San Jose Sharks vs. St. Louis Blues Preview

The last time I wrote something on this website, I bashed this season completely. The San Jose Sharks we know and love were seemingly only one move away from solidifying themselves as a Stanley Cup Contender, and instead, the front office freaked out and decided they needed to go through a mini rebuild. Thankfully, Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau’s no trade clauses prevented it from happening, but the affects still showed. The Sharks went from a team on the verge of Lord Stanley, to a team on the outside looking in of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. I had enough. I was sick of the effort, and the weak performances night in and night out. Even when they won, they looked hopelessly unimpressive and it just made me more upset that this once great team would likely miss the playoffs, or bounce out in the first round. Clearly, the Sharks players had the same feeling. The Sharks have won eight of their last nine games, with the one loss being the completely unsurprising loss to the Edmonton Oilers. The Sharks have suddenly turned it around. They’re beating good teams, and barely beating, or losing to the bad teams. They’re back! Hallelujah! And tonight they face a good team. Well. Sort of. The St. Louis Blues record shows that they are a very good hockey club. 21-9-2 is a terrific record. By all signs, they are once again a top team in the NHL’s toughest division. Here’s how the Sharks can win this game.

Stop Vladimir Tarasenko

I’m not sure if you guys have been paying much attention to him this year, but Vladimir Tarasenko is good at this game called hockey. The Russian youngster is second in the NHL with 20 goals so far this season, and shows no intentions of stopping. This is obviously much easier said then done, but the Sharks really can’t afford to let this kid get open space in the offensive zone. The slightest amount of time could prove deadly.

Martin Brodeur

This is the only other way the Sharks win the hockey game. We don’t know yet if Martin Brodeur is starting for the St. Louis Blues, but if he is the Sharks have a very good chance of winning. Brodeur is considered one of the greatest goalies of all time, and rightfully so. His career has been something goalies dream of everywhere. He will easily be a first ballot hall of famer, and he will break records other goalies won’t come close to breaking. But I’m not buying it anymore. He’s not a good goalie anymore. People seem to have the Hall of Fame glasses on and only like to remember the good Martin Brodeur, but if they take them off and watch any of the four games he played in for St. Louis this season, they will see a goalie who has a save percentage below .900 and a goals allowed average over 3. That’s horrible. You can stop using the excuses that the “defense isn’t helping out.” He’s bad. I’m not going to sugarcoat it because he’s a legend. He’s not good anymore. If he starts tonight, the Sharks should have no problem beating the Blues.

Prediction

The Sharks win the game 5-1, but YOU CAN’T BLAME MARTY FOR 4 OF THOSE GOALS. #Marty4Lyfe