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This playoff run by the Sharks, which continues to grow in promise, was encapsulated by one play in one period of one game.
In the first period of Game 1 Saturday against the St. Louis Blues, Timo Meier pressed Blues defenseman Alex Pietrangelo in the neutral zone and knocked him to the ice, creating a loose puck. Gustav Nyquist supported the puck quickly — something the Sharks did very well in Game 1. With a few quick strides, Nyquist and Logan Couture attacked 2 on 1. A beautiful pass and finish and the Sharks were up 1-0..
How was that play a microcosm of the Sharks playoffs? Itʼs a one word answer. Resilience.
Throughout these playoffs, the Sharks have demonstrated the ability to quickly recover and overcome difficult situations. Down 3-1 to Vegas in the first round. Down 3-0 to Vegas in Game 7. Without their captain, Joe Pavelski, for that game and the six that followed.
And still here, moving closer to the goal that has eluded them for all of their 28-year history, seven victories away from the Stanley Cup.
The Sharks are tough. They are tough mentally too. They project an attitude that declares: Take your best shot; we’re ready.
The Blues took their best shot Saturday right from the start. From the opening face-off, the Blues went after the Sharks. Heavy, hard-hitting and ferocious, they sought to push the Sharks out of the rink. Six minutes into the game, the Blues had 12 hits.
Then Meier delivered his hit, and everything changed.
Breaking it down as a coach, or a hockey nerd, the Sharks did a lot of good things in Game 1.
They took hits to make plays. They were excellent on faceoffs .They used quickness to create turnovers and goals off those turnovers. Collectively, they were five-strong in front of Martin Jones.
Speaking of Martin Jones — and we really should — you would need to search the playoff archives to find a goalie that has flipped the switch like he has. Jones is resilience personified. That resilience paired with a bold determination powered Jones to overcome questions, criticism and the challenges of the first round and once again be a monster in the net.
One small bit of criticism of the Sharks: In the third period of the last two games — Game 7 against Colorado and Game 1 against the Blues, the Sharks have allowed 27 shots and taken only seven.
In those 40 minutes of play, Martin Jones has been — in the vernacular of the great Randy Hahn — “UN-BE-LIEVABLE!”
A little help in the third period would be good, but that issue aside, the Sharks played a confident and smart game. There appears to be a strong belief system building within the team and around it.
There’s a lot of hockey to be played, but this could really be happening, Sharks fans.
