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NHL Western Conference Final: St. Louis Blues vs San Jose Sharks

By Jennifer Hoffman

May 12, 2016; San Jose, CA, USA; San Jose Sharks center Joe Pavelski (8) and defenseman Brent Burns (88) and center Patrick Marleau (12) shake hands with Nashville Predators center Mike Fisher (12) and defenseman Barret Jackman (5) after the end of the game seven of the second round of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs at SAP Center at San Jose. San Jose defeated Nashville 5-0. Mandatory Credit: Neville E. Guard-USA TODAY Sports
May 12, 2016; San Jose, CA, USA; San Jose Sharks center Joe Pavelski (8) and defenseman Brent Burns (88) and center Patrick Marleau (12) shake hands with Nashville Predators center Mike Fisher (12) and defenseman Barret Jackman (5) after the end of the game seven of the second round of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs at SAP Center at San Jose. San Jose defeated Nashville 5-0. Mandatory Credit: Neville E. Guard-USA TODAY Sports /
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NHL Western Conference Final: St. Louis Blues/San Jose Sharks Will Open Their Series on Sunday

The Blues advanced – and so did the Sharks. Two teams who have been giving it their all each and every season to make it one step closer to Lord Stanley finally got over the hump and back into the NHL Western Conference Final.

For head coach Ken Hitchcock and the St.Louis Blues this is their first appearance in the Conference Final in 15 years and their first chance at playing for the Cup since 1970.

As for Joe Pavelski and the Sharks, this is their fourth appearance in the NHL Western Conference Final, their last time being in 2011. San Jose missed the playoffs last year and were ousted in the first round the previous year by the LA Kings after they were up 3-0 in the series.

May 11, 2016; Dallas, TX, USA; St. Louis Blues goalie Brian Elliott (1) makes a save against the Dallas Stars during the third period in game seven of the second round of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs at American Airlines Center. The Blues won 6-1. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
May 11, 2016; Dallas, TX, USA; St. Louis Blues goalie Brian Elliott (1) makes a save against the Dallas Stars during the third period in game seven of the second round of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs at American Airlines Center. The Blues won 6-1. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports /

These two teams have been picked by many in recent years to win the Stanley Cup only to end in disappointment and an early tee time. Yet, here they are in 2016 in a best of seven series, each four wins away from punching their ticket to the Stanley Cup Final.

Joe Pavelski, Joe Thornton, and Patrick Marleau  have proven difference makers on the man-advantage (PP).

Pavelski is tied with Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov for the league lead with nine goals on 39 shots.

The Sharks also lead the entire NHL with a 11.9 shooting percentage.

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Their power play is without a doubt San Jose’s greatest weapon in this series and may prove more important than goaltending.

The Sharks led the NHL with 62 power play goals on 275 chances in the regular season. As far as the playoffs go, they lead the league with 13 power play goals on 42 chances.

However the Blues were pretty solid on the penalty kill as they were 18-20 in the series against Dallas.

Ken Hitchcock’s Blues have been coached to play a detail oriented structured game. He’s always good for creating clever plays and thinking things through. This type of physical and structured game can wear opponents down. With a total of 439 hits after two rounds of play, expect that number to go up in this series.

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A way to neutralize the offensive fire power of the Sharks the Blues will be physicality.

With a seasoned veteran at the helm like Hitchcock it will help the Blues in such an important series like this with so much on the line. He’s the guy I would want to help get a team over the hump and back into the Stanley Cup Final.

This series is all about redemption and finally getting past a point in the post season that neither team has experienced in quite a while.

Can Vladimir Tarasenko finally get to play for Lord Stanley, or will it be the veterans in Joe Pavelski and Patrick Marleau representing the West in the finals?

Both of these teams are playing with the same heart and same passion to finally get there, but only one can advance. If there is any Sharks team that can make it to the Stanley Cup Final it’s this one.

Next: NHL Eastern Conference Final: Penguins vs. Lightning

Each team has depth but offensively the Sharks are deeper and when those players connect they’re loaded on all cylinders.

History is not on St. Louis’ side as in it would suggest that to make it to the Cup Final, a short series is needed in one of the previous rounds. I wouldn’t want to miss a single minute of this series as it will be everything a hockey lover wants it to be, you’ll see the passion each team has and how much heart it takes to win.

It won’t be easy but Sharks in six.

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