Here’s the thing about both teams last night… neither played how they should have, and yet neither team played badly. They weren’t terrific and they weren’t awful. So let’s break down how this occured.
The Blues won off the Sharks not paying attention on defense on the first goal – if they had been paying attention and had hit Backes out of screen zone, that goal doesn’t happen. The second should have been stopped, either by Burns extending his stick a little, or by Martin Jones, who had perfect vision but just couldn’t make the stop. Neither of these mistakes will be likely exploited, because if Peter DeBoer is as smart as I give him credit for he will clear those mistakes up – although clearing the paint was a problem against Nashville as well.
The Sharks were a few unfortunate breaks going the other way from coming away with a 4-2 win. This is a team with not a ton of luck in opponent’s rinks, but that might turn because what I saw out of the Sharks in the second and third was better than what I saw out of the Blues in those periods.
The refs blew a free puck dead, and that likely could have been a Sharks goal. Elliott somehow magically stopped a puck from hitting the inside of the net even though it should have – that’s a puck luck break and one the Sharks will probably be repaid for. Elliott actually came up with some miracle saves throughout the game, and so all credit for the win goes to him – yet again. It feels like whenever I say that about the Blues that’s said. I wonder who I’d give the Conn to if the Blues finally win it all… the same guy who had “goalie controversy” in Game 7 then completely dominated.
The Sharks will be back. The only way the Blues could shutdown any of the lines was by Elliott coming up huge, and that likely won’t happen against the onslaught the Sharks are capable of for four of the next six games. Joe Pavelski will likely be a shooting ace again for the Sharks.
This series will be Badger vs. Badger as the two former Wisconsin teammates go head to head – Pavelski vs. Elliott – to see who’s able to move their team forward. Sharks in 6 doesn’t happen without two wins by the Blues.