Out in the Western Conference of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the four teams left in the hunt had to duke it out by way of a couple of rubber matches this week, with the San Jose Sharks and the St. Louis Blues emerging victorious from their respective Game-7 matches – both in dominant five-point-blowout fashions at that.
The Sharks and the Blues have both been the NHL’s biggest disappointments come postseason, with neither club having succeeded at hoisting Lord Stanley’s trophy by the end of their previous campaigns. However, only one team will advance to the big dance in about a couple of weeks’ time. Will it be the boys from The Bay, or The Lou?
Join us as we breakdown this spectacular Conference Final series below. Afterwards, check out the equally-riveting action over in the East with our series preview for Tampa Bay vs. Pittsburgh.
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San Jose Sharks vs. St. Louis Blues Series Preview
Keys to the Series
San Jose Sharks
St. Louis Blues
St. Louis is playing like the cohesive unit that they aimed to be during the preseason, and the team passed every daunting test that was thrown its way this postseason. Vladimir Tarasenko (13 points in the playoffs), Robby Fabbri (13), David Backes (12) and Jaden Schwartz (11) all had their shining moments for the Blues. Team captain Backes, in particular, is riding a three-game points streak entering Game 1 against the Sharks on Sunday, and has six goals and six assists through 14 playoff games.
Goalie Matchup
Martin Jones
In his first crack as a postseason goaltender, Martin Jones has certainly turned some heads after stepping out of Jonathan Quick’s shadow from his time in Los Angeles. His first-career playoff shutout couldn’t have come at a better time (Game 7 against Nashville on Thursday), and he also boasts a dazzling .918 save percentage in the playoffs. Furthermore, Jones has yet to lose a game in this postseason after allowing no more than three goals.
Brian Elliott
As balanced as the Blues are on the attack, there’s really no doubt that decade-long netminder Brian Elliott has been their season’s ultimate savior. Elliott was the team’s solid rock in the regular season, and he even saved his best for the playoffs by making 31 saves apiece in two of St. Louis’ Game-7 affairs to seal the deal for his team. He even posted a fantastic 3-1 record away from home with a .949 save percentage and a 1.69 goals-against average in four contests on the Dallas Stars’ home ice from the previous series.
Series MVP
St. Louis’ Tarasenko and Backes each have a compelling case to presumably win this award, but San Jose wouldn’t be in the Western Conference Final without Joe Pavelski’s knack for finding the back of the net. His nine goals scored is currently tied with Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov for the most goals in this postseason, with four of them via the Sharks’ relentless power play attack. To top it all off, the Sharks are a perfect 8-0 in the playoffs wherein Pavs registered at least one point in the contest.
Writer’s Prediction
The Sharks prevail with another thrilling winner-take-all Game 7 victory to advance to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in franchise history.
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