Sharks dominate Blues in Game 2 to even conference final
This is what the San Jose Sharks can do when they’re on: Smothering defense, buzzing offense, dominant special teams.
And they were on in Game 2 of the Western Conference Final.
The Sharks shut down and shut out the St. Louis Blues, 4-0, as Martin Jones pitched his second shutout of the postseason and Brent Burns scored two power-play goals.
“It’s just about execution. Not getting one the game before was a big difference in the game. We wanted to get one tonight,” said Burns.
It was a humbling effort on special teams for the Blues: They gave up two power-play goals, both with forward Troy Brouwer in the penalty box; and they went 0-for-6 on their own power plays.
The nadir of the Blues’ power-play futility was in the third period, when the Sharks killed off Patrik Marleau’s double-minor for high-sticking Carl Gunnarsson and then killed off a 5-on-3 with Roman Polak and Paul Martin in the penalty box.
The Sharks held a 19-15 shot advantage through two periods.
Tommy Wingels gave the Sharks the all-important lead on the road in the opening minutes of the game:
Just 2:06 into the game, the fourth line connect, as Dainius Zubrus fired a pass to Wingels, who snapped it through a screen for the 1-0 lead.
It was 2-0 in the second period after Brouwer took a stupid slashing penalty against Burns, and Alex Steen made a stupid play on the kill.
Steen broke his stick, and then attempted to skate to the bench and get a new one as the puck remained in the Blues’ zone. Why? Perhaps he thought the puck was leaving the zone. Perhaps he didn’t anticipate that the Blues now had the far bench in the second.
“We made two mistakes there,” said coach Ken Hitchcock. “There was no communication on the exit to get the stick, and then we pressured on the half-wall and the point outside the dots, instead of buying time to allow it.”
In any event, Burns scored the Sharks’ second goal, and then added a third in the third period.
“They both started with good plays on the wall,” he said. “It was good for our PP to get one on the second. We thought we did some good things in the first game, and didn’t capitalize.”
Capitalize they did in Game 2, as Zubrus put a cherry on top of the sundae with an empty netter.
The Sharks needed a split before heading back to the Shark Tank, where they’ve been dominant in these playoffs.
“You really want to get that split, and the guys played with a sense of urgency,” said Joe Pavelski.
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Greg Wyshynski is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Contact him at [email protected] or find him on Twitter. His book, TAKE YOUR EYE OFF THE PUCK, is available on Amazon and wherever books are sold.
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