Team teal hosted their first two Stanley Cup finals games in franchise history, but the Sharks find themselves in a 3-1 series hole.
There is plenty of doom and gloom surrounding the San Jose Sharks as after a historic postseason run to reach the Stanley Cup Final. San Jose is now one game away from going home empty-handed.
After splitting Games 3 and 4 at the SAP Center, the Sharks are in an unfamiliar position during these playoffs. Meanwhile, the Pittsburgh Penguins have seized control of this series by utilizing their speed and quickness to wreak havoc on San Jose.
With that in mind, let’s take a look back at the good, the bad and the ugly for team teal from the past two games at the Shark Tank:
The Good: Joonas Donskoi’s Overtime Heroics
The entire city of San Jose was full of excitement for Game 3 as they were set to play host for the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in the 25-year history of the Sharks.
While the game didn’t start off well for the home team, they continued to battle back all night. Joel Ward’s blast from just inside the blue line in the third sent this game into overtime setting the stage for an epic night.
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After each team traded chances throughout, it was time for Joonas Donskoi to step up and seize the moment.
He took the puck from behind the net and fired a perfectly placed shot upstairs on Matt Murray to send the SAP Center into a frenzy.
Many fans have waited many long years for that particular moment, and it certainly didn’t disappoint.
Also, one of the few bright spots for San Jose in Game 4 was the performance of the national anthem by Metallica before the game. Unfortunately, team teal couldn’t match their effort but it was still an awesome moment.
The Bad: Tomas Hertl Could Be Done For Finals
Prior to puck drop in Game 4, a report from a Czech reporter indicated that Tomas Hertl would miss the rest of the Cup Finals due to a knee injury.
Hertl, who played in the first two contests in Pittsburgh, was one of the few bright spots for San Jose early in the series. He missed Game 3 in what Peter DeBoer called a lower-body injury, and obviously, didn’t play in Game 4.
His absence has created an offensive void for the Sharks who have struggled to generate a consistent attack.
While the team hasn’t confirmed the news only stating that he’s day-to-day, don’t count on seeing Hertl this season. In any case, hopefully the injury isn’t anything major for the 22-year-old forward who was having a breakout campaign in teal.
The Ugly: Team Teal on Brink Of Elimination
For the first time since Game 7 of the Western Conference semifinals against Nashville, San Jose is staring elimination in the face.
Following their 3-1 defeat on Monday night, the Sharks must rattle off three-straight victories if they want to hoist Lord Stanley’s Cup.
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Pittsburgh has been the better team through the first four contests, and San Jose must find a way to break up the rhythm and momentum of the Penguins attack.
It would help if the Sharks could get the lead at any point as they’ve only led on one occasion thus far and that was Donskoi’s overtime winner. Not exactly a recipe for success and a primary reason why San Jose could fall short of the ultimate prize.