San Jose Sharks Look To Regroup Against Pittsburgh Penguins
By Felix Chow
Mar 4, 2014; San Jose, CA, USA; San Jose Sharks right wing Brent Burns (88) tries to score on Carolina Hurricanes goalie Anton Khudobin (31) around Carolina Hurricanes center Eric Staal (12) during the third period at SAP Center at San Jose. Hurricanes won 3-2 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Bob Stanton-USA TODAY Sports
Keys to the Game
1) Puck Management
The Sharks need to manage the puck better against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Tuesday night vs. the Canes, they were a turnover machine and never really got any momentum going in their favor. The Penguins are a fast and highly skilled team, especially on the transition. So, the key is don’t turn the puck over. When they do, have good defensive coverage.
2) Head On A Swivel
The Sharks did not do a very good job defensively against the Canes. Again, against the Pittsburgh Penguins, they have to know who they’re covering. Know who’s dangerous. Read the plays ahead of time.
3) Special Teams
Although the Sharks are among the top-10 in the league on the PK, they still have to watch out for the deadliest power play in the league. They were killed in the special teams battle the first time the two teams met earlier this season at the Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh. They can’t let that happen again. When they get themselves get the PP opportunities, they must have polish on the special teams advantage and find a way to capitalize. This is going to be an important battle for the Sharks for sure.