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BRHL Home -> BRHL2 Message Board -> Main Board -> BRHL Playoff Preview: San Jose vs Phoenix
Post Info TOPIC: BRHL Playoff Preview: San Jose vs Phoenix
BluesGM


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BRHL Playoff Preview: San Jose vs Phoenix
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San Jose (46-27-5-4) didn't have much competition for the division title, finishing 11 points ahead of their closest competitor. This series is one of two between divisional opponents. San Jose were consistently doing well throughout the season, but late in the season they found the winning formula winning 20 of the last 26 games of the season. San Jose success depends on their young guns, lead by Eric Staal with 90 points, the top 6 scorers on the Sharks are 25 years old or younger. In net they've made changes, trading away Miikka Kiprusoff in exchange for Marty Turco. Turco finished with 2.85 GAA and .894 SV% while another acquisition of Sean Burke provides the Sharks with a veteran backup, though his numbers (3.06 GAA, .890 SV%) does not reflect the impact in the dressing room that he has.

Phoenix (42-34-3-3) surprised a lot of people when they made a late charge to grab 6th place in the playoffs. With a severely weaken team at the beginning of the season, a bottom 3 finish was expected. But winning 8 of the last 9 games, Phoenix snuck into the playoffs after some poor results for other teams. Brendan Shanahan was the team's MVP posting 93 points for the Coyotes, with Andy McDonald and Bill Guerin also posting solid numbers. Arguably the best UFA signing in the league was Phoenix signing Ed Belfour to a 2 million dollar contract. Belfour split time with Andrew Raycroft, but still posted a 2.97 GAA and .884 SV% in 53 games.

Special Teams:

With all the firepower that San Jose possess, it's a mystery why their powerplay is ranked 15th in the league, maybe a change up in lines for the powerplay is needed? Whatever they decide with the powerplay, they should leave the penalty kill alone, ranked 2nd in the league the series will be battled between Phoenix's powerplay versus San Jose's penalty kill. With San Jose averaging 18 PIM a game, Phoenix must take advantage of this.

Phoenix's veteran firepower led to a 9th place finish in powerplay efficiency, as Shanahan and Guerin had 13 and 10 powerplay points each. Although Phoenix are ranked 22nd in the penalty kill, they conceed the 2nd least PIM a game. So San Jose will have to take advantage of whatever powerplays they can get.

In eight regular season games this year, San Jose won the season series 5-3-0, outscoring the Coyotes 25-23. Alexander Ovechkin, Zach Parise and Milan Michalek all had 6 points in the series against Phoenix leading the way for the Sharks while Phoenix were led by Andy McDonald and Brendan Shanahan with 9 points each.

Where the series will be won or lost for:

San Jose
    - Won - San Jose young guns continuing to fire, Turco maintaining solid play
    - Lost - Lack of veteran presences up front not leading the way for the Sharks

Phoenix
    - Won - Belfour standing on his head, Shanahan increasing production but             decreasing his PIM
    - Lost - If Phoenix do not play like they did in the final 9 games.

Prediction

Phoenix has the edge up front in veteran presences and Turco's trouble in the postseason could haunt the Sharks. But still I think that the Sharks will pull this out in 6 games. This series in my opinion, could go to 7 if Phoenix plays the way they did to get into the playoffs.

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HOTLANTA


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i agree with the long series between these two.. i think eddie could steal this series in his last brhl2 run...

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San Jose


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I didnt help my chances by accidentaly starting my back-up for Game-1, hopefully I can recover

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HOTLANTA


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LOL i was wonderring what was going on in SJ.. Burke starting over turco didnt make sense to me :(

hopefully turco can turn it around.




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PhoenixGM


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Thanks for spotting us a head-start in the series, we'll need it!

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San Jose


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Series tied 1-1!!!

Convimcing wins for both teams in Game 1 and 2

Perhaps the turning point of the series will be:
Nicklas Lidstrom sidelined day-to-day (facial injury)

Hopefully he only misses one game

Leopold will now get some playing minutes.....Brad Stuart and Eric Brewer will be looked upon to cover for Lidstrom's absence.....will they be able to cover those big minutes?...

The answer in game 3!!!

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BluesGM


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was it a puck to the face or did he see ovechkin naked and poured acid over his eyes?

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PhoenixGM


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Phoenix mixed up their lines for game 4 with a great result.  After playing the end of the regular season and start of the playoffs with Guerin on the 2nd line to split up the scoring the Coyotes went with a lineup that saw their top 3 forwards playing together on the first line.

Old lines:
Shanahan - McDonald - Parrish
Ponikarovsky - Nolan - Guerin

New lines:
Shanahan - McDonald - Guerin
Ponikarovsky - Nolan - Parrish

The result:
6-1 victory.
MacDonald: 2G, 1A
Shanahan: 1G, 2A
Guerin: 0G, 3A
Nolan: 1G, 1A
Pony: 0G, 2A
Parrish: 1G, 0A

-- Edited by PhoenixGM at 23:15, 2008-04-27

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Eric_Isles


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This and the DET / CGY series have been two good ones.

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San Jose


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Lidstrom is now healthy!!!!!.....could be the turning point of the series...(i hope..lol)



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PhoenixGM


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San Jose wrote:

Lidstrom is now healthy!!!!!.....could be the turning point of the series...(i hope..lol)


Crap.



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PhoenixGM


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"Brendan Shanahan injured at 17:37 of the 2nd Period"

Reports out of Phoenix suggest Shanny will likely miss the rest of the series.  This is very grave news for the Coyotes who've relied on Shanahan all year.  Shanahan left the game with an "upper body injury".  Shanny was hit hard by SJ's Eric Brewer while attempting to chase down an icing.  Despite the fact that Brewer hit Shanny before either of them reached the puck, there was no call against Brewer.  Infact, the only penalty on the play was to Phoenix d-man Duvie Westcott who was called for elbowing as he levelled Brewer in retalliation.

Expect defensive forward Craig MacDonald to get the green light in place of Shanahan.  Ponikarovsky will take Shanny's spot on the top line while Ryan Craig will slide into the 2nd line role.

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San Jose


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13 million dollar man is back!!!!

Lidstrom had 2 goals and was a +4 in his first game back after missing game 3 and 4 due to injury...

With SJ leading the series 3 game to 2, will the all-star defenseman be able to lead the Sharks in a game 6 road win over the Coyotes?....or will the divisional rivals need a 7th game to decide the series!!



-- Edited by San Jose at 16:33, 2008-05-01

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San Jose


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Tough loss for the Sharks in Game 6

Coyotes have the momentum going into game 7, will the SJ home town crowd be able to give the team the boost they need to beat their opponent??

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PhoenixGM


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Phoenix will be without first line LW Brendan Shanahan and 3rd line RW Mark Streit for tonight's 7th game.  Ponikarovsky will play first line with Guerin and McDonald.  Ryan Craig will see action on the 2nd line in Pony's spot.  The third line will consist of Curtis Brown, Craig MacDonald and Adam Hall.  Dan LaCouture will see his first action of the entire season, skating with Marc Chouinard and Adam Hall.

The Sharks will be 100% healthy for the game.

-- Edited by PhoenixGM at 16:28, 2008-05-04

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