Sharks vs. Canucks WCQF’s Series Recap
By Ryan Bayer
May 7, 2013; San Jose, CA, USA; San Jose Sharks celebrate with center Patrick Marleau (12) after scoring the game winning goal against the Vancouver Canucks during the overtime period in game four of the first round of the 2013 Stanley Cup playoffs at HP Pavilion. The San Jose Sharks defeated the Vancouver Canucks 4-3. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
San Jose, CA–The previous year, the Sharks went into the playoffs as the seventh seed and faced the St. Louis Blues in round one. In that series, they won the first game and then lost the remainder of the series as they were ousted in five games.
So in the offseason, San Jose acquired Brad Stuart from the Detroit Red Wings, signed UFA Adam Burish, and brought in two veteran coaches Larry Robinson (9 Time Stanley Cup Winner) and Jim Johnson to help out with the team defense aspect as well as the penalty kill. In addition to that, the Sharks invited Scott Gomez who was bought out by his former club the Montreal Canadians to workout with the team. Within in the first week of the shortened season, Scott Gomez and the San Jose Sharks agree to terms on a one year deal. The next moves Doug Wilson made was near and at the deadline.
Prior to the trade deadline, DW sent Michal Handzus to the Chicago Blackhawks, Douglas Murray to the Pittsburgh Penguins, and Ryane Clowe to the New Year Rangers. All three of these trades were for drafts picks. On deadline day, Doug Wilson brought back defenseman Scott Hannan from the Nashville Predators and acquired tough guy Raffi Torres from the Phoenix Coyotes. Two things that the Sharks addressed at the deadline was the need for them to get faster at the forward position and stronger at defense. Doug Wilson accomplished both outstanding issues for the franchise.
The San Jose Sharks made history last night when they swept the Vancouver Canucks in four games, making it the first playoff series sweep in franchise history. San Jose entered the 2013 Stanly Cup Playoffs as the 6th seed with a 25-16-7 record and 57 points to their credit. While the Vancouver Canucks entered the playoffs as the third seed in the Western Conference in which they recorded a 26-15-7 mark. In addition to that, the Canucks had won their division. Furthermore, the Canucks were the favorites to win this matchup.
Collective Playoff Experience:
Sharks: 1094 games played
San Jose Leaders: Scott Gomez (140), Patrick Marleau (129), Brad Stuart (124), Joe Thornton (114)
Canucks: 834 games played
Vancouver Leaders: Henrik Sedin (95), Daniel Sedin (92), Alex Burrows (63), Kevin Bieksa (61)
Collective Stanley Cup Winners
San Jose: Gomez, Boyle, Stuart, Burish, Niemi
Vancouver: None
Mar 05, 2013; Vancouver, British Columbia, CANADA; San Jose Sharks goaltender Antti Niemi (31) during the second period against the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena.The San Jose Sharks won 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Anne-Marie Sorvin-USA TODAY Sports
Game 1: The Vancouver Canucks drew first blood in the series as defenseman Kevin Bieksa scored an unassisted goal on a backhander to take a 1-0 lead at the 12:26 mark of the contest middle frame. Minutes later, the Sharks got the much needed equalizer when Dan Boyle found Logan Couture in the high slot as Couture fired a wrister past Roberto Luongo to make it a 1-1 game. In the games final period, it was all San Jose. At the 9:17 mark, San Jose’s Tommy Wingels was caught in mad scramble in front Vancouver’s net as he managed to pass the puck on his four’s to Dan Boyle who pumped it home with the elevated wrist shot to put the Sharks up 2-1. With less than six minutes remaining in the opening game of the series Couture found Patrick Marleau sneaking into the slot area and fooled Luongo with a weak wrist shot to give the Sharks some late insurance to make it 3-1. That score would hold and San Jose took a 1-0 series lead.
Scoring Stats:
1st period
No scoring
2nd period
VAN – 12:26 –EV – 3 K.Bieksa(1) – unassisted
SJ – 16:35 –PP – 39 L.Couture(1) – assists – 8 J.Pavelski, 22 D.Boyle(1)
3rd period
SJ – 9:17 –EV – 22 D.Boyle(1) – assists – 57 T.Wingels(1), 8 J.Pavelski(2)
SJ – 14:37 –EV – 12 P.Marleau(1) – assists – 39 L.Couture(1), 44 M.Vlasic(1)
May 3, 2013; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; San Jose Sharks forward Raffi Torres (13) is congratulated by San Jose Sharks defenseman Brent Burns (88) and San Jose Sharks center Joe Thornton (19) after scoring the winning goal against Vancouver Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo (1) (not pictured) during overtime of game two of the first round of the 2013 Stanley Cup playoffs at Rogers Arena. The San Jose Sharks won 3-2 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Anne-Marie Sorvin-USA TODAY Sports
Game 2: The San Jose Sharks scored the games first goal when defenseman Brad Stuart fired the puck on net, Canucks goaltender Luongo coughed up the loose puck as Brent Burns found Joe Thornton coming across the net mouth to put the puck into the next via an off balanced wrist shot to give San Jose the early 1-0 lead. In games second stanza there was no scoring. At the 39 seconds mark of the final period, the Sharks took an undisciplined penalty when Andrew Desjardins took a tripping minor. It did not take long for the Vancouver Canucks to make San Jose pay for their mistake. 20 seconds into the power play for Vancouver, Henrik Sedin found Ryan Kesler in the point position and slapped the one timer past Antti Niemi to tie it up at 1-1 in the third. Later in the period, another costly mistake by San Jose was committed when Dan Boyle turned the puck over in their own zone and it was Ryan Kesler who cashed in again to make the Sharks pay to take 2-1 Vancouver lead. In games final minute of regulation the Sharks were in complete desperation mode when Marleau came in with a soft wrist shot on Luongo. Everyone in Rogers Center thought their goaltender had saved the game for their Canucks, but Marleau spotted that Roberto Luongo did not have 100 percent possession of puck as it was resting behind him as a result Patrick Marleau tapped it in to tie the game up a 2 apiece. The tying goal by Marleau sent the game into overtime for the first time of the series. At the 5:31 mark of overtime, the Sharks were presented with a prime opportunity when Brent Burns and Raffi Torres went into the Canucks zone with only Kevin Bieksa back. Roberto Luongo thought that Burns was going to shot the puck on net when at the last second Burns decided to pass the puck to Torres and pumped it home and went upstairs on the Canucks netminder to give the Sharks the 3-2 win and 2-0 series lead.
Scoring Stats:
1st period
SJ – 13:22 –EV – 19 J.Thornton(1) – assists – 88 B.Burns(1), 7 B.Stuart(1)
2nd period
No scoring
3rd period
VAN – 0:59 –PP – 17 R.Kesler(1) – assists – 33 H.Sedin(1), 22 D.Sedin(1)
Van – 7:06 –EV – 17 R.Kesler(2) – unassisted
SJ – 19:04 –EV – 12 P.Marleau(2) – assists – 22 D.Boyle(2), 8 J.Pavelski(3)
Overtime
SJ – 5:31 –EV – 13 R.Torres(1) – assist – 88 B.Burns(2)
May 5, 2013; San Jose, CA, USA; San Jose Sharks center Logan Couture (39) celebrates after scoring a goal against the Vancouver Canucks during the third period in game three of the first round of the 2013 Stanley Cup playoffs at HP Pavilion. The San Jose Sharks defeated the Vancouver Canucks 5-2. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports
Game 3: Much like the previous game, the Sharks struck first this courtesy of five on three power play. Prior to the play, Vancouver’s Dale Wiese was awarded with a roughing minor while Dan Hamhuis received a slashing for his efforts. While up two men, San Jose made them pay for their mistakes. Joe Thornton found Logan Couture in the slot position, then found Joe Pavelski to the right of the Canucks net and cashed in as he went upstairs on Cory Schneider to go up 1-0 at 14:08 of the first period. In the second period, it was Joe Pavelski again when he intercepted a shot by Tommy Wingels that redirected and went five hole under Schneider to make the score a 2-0 Sharks lead. Later in the period, the Canucks would cut the San Jose lead in half when Henrik Sedin found Alexandre Burrows who fired a weak wrist shot over Niemi to make it a 2-1 Sharks lead. In games final period, the flood gates open as the Sharks went on scoring spree. At 1:40 of the final period, San Jose’s Matt Irwin on the power play got the scoring spree started when he sent an up ice feed to Logan Couture who ended up firing a long wrist shot at the left faceoff circle to put puck past Schneider and made it a 3-1 San Jose lead. Then nine seconds later, Patrick Marleau joined the scoring when he breached the Vancouver end and went five hole on the Vancouver net minder as the Sharks increased their lead to 4-1. Minutes later, the Sharks were not done yet in the scoring department as it was again Logan Couture on the man advantage who made the Vancouver Canucks pay for their mistake as he scored virtually from the same spot as his last tally to give San Jose a 5-1 lead. Later in the third, Vancouver managed to chip into the Sharks 4 goal lead when Dan Hamhuis fooled Niemi with a weak wrist shot as the scoreboard registered a 5-2 score in favor of San Jose. The score who hold as San Jose took a 3-0 series lead over Vancouver.
Scoring Stats:
1st period
SJ – 14:08 –PP – 8 J.Pavelski(1) – assists – 39 L.Couture(2), 19 J.Thornton(1)
2nd period
SJ – 7:20 –EV – 8 J.Pavelski(2) – assists 57 T.Wingels(2), 27 S.Hannan(1)
VAN – 11:07 –EV – 14 A.Burrows(1) – assists – 33 H.Sedin(2), 22 D.Sedin(2)
3rd period
SJ – 1:40 –PP – 39 L.Couture(2) – assist – 52 M.Irwin(1)
SJ – 1:49 –EV – 12 P.Marleau(3) – assist – 39 L.Couture(3)
SJ – 4:07 –PP – 39 L.Couture(3) – assists – 19 J.Thornton(2), 8 J.Pavelski(4)
VAN – 13:12 –EV – 2 D.Hamhuis(1) – assist – 15 D.Roy(1)
SAN JOSE, CA – MAY 07: Patrick Marleau #12 of the San Jose Sharks scores the game winning goal past goaltender Cory Schneider #35 of the Vancouver Canucks in overtime of Game Four of the Western Conference Quarterfinals during the 2013 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at HP Pavilion on May 7, 2013 in San Jose, California. The Sharks defeated the Canucks 4-3 to sweep the series 4 games to 0. Mandatory Credit: Christian Petersen/Getty Images
Game 4: Just like game three went, the San Jose Sharks struck first when defenseman Scott Hannan’s shot was intercepted by Brent Burns to beat Cory Schneider. Burns recorded his first goal of the playoffs at 2:41 of the opening period to give San Jose the early 1-0 lead. Later in the period the Canucks would answer with a goal of their own when Mason Raymond blasted the puck from the point and beat Antti Niemi to tie the contest at 1 apiece. Less than 7 minutes later the Sharks was on the power play courtesy of Derek Roy who got caught for boarding and they made the Canucks pay for their lapse in discipline when Joe Pavelski found the loose puck in the high slot and fired it past the Vancouver net minder to give the Sharks the lead once again as the score read 2-1 San Jose. There was no scoring in the middle frame but San Jose out shot the Canucks by 3:1 margin at 12 to 4. In the third period of game four, the Canucks took the attack the Sharks when they tied the game up 2-2 on the power play. Alex Burrows converted on pass from Daniel Sedin at the 9:12 mark. Less than two minutes later Vancouver struck again, this time on a one timer by Edler and beat Niemi stick side, giving the Canucks their first lead of the night, 3-2. With less than five minutes later, the lapse in discipline came back to bite Vancouver and much like first period power play for San Jose they made the Canucks pay and it was Joe Pavelski who came up big once again when he backhanded the puck upstairs on Schneider to knot the game up at 3-3 at the 15:33 marker. The score would in regulation as the series went into overtime for the second time. In the late stages of the overtime and final period of the series, Daniel Sedin chose at the wrong time to take a penalty for his team when he boarded Tommy Wingels in the Vancouver end. That set the date with history for the San Jose Sharks. It took just 14 seconds on the power play for history to be written when Joe Thornton fired a wrist shot on Schneider who ended up coughing up the puck as Patrick Marleau cashed in to send the Sharks to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Scoring Stats:
1st period
SJ – 2:41 –EV – 88 B.Burns(1) – assists – 27 S.Hannan(2), 19 J.Thornton(3)
VAN – 7:54 –EV – 21 M.Raymond(1) – assist – 2 D.Hamhuis(1)
SJ – 14:52 –PP – 8 J.Pavelski(3) – assists – 39 L.Couture(4), 12 P.Marleau(1)
2nd period
No scoring
3rd period
VAN – 9:12 –PP – 14 A.Burrows(2) – assists – 22 D.Sedin(3), 33 H.Sedin(3)
VAN – 11:02 –EV – 23 A.Edler(1) – assists – 14 A.Burrows(1), 21 M.Raymond(1)
SJ – 15:33 –PP – 8 J.Pavelski(4) – assists – 39 L.Couture(5), 19 J.Thornton(4)
Overtime
SJ – 13:18 –PP – 12 P.Marleau(4) – assists – 19 J.Thornton(5), 22 D.Boyle(3)
Official San Jose Sharks 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs Banner. Mandatory Credit: San Jose Sharks.
Round Two Schedule: This is to be announced once the remaining matches of the first round are completed. The NHL re-seeds after the first round. Keep checking here for up to date information regarding the upcoming second round of the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
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