Blades of Teal
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San Jose Sharks Weekly Roundup

By Patrick Leiva

Apr 20, 2016; San Jose, CA, USA; The San Jose Sharks celebrate beating the Los Angeles Kings after game four of the first round of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs at SAP Center at San Jose. The Sharks won 3-2. Mandatory Credit: John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 20, 2016; San Jose, CA, USA; The San Jose Sharks celebrate beating the Los Angeles Kings after game four of the first round of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs at SAP Center at San Jose. The Sharks won 3-2. Mandatory Credit: John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports /
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It was quite a week for Sharks hockey as San Jose moves on to the second round after a decisive series win over the Kings.

The San Jose Sharks were able to exorcise certain demons over the course of the past week as team teal was able to dispatch their bitter rivals in convincing fashion. San Jose is marching on to the second round for the first time since 2013 after downing the Los Angeles Kings in five games.

Relive all the exciting action from the past week in the latest weekly roundup as the Sharks are moving forward:

– When the series shifted back to San Jose, the Sharks had a chance to take a 3-0 series lead for the second-straight time over the Kings. With Joe Thornton scoring 30 seconds into the contest, it certainly looked promising for team teal, but L.A. would tie things up on the power play. After remaining deadlocked after 60 minutes, Tanner Pearson would score the game-winner in overtime as the Sharks fell by a 2-1 final.

– Two nights later, the Sharks and Kings were back at it inside SAP Center for a pivotal Game 4. San Jose utilized their potent power play to build a 3-0 lead early in the third, before holding on for a 3-2 victory over L.A. as team teal put their rivals on the brink of elimination.  After a rough go of things in Game 3, team teal’s special teams responded with a big performance to send the Sharks back to Staples Center with a 3-1 series lead.

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– In Game 5, San Jose came out and took the action right to L.A. from the opening faceoff. Joonas Donskoi and Chris Tierney would record their first career playoff goals in the opening period, and Matt Nieto would give the Sharks a 3-0 lead early in the middle frame. However, the Kings would storm back to tie things up heading into the third period, but Donskoi’s second goal of the game proved to be the series-clinching tally as San Jose would win Game 5 by a 6-3 final.

– One of the big reasons team teal was able to find success against L.A. was their ability to play with a lead. San Jose rarely trailed in this series as they found themselves behind for just four minutes and two seconds which is a pretty staggering figure.

– Over the course of the five-game series, the Sharks proved that they were the deeper, more dangerous team. San Jose was able to rely on all four of their forward lines and six defensemen as L.A. couldn’t keep up with the Sharks who dictated the entire series.

– Part of the storylines heading into the series was the potential battle between two Norris Trophy candidates in Brent Burns and Drew Doughty. While Doughty is considered to be the favorite for the award, it was Burns who clearly outplayed his counterpart in notching a team-best eight points (two goals, six assists), including three helpers in the series-clinching Game 5 victory.

– Finally, the San Jose Barracuda began their first postseason series as a franchise by hosting the division-rival Ontario Reign, top affiliate of the Kings. After dropping a close one in Game 1, San Jose responded with a big 3-2 victory in Game 2 as the Barracuda were able to knot this series at one as things now shift to Southern California for Game 3.

Next: San Jose Must Have Been Cheating In The Faceoff Circle

The Sharks now await their second-round opponent which could be determined later tonight when the Anaheim Ducks and Nashville Predators square off in Game 6 of their first-round series. If the Ducks win, San Jose will travel to Anaheim to begin their second-round series.

However, if Nashville is able to come back and win the next two contests, it will be the Sharks with home-ice advantage in round two against the Predators. It will be tense action tonight in that series, but team teal can enjoy the hockey knowing that they’ve already advanced.

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