San Jose could use a performance like one of those.
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“There’s so many things that can happen when you win just one game”, Martin said.
The Sharks are operating under the theory that they can play much better hockey than they have shown to this point.
Historically, a 3-1 deficit in the Stanley Cup Final has been nearly impossible to overcome.
Behind 3-1 in the best-of-seven series to the Pittsburgh Penguins, the familiar finger has been pointed at the big-name players who have not scored, have not affected the game and have yet to play up to their all-star billing.
Certainly, with Pittsburgh’s recent playoff history, there may be more hope than what appears on the surface.
Professional athletes who fight odds and gravity to reach a Cup Final do not suddenly seize up and fail to properly function. Reputations are also made for those players who shrink under the spotlight.
The Sharks’ best game involves a more aggressive demeanor, putting more bodies in front of Penguins goalie Matt Murray and attacking the net.
Guy Costa, the city’s chief of operations, said public works crews began going to various parts of the city Wednesday to enforce a little-known ordinance in advance of the Pittsburgh Penguins potentially winning the Stanley Cup during the Thursday night game at Consol Energy Center. Couture (26 points), Burns (22 points) and Thornton (20 points) have two assists each but still no goals.
The Sharks now face the daunting task of handing the Penguins their first three-game losing streak since early December and must find a way to reverse their current slide against Pittsburgh. “I don’t believe it’s gripping their sticks too tight”. I have no doubt he’s going to break through here.
“But yeah, I’ve been up 3-1 a couple times”.
Pittsburgh is showing us that they want to win the cup at home in 2016. It’s getting it done. “We got a goal from Melker Karlsson (Monday) night. We’re out of time”.
Phil Kessel insists nothing has changed. Sidney Crosby has no goals, but he’s playing possessed and might be the leading Conn Smythe Trophy contender. The only victor in that span came in 1942, when Toronto actually rallied from 3-0 down to beat Detroit.
The Sharks, meanwhile, have been unable to find the magic that carried them through the first through rounds of the playoffs.
The Pirates’ World Series wins in 1971 and 1979 came on the road in Baltimore, and, of course, all six of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Super Bowl wins have come at neutral-site games out of town.
Burns, who is a Norris Trophy finalist and was added to Canada’s World Cup of Hockey roster based on how well he had been playing in the playoffs, is playing as though he can not decide between playing forward or defence. “I think everybody feels we have another level we can rely on and we believe we can get to it”. I thought every game we’ve created a little bit more chances to score.
“That was a pretty humorous moment this morning”, DeBoer said. “(Pavelski, Thornton and company) get a ton of attention.
DeBoer said of their good start in Game 4, and there being something that hasn’t been there to get a lead that he can put his finger on, “I liked our start”.
“We’ve asked him to improve in certain areas of his game away from the puck, in the battle areas, and he’s embraced our message”, Sullivan said. “That’s something that we have to get fixed”.
“There are some things we can do”.
So often in the Stanley Cup playoffs, the best team is the one with depth.
Oddsmakers at Bovada.lv give San Jose the edge, making them the favorites to win the title at +160.
Yes, credit goes to Pittsburgh.
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While requiring more production from their top players, San Jose is also looking for greater contributions from those deeper in the lineup.
