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Max Giese: Sharks Top 20 Prospect Report, spring 2008

2008-05-14T07:04:00.000-07:00

The 46th NHL Entry Draft will be held this year in Ottawa on June 20–21th, 2008. Ottawa was originally scheduled to host the 2005 draft, but instead they held a smaller version at a local hotel with plans to return for a full event as soon as possible. The league recently set up an online 2008 NHL Entry Draft website, and published the final Central Scouting Bureau draft rankings for top North American skaters, top European skaters, top North American goalies, and top European goalies to give fans and media backround information.

The San Jose Sharks 26th overall selection in the first round was traded to Buffalo along with forward Steve Bernier for offensive-defensmean Brian Campbell and a 7th round draft pick. The Sharks second round draft pick will go to the Washington Capitals after a trade that sent the Capitals 2007 first round draft pick (defenseman - Nick Petrecki) to San Jose for second round picks in 2007 and 2008. The Sharks third round draft pick in 2008 was traded to St Louis along with a 2007 first round draft pick (C - Lars Eller), for the right to select center Logan Couture from the OHL Ottawa 67's 9th overall. The Sharks picked up a 5th round selection in 2008 via Montreal (Rivet-Gorges trade), a 7th round pick in the aforementioned Bernier-Campbell trade, and a 7th round pick from the NY Islanders in the trade for defenseman Rob Davison.

The Sharks scouting department's process of evaluating talent has been underway for the past year, and it is time to take a look at the prospects in the organization to see which areas they might need to address. Sharks Director of Scouting Tim Burke is regarded as a draft guru, and EVP and General Manager Doug Wilson has shown a willingness to make bold moves on draft day moving up to select first rounders Logan Couture and Nick Petrecki in 2007, and Ty Wishart in 2006.

SHARKS PROSPECT REPORT SPRING 2008

Strengths: The Sharks' have assembled a deep group of prospects with several players at each position with legit NHL potential. In Ty Wishart and Nick Petrecki, the Sharks' have two future impact players to build around on defense while center Logan Couture returns the favor up-front. Thomas Greiss headlines a deep group of goaltenders and underrated prospects' Steven Zalewski and Derek Joslin are close to making an NHL impact.

Weaknesses: Truthfully the Sharks' don't possess any glaring weaknesses currently in their developmental system. The Worcester Sharks' had a rough year but that was more to do with rookies such as Devin Setoguchi and Torrey Mitchell making immediete impacts in the NHL than it did to do with poor drafting and development. Doug Wilson has been aggressive at the draft table and maybe the only weakness currently in the system is their lack of 2008 Draft Picks, as the Sharks are lacking their first, second, and third round picks.

Sharks Top 20 Prospects Spring 2008 Edition

1. C - Logan Couture
2. D - Nick Petrecki
3. G - Thomas Greiss
4. D - Ty Wishart
5. C - Steven Zalewski
6. LW - Lukas Kaspar
7. LW - Jamie McGinn
8. D - Derek Joslin
9. RW - Matt Jones
10. G - Tyson Sexsmith
11. LW - Nick Bonino
12. G - Alex Stalock
13. D - Mike Moore
14. G - Timo Pielmeier
15. C - Tom Cavanagh
16. LW - T.J. Fox
17. LW - Frazer McLaren
19. RW - Riley Armstrong
20. D - Justin Braun

1. C Logan Couture. (6-foot-0, 195 pounds, London Ontario, Canada. Acquired: 9th overall 2007).

When Couture was on the ice this season he was a dynamic player. The problem was that he wasn't on the ice nearly enough, as he suffered through multiple concussions and another head injury late in the season that prevented him from joining the Worcester Sharks' down the stretch. With that said, no other Sharks prospect matches the upside that Couture possesses. He has an elite mind for the game and is a brilliant play maker capable of making those around him better. Couture is also a gritty competitor that plays a fearless two-way game that coaches wish others would emulate. His shot became progressively better this season and he managed to produce over a point a game despite having a target on his back every night and playing with limited talent around him. Couture will need to add more strength to his skating moving forward and add some serious muscle to help combat the injuries that have plagued him recently.

2. D Nick Petrecki. (6-foot-4, 210 pounds, Schenectady, NY USA, Acquired: 28th overall 2007 draft).

A massive defenseman with hulk like strength and an engulfing reach, Petrecki is also a commanding skater that plays with a mean streak every shift. Previously knocked for his decision making, Petrecki now distributes the puck more astutely and pick his spots better physically. His ability to identify opening seems in the offensive zone began to blossom, as he learned to get his heavy shot on net with more regularity. He’s the complete package and is one of those rare physical specimen's on defense that are hard to find. Emerging as the most dominant freshman defenseman in the country, Petrecki helped carry the Boston College Eagles to their first national championship since 2001. He was a player that opponents feared to go up against and quickly became a prominent fixture on the Eagles back end. NHL scouts ands NCAA coach’s rink-wide have raved about his play this season. A leader both on and off the ice, Petrecki was a steal at 28th overall and projects as a true stud defenseman that could also be the Sharks’ captain some day.

3. G Thomas Greiss. (6-foot-1, 195 pounds, Koln, Germany, Acquired: 91st overall 2004 draft).

Greiss has all the athletic tools to be a number one goaltender in the NHL. His dexterity, flexibility, and reactionary quickness are all phenomenal. Greiss is nearly unbeatable one-on-one and his superb lateral movement is aided by his thick, trunk like legs. The main knock on Greiss at this time is that he tends to try to do to much at times and takes himself out of position in the process. Making his NHL debut was the lone positive in an otherwise lowly year for the German native. Greiss at times struggled because of the poor play in front of his own net in Worcester and the Sharks' will need to provide this talented prospect with a year of stability next season to take his development further. With that said, his work ethic is exceptional and in the long run he should benefit from the early NHL experience he received this season and tutelage he received from Wayne Thomas.

4. D Ty Wishart. (6-foot-5 215 pounds, Comox, British Columbia, Acquired: 16th overall 2006 draft).

Few prospects enjoyed a better season than Ty Wishart, as he lead the WHL in scoring by a defenseman and enjoyed a smooth transition to the pro-game late in the season with Worcester. A towering defenseman with swift mobility and rangy puck handling skills, Wishart is a very skillful 6-foot-5 215 pound two-way defenseman. He's a calm and collective puck distributor that can also get his shot low and on net. Wishart doesn't possess the mean streak that Nick Petrecki does and relies more on sound positioniong and his engulfing reach to emerge as a reliable defensive player. Playing 40 minutes a game in Prince George really benefitted Wishart and developed his offensive game to new heights. The trade to Moose Jaw was also perfect for his development as it allowed him to focus on bringing intensity every shift and play a pro-style game. Wishart projects as a dependable two-way defenseman that can play in all-situations.

5. C Steven Zalewksi. (6-foot-0, 190 pounds, New Hartford, NY USA, Acquired: 153rd overall 2004 draft).

Zalewski is the next in line of Sharks mid-round selections that make a fast and influential NHL impact after completing their collegiate careers. Much like Joe Pavelski and Torrey Mitchell before him, Zalewski is mature beyond his years on the defensive side of the puck and competes like a seasoned veteran. He's a relentless forechecker and a great penalty killer that is an asset in the face-off circle. Zalewksi is a battler that offensively blossomed over his four years with Clarkson, as his hands became notably softer and his stride equally stronger. Zalewski's two-way play became dominant as a senior and his offensive skills developed exponentially. He was also very impressive in Worcester late in the season by collecting 6 points and 2 goals in 7 games, all the while providing a spark five-on-five and while on the penalty kill. He may be ready right out of camp next fall.

6. LW Lukas Kaspar. (6-foot-2, 205 pounds, Most, Czech Republic, Acquired: 22nd overall 2004 draft).

Remaining the enigma of the Sharks' prospect draft-class, Kaspar finished the season in San Jose where he was practicing with the Sharks' during their playoff run. Hopefully he absorbed the experience and applies the lessons learned to his game next-season. No one questions Kaspar's physical gifts, as he's a big winger that can skate, handle the puck, and score goals. He's also a creative play maker and is one of the organizations top penalty killers. The main concern with Lukas is his inconsistency and the fact that he often looks to pass before shooting. He eclipsed his career highs in both goals and points this season and is primed for a competitive training camp next fall.

7. LW Jamie McGinn. (6-foot-1, 200 pounds, Fergus Ontario, Canada. Acquired: 36th overall 2006 draft).

A powerful two-way left winger with strong finishing capabilities, McGinn statistically took a step back this year in the OHL but took a large step forward in his development. McGinn's puck control has notably become stronger and he's using that sturdy frame of his to excell at shielding the puck in the battle areas. A strong wall-to-net type of winger with hyper competitiveness, McGinn is effective at generating offense from attacking the net from the wing. McGinn is also a superb inclose finisher and should help negate the long term void left by the trade of Steve Bernier. He's not a one-dimensional player, as he's hard working defensively while displaying good fortitude on the back check. McGinn still needs to improve his overall quickness and continue to physically mature before making an NHL impact.

8. D Derrick Joslin. (6-foot-1, 193 pounds, Canada, Acquired: 149th overall 2005 draft).

As a rookie Joslin became a leader on defense for the Worcester Sharks' and excelled in all situations. His steady two-way game that is stimulated by superb on-ice inteligence and an understated skill-set transitioned to the pro-game seemlessly. Derek's fluid mobility allows him to play the speed game and his above-average strength allows him to play the physical game. Joslin possesses deceptive skill and makes instinctive decisions with the puck, which makes him an asset while on the power play where his accurate shot is also a weapon. He has few holes in his game and is poised to make an NHL impact shortly, where he should contribute at both ends of the ice.

9. RW Matt Jones. (6-foot-4, 200 pounds, Kentwood Michigan, Acquired: Free-Agent).

It's easy to see why Jones caught the eye of the Sharks's scouting staff. He's a 6-4 200 winger that scored 15 goals against some of the NCAA's elite in the Hockey East on a Merrimack team that struggled to score. Jones is one of those rare packages of great size and speed that are a headache to contain for opposing defenseman. He's also a terrific person off the ice and is expected to compete for an NHL roster spot next season.

10. G Tyson Sexsmith. (5-foot-11, 205 pounds, Calgary Alberta, Canada, Acquired: 91st overall 2007 draft).

Sexsmith continued to be a pillar of strength for the Vancouver Giants of the WHL and was invited by Team Canada to try out for the World Junior Championship team. Sexsmith isn't the biggest or most athletic goaltender, but he makes up for those shortcomings with innate anticipation and a consistently rock-solid technical game. His outstanding focus will be challenged next season back in the WHL where he has dominated for two years now. If Sexsmith puts together another solid campaign he could be the goaltender for Team Canada at next years World Junior Championships.

11. LW Nick Bonino. (6-foot-1, 202 pounds, Farmington Connecticut USA, Acquired: 173rd overall 2007 draft).

Another Sharks prospect that provided an immediet impact as a freshman in the Hockey East. Bonino has all the tools to develop into a top-six winger in the NHL some day, but he naturally remains raw just one year removed from High School hockey. His hand skill and offensive creativity are his strong suites, as he has the ability to make those around him better. Bonino possesses a fearsome shooting arsenal and simply has a knack for putting up points. He will need to improve on his mobility and two-way play next season.

12. G Alex Stalock. (5-foot-11, 175 pounds, St. Paul Minnesota, USA, Acquired: 112th overall 2005 draft).

While North Dakota goaltender Jean-Phillipe Lamorouex and Colorado College's Richard Bachman won all the goaltending awards in the WCHA this year, ask anyone who watched that league closely who was truley the best goaltender in that conferance this year and they would tell you Al Stalock. Carrying an offensively starved team on his back, Stalock stood tall while facing several odd-man rushes and breakaways per game. Blessed with remarkable athleticism and a fierce competitive streak, Stalock has all the physical tools and a healthy swagger to his mental make-up. Capable of stealing games on his own, Stalock will need to refine his mechanics further and understand that less is more some times. Few goaltenders can play the puck as well as Stalock can and with further refinement the Sharks' could have a gem here.

13. D Mike Moore. (6-foot-1, 195 pounds, Calgary Alberta, Canada, Acquired: Free-Agent).

Moore captained the surprise Princeton Tigers to the National Tournament this season and won scouts over with his physical two-way game. He's a big and strong defenseman that can play at both ends of the rink equally well. Moore is a feared open-ice hitter and a puck rushing threat with a good shot. A very mature athlete, Moore is a prospect that has seen his development rapidly accelerated over the last two seasons and the Sharks' could have themselves a player if that trend continues next season in Worcester.

14. G Timo Pielmeier. (6-foot-0, 175 pounds, Deggendorf, Germany, Acquired: 83rd overall 2007 draft).

Besides Thomas Greiss, no other goaltender in the Sharks' development system possesses the pure upside that Pielmeier possesses. He's a lively bodied goaltender with exceptional anctipation and athleticism. His foot work is pure eye candy and his leg quickness is phenomenal. Pielmeier was prone to the odd-positional error and weak goal this season, and will need to rebound with a stronger second North America campaign in the 2008-2009 season. He's expected to be Germany's goaltender next year at the World Junior Championships, after carrying the team to a championship title this year in the B-Pool.

15. C Tom Cavanagh. 5-foot-11, 190 pounds, Warwich Rhode Island, USA, Acquired: 182nd overall 2001 draft).

When Tom Cavanagh played his first NHL game against the Los Angeles Kings this season, it meant the Sharks achieved something that is simply unheard of in the scouting community. Every single player drafted by the San Jose Sharks in the 2001 draft has played an NHL game. Cavanagh deserves as much credit as the Sharks' scouting staff does for his development, as he's a hard-working player that won over the Sharks' brass with his savvy two-way play. A leader both on and off the ice, Cavanagh brings the character and mature defensive game to potentially make him a fourth liner in the NHL.

16. LW T.J. Fox. 6-foot-1, 200 pounds, Oswego New York, USA, Acquired: Free-Agent).

Fox is the type of player that never received the red-carpet treatment growing up and it shows in his on-ice work. The Sharks' saw an intriguing combination of hockey sense, hard work, and above-average mobility for a player of his size, and signed Fox out of Union College after his sophomore season. As a rookie in the AHL, Fox impressed onlookers with mature decision making with the puck and the ability to accelerate past defenders in the open ice. Fox plays within his abilities and potentially could fill a role in the bottom half of the San Jose line-up if he continues to develop at the rapid pace he has enjoyed over the past few-years.

17. LW Frazer McLaren. 6-foot-5, 230 pounds, Winnipeg Manitoba, Canada, Acquired: 203rd overall 2007 draft).

The biggest and most physically imposing forward amongst the Sharks' group of prospects, McLaren is a big winger that plays a big mans game in front of the oppositions net. He's equally apt at using his hands for scoring goals and for fighting, as McLaren impressed during his brief AHL stint late in the season with his ability to manhandle some of the leagues most feared fighters. Frazer will need to continue to work on his mobility, but with his presence infront of the opposition's net and in the fighting circle, he could develop into an enforcer that can also play.

18. RW Riley Armstrong. (5-foot-11, 180 pounds, Saskatoon, Canada, Acquired: Free-Agent).

Riley Armstrong would likely be joining his brother Colby in the NHL shortly if his rights where held by a team not as deep as San Jose. He can energize a line-up with his charisma and pugnacious play. Armstrong can perform the role of an agitating pest and chip in with the occassional goal. He brings good speed down the wing and plays with tenacity every night. The Sharks' are being patient with Armstrong and would like to see him develop his defensive game further before getting a shot in the NHL.

19. D Justin Braun. (6-foot-1, 180 pounds, St. Paul Minnesota, USA, Acquired: 201st overall 2007 draft).

As a sophomore Braun emerged as one of the most steady and reliable defenseman in the Hockey East. He's not a dynamic physical package but his poise and inteligence with the puck allow him to accomplish many things in subtle ways. Braun quarterbacked the Massachusetts power play and springboarded the offense from his own end with the ability to make the first pass. Defensively he relies on his sound positioning and impressive stick work, although he will need to add strength and continue to add more explosiveness to his skating to further his development.

20. C Tony Lucia. (6-foot-0, 175 pounds, Plymouth Minnesota, USA, Acquired: 193rd overall 2005 draft).

The son of Minnesota Gophers' coach Dony Lucia, Tony is a savvy and gritty checking line center capable of shutting down the oppositions' top line. Lucia will need to continue to upgrade his mobility and bulk up his frame, however he did see substantial gains in his ability to handle the puck this year and his knack for scoring garbage goals became even more obvious, while scoring crucial, hard-nosed goals for the Gophers' down the stretch. He's an abrasive and ultra-competitive sparkplug that accomplishes many things with his hard-work. Lucia is also an effective penalty killer that will continue to inherit a heavier offensive workload next season with Minnesota.

HONORABLE MENTION:

D Dan Spang. (5-foot-11, 200 pounds, Winchester Massachusetts, USA, Acquired: 52nd overall 2002 draft).

The Sharks' 2002 draft class has dissapointed and the fact that Dan Spang hasn't made an NHL impact yet has much to do with it. While first round selection Mike Morris saw his career derailed by unfortuante injuries, Spang has no-one to fault but himself and his poor play away from the puck. The tools are still there for Spang to develop into an NHL defenseman, as he's a fast skater with good offensive instincts and a great shot. However, Spang remained a defensive liability with the Worcester Sharks' this past season and after being an early cut from training camp last summer, Spang needs to rebound immedietly with a strong camp this fall.

C/LW P.J. Fenton. (5-foot-11, 175 pounds, Springfield Massachusetts, USA, Acquired: 162nd overall 2005 draft).

Despite lacking the prototypical size, Fenton is a gritty competitor that excells in the battle areas. He's also a fairly astute player that makes mature decisions with or without the puck. Fenton was an impact player at the Collegiate level with the Univeristy of Massachusetts, however he struggled to adapt to the pro-game in his brief stint with Worcester late in the year.

G Taylor Dakers. (6-foot-1, 170 pounds, Langley British Columbia, Canada, Acquired: 140th overall 2005 draft).

After dominating the WHL for the past two-seasons, Dakers took a step back in his development with a difficult transition to the pro-game. He struggled when he saw time between the pipes for Worcester and Coach Roy Sommer wasn't happy with his practice habits. Dakers did gain some steam late in the year with an impressive stint with Phoenix of the ECHL before starting for Worcester in their last three games.

D James DeLory. (6-foot-6, 215 pounds, Scarborough Ontario, Canada, Acquired: 98th overall 2006).

The clock is ticking for the San Jose Sharks to sign this collosal defenseman and they could choose to go either way. They may elect to sign him, as he moves adequately for such a huge player and his strength married with his undeniable thurst for bone rattling body checks, makes him an intriguing prospect. On the other hand his explosive temper and questionable decision making might have the Sharks' taking a pass.

RW Mike Iggulden. (6-foot-3, 215 pounds, St. Catherine's Ontario, Canada, Acquired: Free-Agent).

Iggulden can score and in bunches when he fully applies himself, the trouble is that isn't too often. He is guilty of playing lackadasical with the puck and doesn't engage himself physically despite his imposing frame. Iggulden played in one NHL game this season with the Sharks' and dissapointed with his noticable lack of fortitude.

D David MacDonald. (6-foot-4, 200 pounds, Halifax Nova Scotia, Canada, Acquired: 225th overall 2004 draft).

A big, stay-at-home defenseman with swift mobility, MacDonald was signed to an entry-level contract by the San Jose sharks' after captaining the Harvard Crimson as a senior. He will never be an offensive defenseman but big men that can skate have a way of finding their way to the NHL, although he did struggle in his brief AHL audition late in the season.

GRADUATED:

RW Devin Setoguchi - Fast and skilled goal scoring winger with blue-chip potential. His shot is special and he has the look of a future playoff warrior.
C Torrey Mitchell - Prototypical third line center with elite wheels and a fearless attitude. He's developing into a Kris Draper or at the least Pascal Dupuise type player that can shut down the opposition's top line.
C/LW Tomas Plihal - Versitalle and relaible forward that coach Ron Wilson took an instant liking too. He was especially good for the Sharks' once inserted into the line-up in the playoffs and should be a full-time role player next year.

[Update] The Sharks Scouting Department, areas of responsibility:

Tim Burke - Worldwide
Pat Funk - Western Canada, Mid-Western United States
Rob Grillo - Mid-Western, North America
Gillies Cote - Quebecm Eastern Ontario
Jack Gardiner - Eastern United States
Brian Gross - Western Canada
Cap Raeder - Eastern United States
Bryan Marchment - North America
Graeme Townshend - North America
Karel Masopust - Germany, Czech Republic, and Slovakia

[Update2] Wilson's bold moves in 2007 draft a continuation of strategy - Hockeys Future.

Burke's sense and Wilson’s trust are the key ingredients in the formula of the Sharks latest success at the draft table. If other teams value the same player, they are aware that they have to move ahead of those teams, much like they did for Couture. Wilson downplayed the gutsiness of moving up as a regular practice.

"We just think it is a normal way of doing business," he explained. "You forecast the draft as to where you think people are going to go. Maybe not all 30 teams think they’re going to be there, but the perception is that he's there."

However, public perception is something they don’t like to be overly concerned with when it comes to forecasting and selecting. "It's more, 'what do we believe' in a hockey player," he added. "If other teams value that player too, we know we have to get up in front of them to get him."

[Update3] Interview with San Jose Sharks scout Pat Funk - Max Giese for Sharkspage.com.

San Jose Sharks head coach Ron Wilson fired after four and a half seasons behind the bench, general manager Doug Wilson remaining in San Jose

2008-05-12T16:59:00.000-07:00

SHARKS COACH RON WILSON AFTER WCQF GAME 7 WIN AGAINST CALGARY

RON WILSON ON BENCH AGAINST EDMONTON, 2006 WCSF

Sharks EVP and General Manager Doug Wilson announced late this afternoon that Ron Wilson was fired after four and a half years behind the bench in San Jose. Ron Wilson was hired as the sixth San Jose Sharks head coach on December 4th 2002, recording a 206-134-45 record, .535 winning percentage, and two Pacific Division Championships (2004, 2008) in 385 regular season games. Wilson served as an assistant coach to Detroit's Mike Babcock at the 2008 NHL Allstar Game in Atlanta on January 27th. It was the first Allstar appearance in his 14-year NHL coaching career. During the second half of the 2007-08 regular season, the Sharks registered an 11-game winning streak, and a stretch of 20 games without a loss in regulation.

Wilson surpassed Darryl Sutter for first place in all-time franchise wins on March 18th in Los Angeles, and he is third all-time in games coached among active head coaches. Ron Wilson is 8th all-time on the NHL wins list (518), and 9th in overall games coached (1,091). The Sharks struggle to advance deep in the postseason, and the method with which they exited the playoffs, may have been a contributing factor in his release Monday.

Wilson led the expansion Anaheim Mighty Ducks to their first postseason appearance in 1996-97, and later led the Washington Capitals to consecutive Southeast Division titles (2000, 2001). In San Jose he earned a 28-24 coaching record in 52 Stanley Cup Playoff games, including an appearance in the Western Conference Finals in 2004 against Calgary.

The label of a strong regular season team that faded in the playoffs is a critical, but for the most part correct, moniker. Reaching the Western Conference Finals in 2004 against Calgary was a high water mark for the franchise, but 3 home losses (including the first two games at home) put the Sharks too far behind to battle back. The Flames manhandled San Jose at times. It was late season addition Jason Marshall who finally stood up to agitator Ville Nieminen, who along with Marcus Nilson were allowed to roam free with elbows and sticks up for most of the series.

In 2006 and 2007, playoff meltdowns were in danger of defining the franchise. Up 2-0 against Edmonton in the 2006 WCSF, a triple overtime loss led to the Sharks dropping 4 straight games, and another postseason exit without enough of a fight. The Sharks found themselves with a similar 2-1 series lead against Detroit in the 2007 WCSF, when Tomas Holmstrom returned from injury in game 4 and scored with 4.5 seconds left in the second period, the result of a critical faceoff loss. The Sharks could not close out a win, allowing Robert Lang to tie the game with 33.1 second left in the third. Mathieu Schnieder intercepted a weak Scott Hannan clearing attempt up the middle of the ice to slap home the game winning goal in overtime. The Sharks lost the next two games (losing the WCSF series 4-2), and it would not be an oversimplification to say mistakes made in game 4 led to a second straight playoff meltdown. After the season, a visibly upset Doug Wilson took nearly a week to speak with the media. He mentioned that he wanted enough time to evaluate every aspect of the team, and he wanted to put a plan in place to make sure each item of concern was addressed going forward.

In 2007-08, after a strong regular season (49-23-10) where the Sharks were the most dominant team of the second half, the Sharks appeared to be built for the long and grueling Stanley Cup Playoffs. Injuries are concern for every team after 82 games, but the Sharks iced the deepest blueline in the league to compliment veteran (Brown, Roenick, Shelley) and young forwards (Setoguchi, Plihal, Goc, Rissmiller) fighting for playoff starts. Patrick Marleau, Jonathan Cheechoo, and Milan Michalek picked up the scoring pace to take pressure off the lopsided offense tilting heavily toward Joe Thornton. Trade deadline acquisition Brian Campbell was predicted by many to spark the Sharks attack from the blueline, but all season long San Jose relied on a shutdown defense led by Christian Ehrhoff, Douglas Murray, and Craig Rivet. The Sharks won tight games in the regular season by closing out 1-goal leads, and suffocating opposing power plays with the top rated penalty kill in the league.

That sounds like a solid postseason formula, but the San Jose Sharks played like a different team when the pressure reached playoff intensity. The Calgary Flames stretched the Sharks to seven games, but they were able to dictate physical play and San Jose did not make them pay for enough mistakes. The end result was a hard fought series win after 7 games, when advancing after 5 or 6 was a strong possibility if 100% team effort was given each night. The Sharks were dropped from the frying pan into the fire as they ran smack into a motivated Dallas Stars team with Brenden Morrow causing havoc on both sides of the ice.

Jarome Iginla was a dynamic impact player in the first round, but Brenden Morrow did more damage on each side of the ice, and he had a stronger supporting cast. The Stars hammered the Sharks defense almost into submission, earning three straight wins to open the series against the Pacific Division regular season champions. Morrow was able to set up in front of the crease, back into the crease, or win 1-on-1 battles in the corner, and the Sharks had no answer for him. Forwards who collapsed down low to help often left an opening on the point that would result in a scoring chance. San Jose showed heart and resilency battling back to win elimination games on the road in game 4, and a crucial OT win with 3 unanswered goals in game 5. The sixth and deciding game of the series was a 4 overtime classic, a goaltenders duel which saw Marty Turco (61 saves) and Evgeni Nabokov (53 saves) match each other ridiculous save for ridiculous save late into the Dallas morning hours. The Stars earned a 4-2 series win after Brenden Morrow silenced the drama with a point blank power play goal after 129:03 minutes of play, a goal Dallas Stars head coach Dave Tippett said could not be more perfectly scripted.

Looking at the tenure of head coach Ron Wilson, it is difficult to seperate this postseason from past postseasons. The fact that the Sharks earned a gritty 7-game series win against Calgary, and battled back with 3 hard fought games to push Dallas to the edge, neither addressed the fact that the San Jose Sharks made each series exponentially more difficult for themselves before factoring in the competitive qualities of their opponents. Head coach Ron Wilson and assistant coaches Tim Hunter and Rob Zettler have a reputation for extensive preperation, and Wilson will use every means at his disposal to psychologically motivate an individual, but the rubber meets the road at playoff success. San Jose is expected to make a Western Conference Final or a Stanley Cup Final every season, and the last 3 years they have fallen short.

In that regard, the Sharks will look for a different approach. A head coach that can best take advantage of the size, speed, and chemistry contained on one of the most talented lineups in the NHL. A head coach who can maintain the up-tempo, entertaining style of play, and one who can translate that style into an intense playoff environment.

That coach... Barry Melrose.

[Update] Wilson Relieved of Head Coaching Duties - SJsharks.com.

San Jose Sharks Executive Vice President and General Manager Doug Wilson announced today that the team has relieved Head Coach Ron Wilson of his coaching duties. The Sharks general manager also announced that team will begin a search for a new head coach immediately.

"Ron helped foster a new era in San Jose Sharks hockey with some record-setting regular season performances," said Doug Wilson. "However, ultimately we have decided that it is time for a different voice and a different approach to lead this team. We are proud of what we’ve accomplished as an organization but we feel that this team is capable of achieving greater success. I want to thank Ron for his level of commitment and desire to make our organization successful. Our entire organization wishes him well."

The Sharks also addressed a report earlier today that another team contacted GM Doug Wilson about his availability. According to President and CEO Greg Jamison, Doug Wilson is under a long-term contract and is very happy with his current position. It was believed to be the Toronto Maple Leafs who were inquiring about Wilson's services. Thanks to George James Malik at SnapShots for the link.

[Update2] Sharks fire coach Ron Wilson after another ouster - AP.

As Ron Wilson's players cleaned out their lockers last week, the coach seemed to think he would have another year to coax postseason success out of the Sharks.

"You look at my record, it's second to none, literally, in the sport, so I'm not even worried about that," Wilson said. "I don't think there has to be too many things changed about our team. We're ready to roll next year, too. We've accomplished more since I've been here than any other team in the league except win the Stanley Cup. That's the next thing we check off on our list."

[Update3] Now it's time for the players to step up - Mark Purdy for the San Jose Mercury News.

The franchise had to change the formula. Wilson was the most obvious move to make. But by choosing to move him aside instead of shaking up the roster, the pressure now falls squarely on the Sharks players to produce better playoff results. Their talent has never been in question. Their ability to sustain hard-core hockey for three straight playoff periods has been the issue.

Mercury News Sharks beat writer David Pollak has more.

[Update] More from Eric McErlain at the AOL Fanhouse. Last week, Globe and Mail staffer James Mirtle published an interesting post on Ron Wilson, and the head coaching tenures of his father Larry Wilson and his uncle Johnny. Mirtle believed he was likely going to be let go, only to become the leading candidate for positions in Atlanta, Florida, and other destinations looking for a new coach.

After the game 6 four overtime loss to Dallas the Sharks were alternately described as too comfortable, complainers, flawed and consistently inconsistent. The worst was saved for Al Strachan, who not only described Wilson's "terse and sarcastic" demeanor as wearing thin with players, but who also reported an instance of Ron Wilson calling out Marc-Edouard Vlasic, Matt Carle, and Milan Michalek by writing their names on a chalk board inbetween periods and allegedly saying "These are the guys that are letting us down". He reported that Wilson would probably be let go in favor of a head coach that was "less acerbic".

Strachan's reporting should be taken with a grain of salt, besides the fact that he was seldom seen at HP Pavilion this season, his rumors with regards to the San Jose Sharks often appear to be drawn out of a hat. The locker room incident this year follows last season where Wilson publically called out Patrick Marleau. The problem is, the players cited needed to perform much better for the Sharks to advance against Detroit and Dallas. The problem should hinge on whether you have to tear apart someone in a last ditch effort at motivation, or whether there is a system in place that drives players to perform under critical situations. That is the context with which Doug Wilson's decision to fire Ron Wilson should be viewed.

This blog only asked R-Wilson questions a couple of times this season, after the first training camp practice, and after the team meeting where he mentioned that he wanted to get the players attention with a difficult practice only to give most of the team the day off. He repeatedly expressed a belief that other teams had to adapt to the Sharks up-tempo style of play, that he was less concerned with how they would try to shut his team down. I asked him about the Douglas Murray vs Jarome Iginla matchup after two games in the first round of the playoffs, and instead he spoke more about the Sharks defense as a whole. Sharks radio analyst Jamie Baker talked about Ron Wilson coaching his bench based on the performance of individual players, instead of trying to match lines with an opponent. It fit with his description of a Rubik's Cube approach of coaching.

Wilson also was on the forefront of integrating new technology into his coaching, and it is a shame I could not get more of the vibrant local technology blogging community into the fold to get a look at his use of video scouting, tablet pc's, and database software among other tools.

[Update4] Another coach bites the dust - Ross McKeon for Yahoo Sports.

And the Sharks didn't say it, but they probably also did Wilson a favor by not dragging out the decision-making process like they did last year. This way Wilson can pursue any and all openings before anything is filled. Wilson has competition, no doubt, and it might be a buyer's market for clubs in the hunt for a new bench boss. There is definitely quality from which to choose. Wilson is joined by Paul Maurice and Joel Quenneville as the recently let-go.

McKeon examines possible coaching destinations in Toronto, Ottawa, Atlanta, LA, Colorado, and Florida.

[Update5] Ron Wilson offered a reaction to the Canadian Press via the CBC:

"In most ways, I was shocked when Doug told me... But in some ways, I guess, I was not surprised. When it happens when you don't expect it, you're disappointed. I can honestly say that I could not be prouder of my work here. I think our team's record speaks for itself. Obviously, we did not win a Stanley Cup while I was here [and] I'm disappointed in that as any coach would be."

"I cannot control guys falling down, I cannot control bounces in the playoffs. I would play that [Dallas] series again and go in with the same game plan. You out-chance and outshoot a team, and sometimes it is not meant to be."

[Update6] Chuq Von Rospach disagreed vehemently with my suggestion of Barry Melrose, one that was thrown out there for effect until I knocked down several of my own questions about bringing him in. Chuq offers his own candidates in long-time AHL bench boss Roy Sommers, ex-Colorado Avalanche head coach Joel Quenneville, and former Sharks Tony Granato (Avs assistant coach) and Mike Sullivan (former Boston head coach).

Three keys for the decision: A coach who can get 20 players to run through walls in the postseason, a coach who can demand individual excellence as well as cohesion as a team, and hopefully a coach who can live in front of the media (as well as turn on a computer). Scratch Barry Melrose.

[Update7] This post was also published on thehockeynews.com. Two other Sharkspage posts are available on THN here and here.

[Update8] San Jose Sharks radio play-by-play broadcaster Dan Rusanowsky posted a video interview with general manager Doug Wilson on the release of Ron Wilson, the pride and disappointment after this season, what message this will send to the San Jose Sharks locker room, and what the Sharks will be looking for from a new head coach.

Pre-3rd overtime update, Pre-4th overtime update, Post-game notes on the Stars 4OT win in Game 6 to advance

2008-05-04T22:14:00.000-07:00

Incredible game. A few notes prior to the start of the third overtime:

Milan Michalek is out after a hard hit by Stars captain Brenden Morrow checked him to the ice on the last play of the third period, Curtis Brown was not on the ice for the second overtime and possibly not on the ice for much of the first overtime, Sharks playing with 10 forwards, Time on Ice shift chart for the game in progress, NHL real-time game summary.

Evgeni Nabokov's 1st OT glove save on Brad Richards is yet another example that he is big game playoff goaltender, Nabokov 42 saves on 43 shots after 5 periods, Marty Turco 52 saves on 53 shots, referees are not going to call any penalties from this point forward, Stars captain Brenden Morrow fireman's carried someone to the ice at the Sharks blueline about 8 feet in front of the referee, no call. Hits 73-46 in favor of Dallas after 5 periods. Milan Michalek leads San Jose with 5 hits, Brenden Morrow leads the Dallas Stars with 16 hits.

Both Dallas media blogs are offering twitter-like real time updates. Richard Durrett is manning the Dallas Morning News Stars blog, noting Ribeiro's ice time (41:51), Morrow's number of hits (16), and that it is now Monday in Dallas. Tracey Myers is manning the Fort Worth Star Telegram's Five for Fighting blog, noting Ribeiro's missed scoring chances, and goals by Clowe and Miettinen. Knee Jerk City is also liveblogging Game 6. Not sure what the record is for the longest playoff liveblog, but this game has to be nearing that mark if it does not have it already.

Pre-4th OT update:

This is the longest all-time playoff game for the San Jose Sharks franchise. The previous longest contest was a 3OT game against Edmonton in game 3 of the WCSF May 5th, 2006. According to Richard Durrett, this is the third longest Dallas Stars game, an April 11, 2007 game against Vancouver went into the fourth overtime (Canucks won 5-4), and there was a 5 OT game against Anaheim in 2003 (Ducks won 4-3). This game also featured the most total shots in a Sharks game (110), and the most shots ever taken by a Sharks team in franchise history (61).

Curtis Brown skated in the third OT with Thornton-Cheechoo, and Clowe-Grier. Sharks rookie center Torrey Mitchell had a clean 2-on-1 breakaway halfway through the third overtime. Mitchell moved it to Clowe, who returned the puck back to Mitchell. Torrey chipped the puck off the ice, and an out of position Turco threw his arm behind his body to block the puck, and then trapped it to the ice. Spectacular save, this is an incredible goaltender's duel as both are putting their stamp on this series in game 6. Modano and Daley break into the Sharks zone. Modano showed a burst of speed that looks like he was shot out of a cannon, and it resulted in a scoring chance in front. "No tomorrow for the Sharks" - San Jose radio broadcaster Dan Rusanowsky in the third OT.

Dallas defenseman Nicklas Grossman took a hooking penalty 3 minutes into period number 6. Shock of shocks. I would have lost the house betting on the referees burying their whistles for the duration. Quick flip to NHL on the Fly Final, this has to be the first time all year they are talking about a Sharks game while it is still in progress. Versus is blacked in the Bay Area with the game on Comcast.

Game Winning goal by Brenden Morrow on the power play at 9:03 of the 4th overtime, assists by Robidas and Ribeiro. Morrow finished with 51 minutes of ice time, 7 shots, 19 hits, and the game winning goal in the 4th OT. Dallas Stars goaltender Marty Turco finished with 61 saves on 62 shots to advance to the Western Conference Finals against Detroit. San Jose Sharks goaltender Evgeni Nabokov finished with 53 saves on 55 shots. During post-game handshakes two of the greatest U.S. born players of all-time, Jeremy Roenick and Mike Modano, embraced for an extended moment. Marty Turco and Evgeni Nabokov also had several words with each other. On the way off the ice, a number of Dallas Stars fans and a security guard shook Roenick's hand.

Dallas is going to have to go through Anaheim, San Jose and Detroit just to reach the Stanley Cup Finals. Winning a very tight series against the Sharks without defenseman Brian Boucher, and with Sergei Zubov at less than 100%, the Stars deserve credit for getting the job done with an entire team effort. San Jose battled back in this series, and soon I will post a game recap and a season ending series of notes on the Sharks season. Detroit will be a prohibitive favorite against Dallas by many of the "experts", but if Dallas can play as disciplined and as physical (especially against the Detroit defense that had monstrous injury problems of their own this season), they will make the Western Conference Finals a series.

For a mini-scouting report on the Red Wings, take a look at this January post. Also, that was one of the best photo galleries I have posted all season. Hasek-Turco would be light years more entertaining than Osgood-Turco, they might have to create a new statistical category: MSLR - minutes spent lobbying refs.

[Update] James Mirtle posts the 10 longest overtime games in NHL playoff history:

1. 3/24/36 DET 1, MAR 0 Mud Bruneteau 116:30:00
2. 04/03/33 TOR 1, BOS 0 Ken Doraty 104:46:00
3. 05/04/00 PHI 2, PIT 1 Keith Primeau 92:01:00
4. 4/24/03 ANA 4, DAL 3 Petr Sykora 80:48:00
5. 4/24/96 PIT 3, WAS 2 Petr Nedved 79:15:00
6. 04/11/07 VAN 5, DAL 4 Henrik Sedin 78:06:00
7. 3/23/43 TOR 3, DET 2 Jack MacLean 70:18:00
8. 05/04/08 DAL 2, SJ 1 Brendan Morrow 69:03:00
9. 3/28/30 MTL 2, NYR 1 Gus Rivers 68:52:00
10. 4/18/87 NYI 3, WSH 2 Pat LaFontaine 68:47:00

[Update2] Just an FYI, select posts and photos from Sharkspage will be posted on The Hockey News blog section. There is a permanent link to The Hockey News and the blog section on the right NHL sidebar.

[Update3] Updated the Sharks playoff history page. Overall Playoff Record: 57-62. Overall Playoff Series Record: 9-11.

[Update4] Season Ends In Fourth OT - SJsharks.com.

Facing elimination for the third straight game, the San Jose Sharks looked to force a decisive Game Seven in their Western Conference Semifinal series against the Dallas Stars, but in a cruel twist of fate, they would play the equivalent of a sixth and seventh game, but lose 2-1 in quadruple overtime.

[Update5] More game notes from Alanah at Kukla's Korner:

- Tonight's game officially lasted 5 hours and 14 minutes, beginning at 8:10 pm and ending at 1:24 am. (CST)

- Marty Turco made a franchise-record 61 saves in the game tonight, stopping 61-of-62 shots.

- Dallas had 55 shots on goal. The franchise record is 76 at Vancouver in Game One of their first round series against the Canucks last year.

- The 62 shots against is a Stars opponent record for shots in a playoff game. (was 56 by Vancouver last season).

- Dallas has won four of its last five overtime games in the playoffs. Brenden Morrow has scored the game-winner in three of them (Mattias Norstrom had the other).

- The attendance for Sunday’s game was 18,532, Dallas’ 26th sellout of the season and 12th consecutive sellout (including the last six regular season games). The club has also sold-out 17 of the past 18 home dates.

[Update6] Stars 2, Sharks 1, 4OT - Dallasstars.com.

Captain Brenden Morrow scored 9:03 into the fourth overtime, and Marty Turco made a career-high 61 saves to send the Stars to the Western Conference finals with a dramatic 2-1 win over San Jose in Game 6 of the Western Conference semifinals on Sunday night at American Airlines Center. Dallas took the best-of-seven series 4-2 to advance to the conference finals for the first time since 2000.

A photo gallery from the Dallas Stars is available here.

[Update7] Brenden Morrow scores in 4th OT, Stars beat Sharks to clinch series - Canadian Press via TSN.

[Update8] Much more is up, including video interviews, photos, and notes, on sjsharks.com.

Elvis Lives, He wears #8 for the San Jose Sharks, and he sent the WCSF series back to Dallas for Game 6

2008-05-03T07:43:00.001-07:00

THE SHARKS CELEBRATE JOE PAVELSKI'S OT GAME WINNING GOAL

#9 MILAN MICHALEK, #56 SERGEI ZUBOV CRASH INTO #35 MARTY TURCO

#10 BRENDEN MORROW, #63 MIKE RIBEIRO REACT TO A DISALLOWED GOAL

Jimmy Hoffa, the Chupacabra, Al Capone's hidden vault, like the San Jose Sharks playoff hopes after Joe Pavelski's game winning goal 65 seconds into overtime on Friday, now is the time to believe. Granted, this has been a tumultous second season for the reigning Pacific Division champions. There were no game-to-game momentum swings in the Sharks opening series win over the Calgary Flames, more like seven playoff game 1's. After dropping 3 games to Dallas in the Western Conference Semifinals, the Sharks earned back-to-back wins to send the series back to Dallas with an option to tie.

Dallas stormed out of the gates in the first two periods, led by of course team captain Brenden Morrow. After tic-tac-toe passing by Modano, Zubov and Lehtinen resulted in the Stars first goal on the power play in the second period, Morrow appeared to add to that total at 15:31. Almost before the puck was in the back of the net, the referee was skating towards the scorer's table with the play under video review. Matt Carle tried to check Morrow as he was making a b-line for the crease, but Morrow arrived and planted one foot into the right leg pad of Evgeni Nabokov before the puck arrived on the play. The puck did deflect off Morrow's back skate and into the crease, but the correct call should have interference on Morrow not just a disallowed goal. Morrow prevented Nabokov from making the play before the puck was in the crease.

Three and a half minutes later, Morrow added a second goal for the Dallas Stars sans video review. Antti Miettinen hit Brad Richards with a long pass up ice through the neutral zone, and Richards spun and found Miettinen cocked and loaded in the slot. Miettinen's shot was blocked through traffic, but he gathered his own rebound and fed Brad Richards for a point blank chance on the doorstep. Evgeni Nabokov deflected the play wide to his right, but Miettinen had position on 4 Sharks who were focused on the puck. Morrow snapped a shot home from a sharp angle with Miettinen in front, and then glared at the referee. Allowing an even strength goal with 55.3 seconds left in the period briefly sucked the life out of HP Pavilion. Later in the game, Morrow had another goal disallowed on the power play after he tried to toss the puck to his stick only to have it cross the goal line first.

Cue the third period, Patrick Marleau explodes up ice after receiving a breakout pass from his own zone. Marleau splits the defense before they can turn to face him. Marleau makes a move to his right, but Turco dives out of his crease with an extended poke check to cut down the time he had to make a play. After the initial save, the Stars D clear the puck under pressure to prevent a second scoring chance with their goalie far out of position.

The noise level in the third period was loud. San Jose head coach Ron Wilson actually took a shot at the fans after the game for booing their own team when they turned back with possession to get a better breakout opportunity, but the fans played an important part in the third period comeback. Jonathan Cheechoo gets the puck deep, and Joe Thornton digs the puck out from behind the net, spins, and finds Milan Michalek driving the net with his stick on the ice. Goal Michalek, and HP Pavilion is possibly the loudest it has been all season. What was different about Friday night, the noise level and intensity from the fans never died down the remainder of the period. The Sharks pressed the action, and Jeremey Roenick found Brian Campbell accelerating through the neutral zone and rifled a hard tape-to-tape pass. Campbell crosses the blue line, cuts to his left, and rings the game tying goal off the crossbar at 11:07. Fans explode. Ron Wilson does have a point about booing a team on home ice too quickly, at times during the regular season it caused the Sharks to try to force a play that wasn't there. There is so much energy inside the building, it really calls for the need of an organist to channel that into more of an anti-Morrow, anti-Stars, or anti-Belfour direction.

Overtime has not been kind to the Sharks in this Western Conference Semifinal series, Brenden Morrow scored the game winner 4:39 into OT in game 1, and Mattias Norstrom scored off a deflection on Jeremy Roenick's stick to earn the decision in game 3. The Sharks tried to "push the pace" against Dallas in the extra period according to center Joe Pavelski. After getting the puck deep, Antti Miettinen can not clear it out along the wall. Christian Ehrhoff pinches in and passes to Pavelski, who turns and takes the puck directly to the slot. Zubov tried to weakly check Marleau in front, Miettinen dives to the ice to try to get back into the play, and defenseman Nicklas Grossman is caught too far out of position to make a move on Pavelski or to drop down and block a shot. Pavelski holds on to the puck, and then lifts a shot over the shoulder of Turco to send the series back to Dallas. The entire Sharks team converge en masse on Pavelski in the corner.

A photo gallery from the game is available here. Video highlights are available via Versus or Youtube.

[Update] ESPN'S Barry Melrose said last night the San Jose having the most pressure of any team facing elimination in the Semifinals, that the coaches and the players feel pressure after past playoff early departures, and he breaks down Joe Pavelski's game winning overtime goal against Dallas in Game 5.

[Update2] Little Joe. Big goal. San jose shows some grit in comeback against Dallas - SJ Mercury News.

There was desperation, but between the end of the third period and the start of overtime, there also was a plan: Push the pace.

More from the Merc's Mark Emmons, Mark Purdy, and Ann Killion.

[Update3] Twice bitten: Dallas Stars lose 2-0 lead in 3-2 overtime loss - Dallas Morning News.

[Update4] That's the breaks: Sharks stay alive against Stars in OT - Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

The Dallas Stars have talked about earning breaks, making breaks, capitalizing on breaks.But on Friday night, an awful break went against the Stars. And despite a two-goal lead, the Stars couldn’t hold off the Sharks.

The Stars were denied a goal in the second period, and the Sharks came back with three unanswered goals to claim a 3-2 victory over the Stars in Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals at HP Pavilion on Friday night. The series, which the Stars still lead 3-2, goes back to Dallas for Game 6 on Sunday night.

Scenes from Game 5

2008-05-03T07:30:00.000-07:00

IT WAS A HARD HAT AND LUNCH PAIL TYPE OF GAME 5

SHARKS FAN CHEERING JOE PAVELSKI AFTER HIS OVERTIME GAME WINNER

FAN SIGN 'HOW BAD DO YOU WANT IT'

SAN JOSE FANS WAVE RALLY TOWELS AT THE START OF THE GAME

Sharks battle early but game 3 slips away with third period and overtime Dallas goals, Stars win 2-1 in OT to take 3-0 series lead

2008-04-30T08:40:00.000-07:00

Dallas earned their second overtime win in 3 games as a Mattias Norstrom point shot deflected off of Jeremy Roenick's stick and into the net to give the Stars a 2-1 OT win. Dallas holds a 3-0 WCSF series lead over the San Jose Sharks. Defenseman Sergei Zubov tied the game at 1-1 early in the third period on a 5-on-3 power play point shot that deflected off traffic and beat goaltender Evgeni Nabokov far side. Brenden Morrow provided a screen in front of Nabokov on the play. Dallas was unable to convert a third period Nicklas Hagman penalty shot, awarded after defenseman Christian Ehrhoff hooked Hagman to the ice on a breakaway.

The Sharks opened the scoring on a short handed goal by captain Patrick Marleau 19:25 into the first period. Sergei Zubov missed Jere Lehtinen with a pass, and Marleau jumped on the loose rebound in the neutral zone. After a quick acceleration, Marleau snapped a shot that beat Marty Turco up high. An earlier goal by Marleau was waved off after an early whistle by referee Don VanMassenhoven. Joe Thornton drove the net hard, and tried to stuff the puck passed Turco. Turco could not control the rebound, and Marleau came in and punched the puck home as the whistle was being blown. The referee was behind the net on the play. The Sharks also had a near miss scoring opportunity in the second period as a snap shot by Devin Setoguchi deflected off Turco and trickled an inch wide of the left post.

Marty Turco made 19 saves on 20 shots to give the Dallas Stars a 3-0 series lead. Evgeni Nabokov made 27 saves on 29 shots. The Sharks finished 0-3 on the power play, Dallas finished 0-2 with a 5-on-4 advantage, and 1-1 with a 5-on-3 advantage. Dallas captain Brenden Morrow, with 25:56 of ice time, 2 blocked shots, and 11 hits, was named the first star of the game.

[Update] Sharks on brink after OT loss - San Jose Mercury News.

It came down to this: Forward Jeremy Roenick sprawling on the ice to block an overtime shot, the puck clipping his stick, then floating into the net over Sharks goalie Evgeni Nabokov's left shoulder. Game over. And, with one more loss, season over. The Sharks fell to 0-3 in their Western Conference semifinal series with the Dallas Stars. Not exactly where a team that considered itself a serious Stanley Cup contender expected to be at this point.

[Update2] After Game 3 win, Dallas Stars have sweep dreams - Dallas Morning News.

Interview with Offwing.com's Eric McErlain and Offwing Photographer Allen Clark

2008-04-30T06:38:00.000-07:00

WASHINGTON CAPITALS VS OTTAWA SENATORS - PHOTO ALLEN CLARK

WASHINGTON CAPITALS GOAL CELEBRATION - PHOTO ALLEN CLARK

Offwing Opinion creator, AOL Fanhouse lead NHL blogger, and Sporting News columnist Eric McErlain answered a few questions about the state of the Washington Capitals rebuilding plan, whether forward Alexander Ovechkin is the most entertaining player in the league, hockey blogs in Washington and the result of the new media push by Capitals owner Ted Leonsis.

[Q] What does this playoff run mean for the Capitals rebuilding effort, and what can fans expect of this team next season?

[EM] At the start of the season Caps owner Ted Leonsis said that the rebuild was over and he meant it. Come around Thanksgiving, there were plenty of understandable doubters, but then new head coach Bruce Boudreau came on board and authored one of the greatest in-season turnarounds in NHL history. As to next season, I think Leonsis and General Manager George McPhee expect this team to qualify for the playoffs for many years to come, with the next goal winning a playoff series -- which in this case will be the first since 1998.

[Q] Watching Ovechkin day in and day out, is he hands down the most entertaining player in the league? What contributes to his success on and off the ice, and do you have a story or two from the regular season or the playoffs that expands on that?

[EM] If he isn't the most exciting and entertaining player in the league this season, I really don't know who else might be. He's really just the complete package when it comes to a hockey player: He's incredibly talented, driven and plays the game with absolute passion. Best of all, he holds himself accountable for his own play and never takes a shift off.

There are almost too many stories from this season: How about the four goals in the OT win against Montreal? Or the shot that looked like it was taken from a golf tee that beat Cam Ward in the last week of the season? Then there's the game-winning goal in Game One of the series against the Flyers where he ripped the puck off of Kukkonen's stick and put it past Biron?

[Q] With the amount of regular season travel, and with a team possibly having to come out of Dallas, Anaheim, Detroit, SJ, Calgary and Minnesota, is the West at a disadvantage for the Stanley Cup Finals?

[EM] Considering that the furthest West the Caps traveled this season was St. Louis, I can't help but think that the current schedule format makes for easier living for Eastern Conference teams. [Q] How many of the Capitals blogosphere did you get to meet while covering games, or while in the stands this season?

[EM] Between games and other get togethers, I've met plenty of folks, in fact, way too many to remember. The fact is that the team made a decision to reach out to local bloggers and it's working great. In Washington to understand what's going on with the team you really must read Japers' Rink, On Frozen Blog and the Peerless Prognosticator. Here's something that's hard to admit: There are so many Caps blogs out there now, I simply don't have time to read them all.

[Q] What impact has owner Ted Leonsis had on the NHL and the fan base in Washington with regards to innovation, adoption of new media, and a genuine passion emanating from the owners box?

[EM] You can't say enough about what Ted Leonsis has done for blogging locally. From the start, I always said that his reaching out to bloggers was just a natural extension of the way he does business. He's said that there will always be room for bloggers in his press box, and come playoff time when the place was packed he kept his promise, and that included finding a place for the Off Wing Photographers during the playoffs too.

Considering that the Caps already treat bloggers like any other members of the media, there really isn't anything else to do in that area. And the only suggestion I would deign to make would be to please keep it up and spread the word to other NHL and major league sports franchises.

Offwing Opinion photographer and Offwingphoto.com blogger Allen Clark answered a few questions about the logistics of shooting NHL hockey for a blog in Washington, which other local sports he has been able to cover, what equipment and techniques he uses to shoot hockey, and which photographers have helped him while shooting this season.

[Q] What equipment do you use to shoot for offwing.com and offwingphoto.com? And where can readers find more of the photography from the offwing photographers?

I use Nikon, of the two others one shoots Nikon also and the other Cannon. I have a Nikon D200 as my primary with an old D70 as a backup. Typically I will bring both down to the ice. On the D200 I put on my 70-200 2.8 Nikon lens, this is my primary set-up for nearly anything.

On my D70 I will then put a wild angle lens (11-18, 4-5.6). This is just a fun different thing to do. When the players get near my hole I can stick that lens through the hole and get a different perspective. Honestly, 90% of the stuff is horrible, but that leaves me with 10% of cool stuff that you don't often see elsewhere.

Nearly all of our photos of course show up on www.offwing.com, which was started by Eric McErlain. Last year we started making a concerted effort to expand our coverage to other sports. This led to Eric and I covering the Legg Mason tennis tournament, which is part of the US Open Series. Eric couldn't make it to the early rounds so I was put into the place to do some writing for OffWing. After that Eric urged me to start a blog and some writing, so OffWing Photo was born, a place where we could do more with our photos, experiment a little, and talk about sports photography specifically.

We also use Photoshelter as a way to syndicate photos of the events we cover to our clients. You can also find us on Flickr which is a great place to network with other photographers and people that love the same sports we do.

[Q] What arrangements did you have with the team to shoot this season,. Did they assign any blogs a photo hole, or was there an open policy if there was space available? Did that change for the postseason?

[AC] This is the second year that OffWing has had both editorial and photo credentials. I am fortunate on two accounts, first I followed in the steps of Eric, who worked hard to lay out a plan to credential bloggers. Secondly both Eric and I were lucky that the Cap's owner, Ted Leonsis, is a former AOL exec and hip to blogging.

The Caps treated us with a great deal of respect. In fact they didn't treat us any different than any other photographer. We were there when the Caps were in last place shooting every game and in the end as division champs. Fortunately, I have had a photo hole for every game that I have shot, there have been times when we did not have a hole for a period or two, but for the most part we have been down on the ice.

This didn't change for the post-season, although honestly I would have totally understood. If Sports Illustrated shows up you give them the the hole...but again, we were always treated with respect and I really appreciate it. I would also like to think that we in part earned the respect in the way that we covered the games.

[Q] In addition to the NHL, there were a number of general sports photos posted on offwing. What were a couple of your favorite NHL photos posted this season, and your favorite general sports photos?

[AC] Here are some of the favorites of photos that I took over the past year. Some I like for the straight photo, others I like because of the situation, where I was in the "wrong place," had the "wrong lens," etc. The adversity that I had to overcome forced me shooting the situation in a different/creative way.

NHL Favorites: 1, 2, 3.

General Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

[Q] Did you get a chance to meet other photographers this season, and who were your favorites?

[AC] Over the past year I have been able to meet a lot of great photographers. I have found that the temp of a particular sport determines to what extent you chat with the other photographers. Hockey is tougher because of the speed and that we are spread around the rink, then crashing to post images between periods. Lacrosse is similar in that play is moving so quickly up and down the field.

So far, soccer seems to be the most social. For the most part the photographers are camped out on the ends of the field and there doesn't seem to be the pressure to file photos during the game. Tennis was also a very social sport to shoot.

Mitchell Layton (www.mitchelllayton.com) is a great sports photographer, he is the team photographer for the Washington Nationals, Washington Wizards, and Washington Capitals, he also shoots for Getty and Sports Illustrated. He is a great person and also very open in giving constructive advice. As the Cap's team photographer he assigned holes for games and was very fair, like Eric's experience we were treated just as well as the other credentialed press.

[Q] Is there a tip or two you have learned this season that would help other photographers shoot hockey?

[AC] Over the past couple of years I have learned a few important things for shooting hockey:

- The camera's built in light meter will likely underexpose because of the ice (in the same way it would with snow). Either correct in camera by increasing the exposure more than what the camera reads or in post processing.

- Use custom white balance. This makes the color of your shots very uniform and more pleasing. With a DSLR, this is SO easy, it is something new to learn but it will make a huge difference.

- A friend who shoots belly dancing turned me onto this trick.....use variable ISO. I will turn this setting on and set the uppermost ISO that I will accept for quality purposes. I put the camera on manual mode and set my aperture wide open (I have a 70-200/f 2.8) and the shutter at what ever I need. Voilà a I did this all season and was very happy with the results.

- OK, this last one is a little crazy, I don't know if anyone else does this or not, I haven't heard or read of it anywhere. I shoot without looking through the viewfinder. When I first shot hockey I was missing so many great shots and was unable to track the puck fast enough. So I started looking down the barrel of my lens just over my camera. I kind of lock my upper body and head so that it moves as a unit (no doubt I look silly).

Shooting this way I can use my peripheral vision to anticipate where the action will take place more easily. I have gotten pretty good at this, and also use it when shooting lacrosse. For me the number of keepers went up and the total number of pictures went down.

Thanks very much to Eric and Allen for taking the time to answer a few questions.

The photographers that have stood out this year in San Jose are of course the official team photographers Rocky Widner and Don Smith (Don took a midseason photo of defenseman Douglas Murray checking a forward completely off his feet at center ice that may have been the best of the year), Getty's Christian Petersen, the AP's Tony Avelar, Gary Reyes of the SJ Mercury News, the East Bay's Aric Crabb who does not come down to cover much hockey with the newspaper consolidation, and Rob Galbraith who was at HP Pavilion shooting playoff hockey (hopefully the same R.G.), among many others.

[Update] Ovechkin In Hart Of The MVP Race - National Post.

Hockey Fundamentals: Power Skating

2008-04-30T00:24:00.000-07:00

Laura Stamm is an icon in the field of instructional skating. The author of 4 books, Stamm has developed power skating techniques used by amateur and professional hockey players alike. Her teaching system has been used by the Los Angeles Kings, New York Rangers, New York Islanders, New Jersey Devils, the German National team, the Swedish National team, the Finnish Ice Hockey Federation, and numerous individual players.

Originally a competitive figure skater, Stamm later became a figure skating coach at an ice rink also used by the New York Rangers. The Rangers asked Laura Stamm to teach power skating at their summer hockey school. At the request of New York Islanders GM Bill Torrey in 1973, Stamm began working 1-on-1 with Islanders rookie Bob Nystrom. Nystrom became known as one of the hardest working forwards on the team, earning the nickname "Mr. Islander". A pivotal part of the Stanley Cup winning Islanders dynasty from 1980-83, the team later created the Bob Nystrom Award for the player who "who best exemplifies leadership, hustle and dedication". Nystrom has said that without the help of Laura Stamm, he never would have made it to the NHL.

Laura Stamm believes there are three key rules to power skating, that a player must have 100% of his body weight directly above his working skate, that a player must attempt to skate with a 90 degree knee bend, and that the edge of the working skate must always be at a 45 degree angle to the ice. Stamm has also broken down power skating fundamentals into different areas: Balance and Control, Stride, Lateral Mobility, Starts and Stops, Transition, and Agility.

BALANCE AND CONTROL:
According to Laura Stamm skating is fundamentally a one legged activity, and balance on 1 skate is an important factor for power skating. The modern hockey skate blade has an inside and an outside edge seperated by a a crescent-shaped hollow. The depth of this hollow is known as the Radius of Hollow (ROH), and can vary from 1/4" and 1". Balance on the inside edge generates speed and direction, balance on the outside edge is critical for crossovers and maneuverability. Skating backwards maintaining balance is the same as skating forwards, except the weight is placed on the front half of the blade instead of the back half.

STRIDE:
The Laura Stamm power skating system dictates that there are 4 core elements to a powerful stride: windup, release, followthrough, and return/recovery. The windup digs the thrusting skate into the ice at a 45 degree angle, with the body weight centered over the skate, knees bent, and the feet coming together in a V position with each stride. The release transfers the entire body weight to the inside edge of the thrusting skate. The followthrough snaps the hip, thigh, knee, ankle and toe of the thrusting leg into a locked, straightened position providing a strong final push. The recovery returns the free leg to the center of the body for the next push. A powerful arm swings adds rythmn and momentum.

LATERAL MOBILITY:
Forward and backward crossovers are used by hockey players to accelerate on curves, circles and corners, weave, change direction, and move laterally. On the forward crossover the inside skate glides on its outside edge while the outside skate glides on its inside edge. The forward crossover consists of two pushes, one by the outside leg on the inside edge of the blade to maintain the momentum of the stride, and on the second push the outside leg crosses over the front to glide while the inside leg crosses behind to push on the outside edge of the blade. The backward crossover uses a similar two pushes, with the crossover outside skate passing in front of the inner skate.

STARTS/STOPS:
According to Stamm's power skating system aggressive starts contain three elements: quickness, power and distance. The first few strides are taken quickly on the toes, power is developed by pushing off explosively with each skate in the proper direction, and distance comes from the body leaning forward with each stride. Three types of starts can be utilized, the front start, the side or crossover start, and the backwards start. Each start utilizes a specific first step, its own system of pushes for acceleration, and a stance designed to maximize power and efficiency with each stride. Basic stops include the forward snowplow and the t-stop, but the most commonly used stop at the professional levels is the hockey stop. Both skates and the hips are turned 90 degrees from the direction of travel and the players weight is driven into the ice with a deep knee bend.

TRANSITION:
Professional hockey players must be able to change directions quickly, pivot, and instantly turn on a dime. According to Stamm, two-foot turns are the most basic where a player switches his body from facing forward to backward or vice versa with a quick change of direction simultaneously by each skate. The open turn consists of gliding forward on the inside edge of one skate, drawing the free skate in while facing it backwards. The hip is turned, and the lead skate is lifted off the ice while the trailing skate is placed on the ice. Both feet are in a wide V while briefly together on the ice. Forward-to-backward turns, and backward-to-forward turns can be executed more explosively, and each can be used at an angle, on a straight line, or in a circle. Each can utilize an open V or a crossover.

For more information on Laura Stamm's power skating techniques and a list of skating clinics and schools visit laurastamm.com. Also make sure to take a look at her skating tips section. A sample Laura Stamm forward stride analysis video is available on youtube here.

Laura Stamm's Power Skating, a Pro Coach's Secrets, and Power skating the hockey way books are available on Amazon.com.

[Update] Hockey Fundamentals: Goaltending - Sharkspage.com.

[Update2] Interview with San Jose Sharks scout Pat Funk - Max Giese for Sharkspage.com.

Four unanswered goals in third period down Sharks 5-2, San Jose heads to Texas down 2 games to 0

2008-04-28T09:36:00.000-07:00

#91 BRAD RICHARDS CAPITALIZES ON A TURNOVER TO TIE THE GAME AT 2-2

#10 BRENDEN MORROW CELEBRATES MODANO'S GW GOAL IN 3RD

#8 JOE PAVELSKI DEFLECTS A GOAL HIGH OVER MARTY TURCO IN THE 1ST

THIS SIGN IN SAN JOSE WILL HAVE MORE MEANING FOR GAME 3

There is a train station next door to HP Pavilion. After each game a number of fans race across West Santa Clara street to catch the last train out of San Jose. After the Dallas Stars scored 4 unanswered third period goals en route to a 5-2 win on Sunday night, the Stars second straight win on San Jose home ice, the Shark train literally and possibly figuratively left the building.

The turning point of game 2 came with the Sharks up 2-1 at the start of the third period. As the Sharks were moving the puck out of their own zone, Dallas center Brad Richards stepped up to center Joe Pavelski at the blueline. Pavelski caught an edge and hit the ice, leaving the former Conn Smythe winning Richards alone in front of Evgeni Nabokov with the puck. Richards uncorked a hard wrist shot to tie the game, igniting a 4-goal onslaught by Dallas in the final 20 minutes of play.

After the game Pavelski mentioned to the media that the turnover was something he would think about, but try to put behind him as quickly as possible. It is something he should not think twice about. Pavelski (4G, 4A, 9GP), tied with Ryane Clowe (4G, 4A, 9GP) and Joe Thornton (2G, 6A, 9GP) for the Sharks playoff scoring lead, has been the most consistent offensive threat for San Jose. Pavelski has two power play goals in the postseason, two game winning goals, and has shown the killer instinct around the net that at times has been lacking from other forwards. The Plover Wisconsin native led the Badgers to their sixth NCAA national championship in 2006, and he has won at every level of hockey he has participated in a la Chris Drury.

Midway through the first period, Pavelski expertly deflected a Craig Rivet point shot high over the shoulder of Marty Turco. It was the Sharks first power play goal, after three consecutive penalties by Grossman (holding the stick), Turco (interference) and Lundqvist (roughing) had the Stars reeling. Marty Turco kept the game from getting out of hand early, getting a shoulder on a Jeremy Roenick deflection and the tip of his leg pad on another point blank shot emanating from a pile of bodies in front of the crease.

On the other side of the ice, Evgeni Nabokov struggled with his most uneven performance of the playoffs. After the Stars kept the puck in the zone late in the first period, a Brenden Morrow point shot ricochetted off of the end boards. Center Mike Ribeiro noticed that Nabokov did not seal the near post after making a save on Richards, and Ribeiro banked a shot off the Sharks goaltender and into the net to tie the game at 1-1. After the bad break led to a Richards game tying goal early in the third period, Nabokov did not look good on goals allowed to Mike Modano (PP) and Niklas Hagman. San Jose Sharks head coach Ron Wilson pulled Nabokov for backup goaltender Brian Boucher with over three minutes remaining, but in the post-game press conference he said that he wanted his team to have a breather without having to take a timeout.

After the game a TSN reporter asked Sharks assistant captain Joe Thornton if the Sharks needed better goaltending from Evgeni Nabokov in order to win this series. Thornton scoffed at the question, said that the team needs to give Nabokov better goal support, and politely excused himself from answering any more questions. It was a similar theme taken later that night by NHL on the Fly's Dave Reid. Reid broke down Nabokov's collision with Ehrhoff and stumble getting across the crease on Brenden Morrow's OT game winner in game 1, broke down his misplay on the Ribeiro goal and the shaky third period in game 2, and noted that Nabokov had the worst save percentage in the playoffs (.883).

It was a similar concern voiced by some in the media when the topic of the Vezina trophy was raised, but it should be noted that the Sharks forwards focus on dropping down to block shots, and the suffocating play by the defense greatly skewed that save percentage number during the regular season. In the playoffs the Sharks often outshot their opposition 2-1, registering 287 shots while facing only 205 shots against. Nabokov faced only 10 in game 4 of the WCQF against Calgary, and only 18 shots in the overtime loss to Dallas in game 1 of the WCSF. To the Sharks coaching staff and the Sharks locker room only one statistic matters, wins and losses.

NHL on the Fly's Dave Reid also broke down the return of Dallas Stars offensive defenseman Sergei Zubov. The 6-foot-1, 220 pound blueliner has missed the last half of the regular season with a foot injury and surgery to repair a sports hernia. He has not played since a January 17th regular season game in San Jose. In Zubov's return, he registered 16:19 of ice time, 2 shots, 1 assist, and 2PIMs. On the fly focused on his slow reaction to a Michalek drive to the net resulting in a first period hooking penalty, another weak stick check by Zubov that Michalek powered through to score the second Sharks goal, an errant pinch leading to a 2-on-1 and a missed point blank opportunity by Torrey Mitchell (a Stu Barnes backcheck bailed out Zubov on the play), and a spin-o-rama assist setting up Mike Modano for the game winning goal on the first Stars power play of the game in the third period. It was a mixed bag performance by Zubov in his return, but he can only be expected to improve with each game.

Marty Turco made 29 saves on 31 shots to earn his second straight road win to open this WCSF series. Evgeni Nabokov made 21 saves on 25 shots, and backup goaltender Brian Boucher did not make a save in 1:19 of reserve duty. The Stars finished 1-3 on the power play, the Sharks finished with 1 power play goal in 4 opportunities. The San Jose Sharks are 9th out of 16 playoff teams in power play percentage (17.9) scoring 7 power play goals on 39 opportunities, and last place in penalty kill percentage (73.3) allowing 8 goals against on 30 power plays. The Stars are 2nd on the power play (12-46) and 6th on the penalty kill (6-33) in the postseason.

A photo gallery from the game is available here. Youtube video highlights from the game are available here.

Post-game press conference transcript, San Jose Sharks head coach Ron Wilson, Dallas Stars head coach Dave Tippett

2008-04-28T07:34:00.000-07:00

SAN JOSE SHARKS HEAD COACH RON WILSON POST-GAME

Post-game press conference comments from San Jose Sharks head coach Ron Wilson:

We are down 2-0. Am I disappointed? Yes.

They got a lucky break. Joe Pavelski lost an edge. They were in a great position, and a great player took advantage of just a bad break. We got a power play and we were doing great. There was a bad call on Christian (Ehrhoff). He got called for holding. I would like to see the hold, but nonetheless they took advantage of that situation as well. From that point on we were playing against a team that shuts down things as well as anybody. We had a tough time generating offense. We had a tough time trying to shut down the Ribeiro line. They were dangerous just about every shift, until the third period when we changed up who was playing against him. Now we just have to look. We have played very well in Dallas all season long. We are down 2-0. We can just relax and push the pace. Simple as that in Dallas, play as a desperate hockey team.

We missed a lot of chances. There's the Torrey Mitchell open net chance, we hit a post on a power play, in the second period there were plenty of missed opportunities, but you have to keep playing on you don't wory about your missed opportunities. We went into that third period with a lead. Again, there is nothing you can do when a guy loses an edge on a play.

It is a combination of two things. When you are playing against some really good hockey players, the Ribeiro line is as good as any in the playoffs right now, you have to be aware of that and keep them on the outside, not turn pucks over, and win little battles down low. We got caught on a couple of poor exchanges between the goal and defense, and when they sense a potential for a turnover they jump on it. If not, they back right off. They took advantage. The first goal they scored, they took advantage of a miscommunication behind the net, and 25-30 seconds later they scored. In the third period, it is kind of difficult to say. Ignore the fourth and the fifth goals, the tying goal is nothing we can do about it. A guy slips and falls, in an almost non-dangerous situation. The other one we got puck focused, and Zubov made an unbelievable pass.

We believe (in our team). That is all that matters. Not what you (the media) believe. We have been counted out a number of times this year, so we'll bounce back. I am confident of that. The record showed it throughout the season, were the best road team in the NHL. Now we have a chance to prove that.

DALLAS STARS HEAD COACH DAVE TIPPETT POST-GAME

Post-game press conference comments from Dallas Stars head coach Dave Tippett:

On the goal in the third period, it is simply a situation where a player lost an edge. Richy is an opportunistic guy that way. It is one thing to get a turnover, but it is what you do with it that makes you really look at it. What he did with it was pretty special.

I look at (Zubov's absence) as three months of rest, not three months of rust. That is what we said after the game. All the guys that have been playing two pass with him after practice to get him in shape, cheers to them tonight.

We happened to mention that pass in the scrum after the game. That is shinny hockey at its finest. But Zuby, that is part of his game. That is pretty special. To find a guy right on his tape, spinning around like that, that is a pretty special play. But we have seen that from Zuby around here for a long time.

The game was pretty tight, we got a break early in the third. I think we started the game pretty well. Then we ended up taking those penalties which really put us on our heels. We clawed ourselves back in, and in the third period we wanted to come out and push the envelope a little bit and we got a break on the early goal. We kept pushing. I thought we pushed right until the end. We needed a strong period to win the game, and our guys came up with that.

There are certain times, you see the way a guy prepares. (Niklas Hagman) has really worked hard at it here the last few days. He was a little bit snake bit in the Anaheim series, so it is good to see him come up and get a couple. That is the kind of team we have to be. We are not going to rely on any one or two guys to do it. There were stretches where I thought the Ribeiro line was the only line we were getting things from, but it was great to see Richards and Hagman put up a little speed, I thought it would be good for them tonight. We were fortunate to get a couple. Haggy got a couple. One on an empty net, but he still got a couple.

We should recognize what happened last series. We came out of there with a 2-0 lead. We knew our opponent was going to play a very strong game. There is no reason not to think they are going to come in (and play the same way). We talk about a desperate team, whatever it is, but we have to go back and make sure we play our best game at home. If we do that, we will have the best chance to win.

Brenden Morrow scores twice in Dallas 3-2 OT win in Game 1, defensive lapses and Stars neutral zone trap a concern for San Jose

2008-04-26T08:16:00.000-07:00

SHARKS AND STARS LINE UP FOR THE U.S. NATIONAL ANTHEM

SAN JOSE SHARKS CENTER #8 JOE PAVELSKI WINS THE OPENING FACEOFF

DALLS STARS CAPTAIN #10 BRENDEN MORROW SPEAKS WITH THE MEDIA

The San Jose Sharks outskated, outshot (27-18), and outhit (31-27) Dallas on Friday night in the first game of the Western Conference Semifinal, but the Stars emerged with a 3-2 overtime win based on a tight defensive game and more intensity in critical situations. Three defensive miscues by the Sharks lead to three Dallas Stars goals, and despite a late push to tie the game in regulation it was too big a deficit to overcome. As with Calgary, the Sharks displayed a vastly different game than the suffocating defensive style that helped them become a dominant team in the second half of the regular season.

San Jose captain Patrick Marleau hopped over a Mike Modano power play point shot in the second period that may have given goaltender Evgeni Nabokov less time to see the shot, but that was the least of the Sharks problems on Friday night. 9:09 into the second period, Stars captain Brenden Morrow battled defenseman Christian Ehrhoff in the corner before backhanding the puck deep behind the Sharks net. Mike Ribeiro beats Torrey Mitchell to the puck, and explodes to the side of the net with two hard strides. Ribeiro tries to stuff a backhand wraparound attempt, but the puck deflects off a mass of bodies to the far side of the crease. Morrow beats Ehrhoff off the wall and sweeps in an uncontested goal to give the Stars a 2-1 lead. A collision between Jere Lehtinen and defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic left Vlasic on the ice, Mitchell tried to tie up Ribeiro for a rebound but a backchecking Patrick "Rizzle" Rissmiller ran into him and fell to the ice, and Mike Grier was too far off from the play to help Ehrhoff contain a crashing Morrow. Every Shark on the ice save for Nabokov made a mistake on the play, and with a disciplined style and a tight defense from Dallas one goal could be the difference in any game this series.

The third defensive breakdown for San Jose resulted in the overtime game winning goal for Brenden Morrow at 4:39, his second of the night. The Sharks outshot Dallas 27-15 in regulation, but the Stars registered all 3 shots in OT. Dallas center Mike Ribeiro drives down the left wing and pulls up at the half boards. Ribeiro saucers a cross ice pass to defenseman Stephane Robidas, who can not control the puck at first touch. A diving Patrick Marleau forces Robidas back behind the net before crashing into the boards. Robidas circles behind and finds his defensive partner Mattias Norstrom open on the left point. Norstrom moves it to an unchecked Brenden Morrow near the right faceoff circle and Morrow slaps a one-timer passed Evgeni Nabokov glove side. Dallas Stars take the WCSF game 1 with a 3-2 win in overtime. The Stars have won 7 of their last 8 games at HP Pavilion.

Offensively, the Sharks did what they needed to do in order to score goals on Marty Turco. One Canadian analyst held his hands 6 inches apart and noted that all of the San Jose Sharks goals came from that distance, with a mass of bodies creating traffic in front of the net. Milan Michalek rung a shot off the crossbar in the first period, but in the second period the left winger scored his first goal of the postseason. Many in the media have been focusing on Michalek's lack of playoff production, but when the large scoreboard flashed that it was his first goal the crowd at HP Pavilion erupted in a near standing ovation. A turnover by Dallas in their own zone started the play. Brian Campbell moved the puck to Joe Thornton in the slot, who kicked the puck to his stick and then fired it to Michalek on the right side. Michalek stickhandled twice to his left forcing Turco to go down early, then snapped a shot that found its way through a Niskanen/Cheechoo battle in front. Turco was caught out of position, and the puck trickled its way over the goal line. After the initial San Jose goal there was a long Tuuurrr-cccooo, Tuuurrr-cccooo chant from the crowd.

The second San Jose goal to tie the game at 2-2 late in the third period was of a similar variety. The Sharks had a number of shots from the defense all night, 10 total, but more importantly they were finding their way on net and creating opportunities for rebounds and deflections if the forwards were in position. A point shot by Rivet was blocked, but the puck deflected to Matt Carle on the opposite side. Carle fires a low shot on net as the Sharks outnumber Dallas 3-1 in front of Turco. Two Dallas Stars are too far off the crease and out of the play. The puck deflects off the upper body of Turco and drops to the ice in front of him. Three Sharks are in position to take a whack at the rebound, but Cheechoo is the first to hammer it home before getting checked on top of Turco. Cheechoo started celebrating mid-air before falling on Turco.

Marty Turco made 25 saves on 27 shots to earn the game 1 win. Evgeni Nabokov made 15 saves on 18 shots, including only 2 shots taken by Dallas in the first period. The Stars finished 1-5 on the power play. San Jose was held scoreless in 4 power play attempts. Semenov, Ozolinsh, Brown, Shelley, and McLaren (lower body) were scratched for San Jose. Barch, Winchester, Boucher, Crombeen, and Zubov were scratched for Dallas.

A photo gallery from the game is available here. Youtube video highlights from the game are available here.