by Arlos » Fri Apr 23, 2010 1:05 pm
Now there, FINALLY, was a good game from the Sharks. Nabokov was great. Of course, our first line still hasn't been up to snuff. (Though, to be fair, it looks like Heatley is playing on 1 leg, and Marleau DID finally score). On the plus side, however, the Setoguchi/Pavelski/Clowe line has been truly awesome. Pavelski has really taken it to a new level this year (cliched as that expression is), what with his rock-solid Olympic performance and now him being completely Mr. Clutch in the playoffs. Game tying goal in the last 30 seconds, overtime winner... Oh yeah, he is going to be due a BIG raise in a year or two for sure. Sharks will close it out on Saturday, I think. Denver put up a good fight, to be sure, but they're worn down and injured at this point. They'll be scary next year for sure, though. Closing it out tomorrow would give the Sharks a couple days to get some rest, and hopefully let Heatley get closer to 100%, which is for sure gonna be necessary in Round 2.
I'm actually surprisingly confident with the Sharks in Round 2, oddly enough. I mean, none of the teams they'd face in round 2 have a goalie who is at all likely to be the equal of how Anderson has played in this series. I mean, he is pretty much the sole reason this thing isn't long over. The sharks have nearly a 2-1 shot advantage, it's just Anderson has been playing utterly out of his head. Also, consider the 2 games the Sharks DID lose. 1 of them came on a fluky deflection off Blake's skate. The other was Boyle's own goal. Just by the laws of chance, there's unlikely to be as many flukes in the next round, which certainly would be a good thing...
In other news, I'm pretty damn surprised that Philly took out NJ so easily. Guess I'm not that surprised they won the series, since as I recall, Philly had a winning record against NJ this season, yes? But to win it in 5 games? oof.
Congrats too to Ottawa for extending their series in that 3OT marathon.
Oh, and did anyone, ANYWHERE expect Phoenix/Detroit to be at 2-2 after 4 games? Or hell, Chicago/Nashville to be the same way? I'm pretty damn shocked at both, actually. Kings/Canucks, that I kinda expected, but the other two series?
Lastly, it's interesting how the series worked out. All 8 were 1-1 after 2 games. After 4 games, every single East coast series was 3-1, and every single West coast series was 2-2.
Anyone else have thoughts/comments?
-Arlos