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SAN JOSE — Speed kills in the modern NHL.
The Sharks validated hockey’s newest catch phrase in their four-game sweep of the Anaheim Ducks and they’ll look to debunk it when they take on the Vegas Golden Knights in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs next week.
After dominating the speed game in the opening round, the Sharks will have the tables turned on them in their matchup with the expansion darlings, further complicating Joe Thornton’s return to the lineup.
Every indication suggests that Thornton is close to rejoining the team after missing 39 games with a major knee injury. He’s bag-skating in practice every day, participating in pregame warmups and keeping things loose in the Sharks dressing room with his jovial personality.
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But reintegrating Thornton into the lineup will be particularly challenging considering that the Sharks are rolling with a 16-6-1 record since the Evander Kane trade, playing with speed and creating lots of offense off the rush.
The Sharks will need to play an even quicker game against the Golden Knights, who are among the fastest teams in the league after using the expansion draft to assemble a roster that’s perfectly suited for the modern NHL. It’s unclear how a 38-year-old coming off major surgeries on both knees over the last year will help them win a track meet after being sidelined the past three months.
Thornton would be a valuable asset in a series against a more traditional Pacific Division opponent, such as the Los Angeles Kings. Despite his aging legs, he’s still a force in the half-court game, protecting the puck with his jumbo frame, playing physical and creating space for his teammates.
But the Golden Knights’ pressure attack dismantled the Kings’ vaunted forecheck, another indication that speed is replacing heavy on the road to playoff success.
With that in mind, it seems unlikely that Thornton will see ice in this series unless the Sharks find themselves in a hole and head coach Pete DeBoer is forced to play his trump card out of desperation.
2. A heavyweight showdown in the crease.
The new emphasis on speed is clearly bringing a new fold into playoff hockey, but some things will never change: goaltending is still the most important variable on the ice.
Teams that go on deep runs always benefit from tremendous goaltending; those who run into trouble in goal end up on the golf course.
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Among the key matchups in the Pacific Division final will be the heavyweight showdown in the goal crease between Martin Jones and Marc-Andre Fleury. Jones padded an already-impressive playoff resumé in the first-round, pitching his fifth-postseason shutout in Game 1, setting a career-playoff best with 45 saves in Game 3 and willing the Sharks to victory in Game 4.
Believe it or not, Fleury ended up being even better in the Golden Knights sweep of the Kings. The three-time Stanley Cup champion leads the playoffs in goals-against average (0.65) and save percentage (.977) after surrendering just three goals in four games.
Stocking up on caffeine might be a good idea. With how stingy these goalies are playing, this series could produce several overtime marathons that run deep into the night.
3. Ryan Carpenter’s revenge.
After protecting Carpenter in last year’s expansion draft, the Sharks allowed Las Vegas to sweep him up at no cost when they waived him Dec. 12.
The Sharks decision to cut ties with Carpenter after just 16 games opened up a hole at fourth-line center that plagued the team until general manager Doug Wilson plugged the dam by trading for Eric Fehr on Feb. 20.
The decision is working out for both parties. The Sharks’ fourth line played a key role in the sweep of the Ducks, scoring four goals while giving the team a significant matchup edge at the bottom of the lineup. Carpenter, meanwhile, is proving to be yet another misfit who’s thriving in Vegas’ speed-oriented system.
The 27-year-old scored nine goals and collected 14 points in 32 games once he finally secured a spot in the Golden Knights lineup after the all-star break. He can really stick it to the Sharks by putting together a strong series and mitigating their edge on the bottom lines.
4. How long will DeBoer stick with Paul Martin?
In what’s becoming a recurring theme, DeBoer sheltered Martin in the third period Wednesday, skating him for just two shifts with the Sharks clinging to a one-goal lead.
If DeBoer can’t trust Martin in a close game against the slow-moving Ducks, what’s his expectation for the 37-year-old blue liner against the high-flying Golden Knights?
After losing his job early in the season, asking for a trade and suiting up for 18 games with the AHL Barracuda to prove he can still play, Martin worked his way back into the lineup when Joakim Ryan went down with an upper-body injury March 17.
Martin has remained in the lineup ever since, compensating for his lack of speed by playing a smart, composed game. He’s a calming presence for partner Brent Burns and he has produced a plus-nine rating in 15 games.
Still, conventional wisdom suggests that the Sharks will need Ryan’s legs, along with his puck retrieval and breakout skills, in a matchup against the speedy Golden Knights. But, if Martin’s legs prove to be a liability, can the rookie defenseman jump into the lineup and be up to speed after sitting out a month?
5. Rest vs. Rest.
In hockey, the playoffs are always a battle of attrition. Teams that reach the final tend to avoid the injury bug and long-grueling series in the opening rounds.
Both the Sharks and Golden Knights will be entering the series with fresh legs and roughly one week of rest after sweeping their respective opponents this week.
Expect both of these teams to come out on fire when the series finally gets underway sometime next week, probably Wednesday or Thursday.