-body injury – providing depth.
You’ve got to love Chicago’s kids, but there’s something different about the Sharks in these playoffs – and that’s a good thing. San Jose has gotten stronger as the postseason has progressed, and they know the winner in the West will be a heavy favorite in the Cup final. San Jose in six.