San Jose Sharks: Five Takeaways From Games 3 And 4
San Jose and St. Louis are locked in a tight battle as this series is knotted up at two games apiece after the two teams split at SAP Center.
The San Jose Sharks were hoping to take a 3-1 series lead back to Scottrade Center on Monday night, but the St. Louis Blues brought their best in Game 4 as this series is now a best-of-three.
With St. Louis reclaiming home ice advantage, here are five takeaways from the past two games at the Shark Tank:
1. Special Teams
It was a critical area heading into this series, and it’s played out that way thus far. San Jose was 0-for-7 on the man advantage in Games 3 and 4, highlighted by an 0-for-5 effort in Game 4 where they even surrendered a short-handed goal when the game was still in reach at 2-0.
Team teal will need to get their power play going as it sits at just 2-for-15 in this series with both markers coming in Game 2. On the other end of the ice, the Sharks penalty-kill, which had killed off eight-straight opportunities, is a key as the Blues have won each game where they’ve scored on the man advantage.
St. Louis went 2-for-4 in Game 4 as they’ve now gone 3-for-13 in this series. Again, San Jose won’t be able to close this out by losing the special teams battle.
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2. Sharks Top Line Just Fine
While it certainly wasn’t their best performance as they combined for a minus-five in Game 4, San Jose’s top line of Joe Thornton, Joe Pavelski and Tomas Hertl continue to give the Blues fits.
The trio added another goal on Saturday night as they’ve now scored four goals and seven assists through the first four games. The Sharks top line will have to continue to be the catalyst for team teal as they’re the most dangerous option for Peter DeBoer.
3. Second Line Must Get Going
San Jose’s top line has been great, but their second line hasn’t found as much success as they have produced just one goal thus far. They showed their potential with a beautiful rush that Joonas Donskoi converted in Game 3, but they haven’t generated much in the way of offense since then.
Team teal needs Logan Couture and Patrick Marleau to raise their games to help support the work the top line has done.
4. Turnovers
In Game 3, it was San Jose that forced St. Louis into a couple of giveaways which the Sharks made them pay for with goals from Hertl and Donskoi. The Blues were able to flip the script on team teal in Game 4, making San Jose pay for their ill-advised mistakes.
In this hard-checking series, the team that can force the other into more turnovers is the one that will control more of the puck and be able to sustain their offensive attack.
Next: Sharks Out Of Sorts In Game 4 Rout
5. Contrast of Styles
San Jose has ben at their best in this series when they’ve utilized their speed to their advantage. They’ve been able to create havoc on the forecheck and have been able to hem St. Louis in for long stretches in their own zone.
Meanwhile, the Blues have been at their best when they can grind it out down low and keep the Sharks from transitioning up the ice.
Whichever team is able to impose their will upon the other over the next two, or three, games will be the one ultimately moving on to the Stanley Cup Final.