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Secrets / Tips to beating the San Jose Sharks in Round 1?


Slegr

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Playing old fashioned honest playoff hockey will win us the series.

Mistakes determines who wins series, so don't make any. This includes getting penalties.

Playing good stifling defence and wait for your opportunities. Make every check.

We are faster and their d is old and slower, get pucks deep with energy and forecheck the heck out of them.

Be there for your teammates / play with heart.

Shoot the puck / go to the net

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If we play Kesler against Thornton it's going to fail just like it did last series. Simply put, Joe Thornton is too big for Kes to physical dominant and intimidate. Couture will be his shutdown focus as the Sedins can play a much more effective game against Joe; he won't be able to use his big body to protect the puck if the Sedins have puck possesson all the time.

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Guest Dasein

We need Kesler in Olympic form in order to advance in the playoffs this year. In recent years I have been extremely disappointed with his playoff performances.

Our goalie - which ever one - has to steal a game or two and NOT handle the puck very much.

Kassian has to be big in front of the other teams net.

Garrison has to use his shot often.

Then basically we just need to play sharp and avoid stupid penalties. Don't give the refs any excuses.

Always apply pressure.

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Simple; score even strength goals. In our last 10 games against relatively disinterested opposition we are 5-4-1 and out of the whopping 23 goals that we've scored fully 8 of them were on the PP. Won't get it done in the post season (against ANY team).

Cory will have to at least match Niemi (which I'm confident he will do).

Play tough but stay disciplined; remember we have had two guys suspended for headshots that knocked guys out of the playoffs in our last 9 playoff games. Let Torres get the suspension.

No more cartwheels or other nonsense. Play through the checks no matter how illegal you think they might be. We have to dispel the notion that we are soft divers and there is no better time to start doing that than right now. Turn the other cheek and don't yell at the refs. It might be hard and even galling at times but the playoffs are where mental toughness pays off. The Sharks whine quite a bit as well; let them make the bad impression.

TRY not to get hurt. It's a crapshoot for sure but don't be reckless. And if we do suffer injuries remember that ALL teams get some injuries so don't use them as an excuse for failure.

We are in tough against a team that we haven't beat all year but, as the old saw goes, the playoffs are a whole new thing. Forget about the last month and start fresh.

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i have low expectations this year .. I will be thrilled if our boys advance .. realistically Im just not so sure they will .... hopefully the reffing is fair and our transition game , and speed hurts the sharks .. injuries will obviously be a huge key too ...

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They gotta be able to roll their lines. The Sharks have Thornton, Couture, and Pavelski and center. You can't throw Roy with Kesler and be able to stack up against these guys. It's been pointed out but if this turns into a special teams battle, we aren't winning this time around.

Daniel - Henrik - Burrows/Kassian

We know what this line brings when they are on their game. Our most consistent offensive threat. Kassian can jump up on this line if the Sedins need more protection, which I could see being very important seeing as the Sharks stole Torres out from under us on the deadline. Match them up against Thornton's line.

Higgins - Kesler - Kassian/Burrows

This line is big, fast, and powerful. I've liked Kassian playing with Kesler this year, and I think they'll both be at their best in the playoffs. Burrows can swap into that spot when they need a spark, or to become a full-on shutdown line. Kesler and Higgins will be vital to suffocating Couture.

Raymond - Roy - Hansen

Lots of speed, Hansen and Roy can be pretty tenacious on the forecheck, and Roy and Raymond can work some pretty creative offensive plays. My only concern is that Roy and Higgins have some really good chemistry, but Roy and Hansen connected for a pretty nice goal last night as well. Match them up against Pavelski's line.

Sestito/Ballard - Lapierre - Weise

Hits. Lots and lots of HITS. Make the boards rattle, when San Jose's defense is constantly looking over their shoulders they'll start making mistakes. They had a few games like this towards the end of the season, and as bad as this last game was I thought Sestito was solid enough to get in over Pinizzotto or Ebbett. If Sestito struggles, swap him out for Ballard. You lose a little size but add more speed, and Ballard can be a mean little bugger when he wants to.

Hamhuis - Bieksa

I'm loathe to break up Hamhuis and Garrison, but Bieksa has been battling injuries and inconsistency all season and getting him back with a guy that he's comfortable with and will calm him down is essential. We NEED to have this shutdown pairing back. Put them out with Kesler's line against Couture.

Edler - Garrison

Again, I don't want to break up Hamhuis and Garrison but now that Garrison has settled into playing the right side I'm hoping he'll be able to calm Edler down if things get too crazy. Plus, having two cannons on that point like that will have the Sharks thinking twice about trying to block shots.

Alberts - Corrado/Tanev

Alberts has been a pleasant surprise this season, he makes mistakes but he seems much faster and he's physical. That size is going to be vital in the playoffs, especially against a team that has a lot of big forwards. Corrado gets in there for now based on some solid play, but I think Tanev deserves to get the nod once he's back from injury.

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- Beat them with our depth up front and on defense.

- Sedins need to take advantage of their lack of a true shutdown pairing

- Edler and Bieksa need to have a very limited amount of brainfarts

- Play to our strength of an agressive D and keep throwing shots and bodies on net to throw Niemi off his game

- Stay out of the box

- Outhit them

- Get our powerplay going, put Garrison on the 1st unit

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