San Jose has made some puzzling moves in preparation for the increase of salaries for next season. But they remain in the cup hunt with a young and star-laden team. They enter their final game of the regular season on a 3 game winning streak while Dallas was overtaken by St Louis after going 4-5-1 in their last ten games. Even though San Jose's goal differential is +72 compared to Dallas' +3, the series between the two divisional rivals has been quite close. With San Jose edging the series 3-2-3, outscoring Dallas 29-23.
The Offense: Winners - San Jose
Though unable to reach the 300 goal mark, a team that has the talent of youngsters like Alexander Ovechkin, Alexander Semin, Zach Parise and Milan Michalek and the veteran presence of Chris Drury, Daymond Langkow and Jeremy Roenick create a nice balance of experience and youth throughout the top 3 lines for San Jose. Alexander Ovechkin who led the Sharks with 47 goals and 94 points struggled in the early part of the season before a deal with the St Louis Blues. Acquiring Langkow (53 points in 52 games) and Chris Drury (41 points in 55 games) kick-started Ovechkin to his current pace.
On the other hand, Dallas relies heavily on wingers Simon Gagne and Jason Pominville. Both were the only two players on the Dallas roster to hit the 30 goal plateau and will continued to be relied heavily upon during the playoffs. Instead of having a deep forward roster, it should be relatively easy for the Sharks' defense to contain the dangerous forwards off Dallas.
The Defence: Winners - San Jose
San Jose needed more experience on their blueline, so they went out and acquired the best defenseman in the league in Zdeno Chara. No one can really give the same amount of effort that Chara can. Although San Jose has a great top four in Chara, Kaberle, Stuart and Brewer; they will all need to be at their best during this series. There is some concern about San Jose's third pairing of Preissing and Hill but if the Sharks can limit their involvement, they should be fine.
Dallas' defense can pose a threat to San Jose's forwards. They are all defensively responsible, led by Beauchemin, Boucher, Tyutin and Mitchell. The advantage that Dallas has over the blueline of San Jose is on that third pairing as Michalek and Vlasic should outplay their counterparts on San Jose.
One exciting factor in this series is the mobility of each opposing blueline so we could see lots of defense jumping up into the play and the odd-man chances for both teams could increase dramatically.
The Goaltending: Winners - Dallas
Though no goalie for either team has been particularly outstanding, none of the four goalies have a SV% over .900, I put the experience that Legace and Thomas bring could trump the goaltending from Bryzgalov and Leclaire. Though Bryzgalov has played well since joining the Sharks, I see this series being fought in the offense and defense categories rather than experience in net.
Who wins?
Though I think San Jose's offense and defense will win them the series, I can see this series going the distance to 7 games with San Jose just edging ahead. Dallas' home record of 26-13-2 is best in the Western Conference and 2nd only to Buffalo's so I see home ice advantage being key in this series.
San Jose are in tough down 2-0 in the series as it heads back to Dallas. Dallas is 2nd for most wins at home but San Jose is the 4th best road team in the Western Conference but will need to play like the #1 team to get back into the series.
Surprises of the Series thus far:
Mike Cammalleri - 2 goals, 1 assist in two games
Tim Thomas - Has stopped 49 of 52 shots
Alexander Ovechkin - 0 points, -2 rating in 51 TOI,
San Jose have won 2 of the last 3 games against Dallas, but still remain one loss away from elimination. Ovechkin has had 3 points in the last three games but the inspired play of Justin Williams has kept the Sharks hopes alive.
Surprises of the Series thus far:
Francois Beauchemin - 2 goals, 2 assists and a big reason why Ovechkin hasn't lit up the lamp
Samuel Pahlsson - Centers Dallas' best checking line that could be considered among the best in the lines is a -1
Ilja Bryzgalov - Substandard play meant Leclaire got the last start
Zach Parise and Milan Michalek - Combined for 2 assists and a -8
