The Sharks are having their “Don’t Stop Me Now” moment, having beaten the Blues in 6 games, on the backs of their defense and Joe Pavelski. This looks like a team that can take on whoever comes out of the East, and should surprise a lot of people with how well they play in the next round. That’s right, the Sharks are your 2016 Western Conference champions!

The unrelenting pressure from the Sharks offensively through this game, goals coming from Joel Ward (2) and Joe Pavelski, they made it so when the Blues finally did score, it didn’t matter. Tarasenko finally got on the scoreboard in this game with two goals, but that was it from the 8 mil winger. The Sharks dominated this game, as they just simply wanted it far more than the Blues.

The Blues have a lot of people to blame for this – Vladimir Tarasenko was held to two points, Ken Hitchcock was outcoached, neither goaltender was amazing, but the offense was nowhere to be seen for three games – the two shutouts and this elimination game. That’s who this should ultimately fall on, the offense was just lacking for the Blues, and while the defense couldn’t step up like they did vs. the Hawks and Stars, they couldn’t get anything past a former Kings backup.

This Sharks team is looking better and better. Doug Wilson is a should-be GM of the Year nominee. Same with Peter DeBoer. Everything Wilson has done within the last year has paid off for the team in this series and throughout the playoffs, from the offseason adding Joel Ward, Martin Jones, Joonas Doomski, Paul Martin, and DeBoer, to the deadline trading for James Reimer, Roman Polak, and Nick Spaling. This team has what it takes to become a champion, and its because of the two men in charge.

The defense stepped up this game again, and throughout the series whenever they did, they won the game. That’s the thing – Jones was a backup in LA. Throughout this post-season he’s shown that he’s better (IMO) than Quick, and yet  he hadn’t had a full season of starting before this year. He had some rough patches, but he hasn’t done so in the 18 games the Sharks have played since mid-April.

The Sharks will look to lock up their first-ever cup in their first-ever Finals, and it’s safe to say this is a team the entire Western Conference can get behind. If the Hawks don’t sign Andrew Shaw, expect to hear a ton more about San Jose here in the next year.

Sharks in 6. #IToldYouSo