This San Jose Sharks are generally facing elimination for the first time in this year's playoffs next their 3-0 loss in Game 5 to the Los Angeles Kings with the Staples Center on Thurs . night.
If the Sharks lose at home in Sunday's Game 6, the team will present failed to reach a Western Conference Finals to your sixth time in your Joe Thornton era (eight months from 2005-06 through 2013).
But despite if a very difficult loss inside of a crucial Game 5, there are many reasons for this Sharks power team to feel confident about its probability of extending this series to a deciding seventh game.
The series will just as before shift to the HORSEPOWER Pavilion in San Jose, where the Sharks have been nearly unbeatable this year with a 21-2-5 report, including a 4-0 mark inside playoffs. The Sharks have scored an average 3. 25 goals at home during the playoffs, compared to just 1. 8 goals scored on the highway.
But the real benefits that San Jose has brought at home during a normal season and the playoffs is on the power participate in. Even though the Sharks need played just four video game titles at HP Pavilion with the postseason, they still lead the league with 11 power-play goals in the house.
In its only two wins of this second-round series, both which were at home, San Jose converted concerning three of its nine opportunities while using man advantage. Both the hands down victories included game-winning targets from star center Logan Couture on the power play.
Special teams is constantly a key factor inside the outcome of every playoff sequence, and this matchup has become no different. For no matter what reason, the Sharks' success with special teams is much larger when they play upon home ice.
With the support within the rabid Sharks fans giving the team a good amount of energy on Sunday, there's an easy strong chance that San Jose will bring a lot of energy and a active of effort to the first period of Game 6.
The Sharks have outscored opponents 5-2 with the first period at home over the playoffs, and when this team retreats into the first intermission using a lead, it's 4-0 in the postseason.
Not only are the Sharks an increased team at home than while traveling, the Kings have played far worse faraway from the Staples Center as compared to their performance on home ice during the playoffs.
Another reason why the Sharks should not panic after losing Game 5 is mainly because that this has been an unusually close series. They have not been severely outplayed by way of five games, and if San Jose didn't hand over two power-play goals in the final two minutes with Game 2 in Los angeles, the Sharks would possess a 3-2 series advantage with an opportunity to close out the Nobleman.
This is still an exceptionally winnable series for that Sharks, especially since starting goaltender Antti Niemi is fantastic in the playoffs thus far.
Through nine games, he has a. 929 save percentage as well as a 1. 95 GAA, both of which would be career playoff highs once they were his final stats in the postseason. Niemi gave the Sharks time to win Game 5 simply by allowing only two ambitions and making some brilliant saves inside first and second time periods.
Given his impressive success at your home against the Kings in such a series (2-0 with a few goals allowed), the Sharks can depend upon Niemi to give the team an important performance on Sunday. He has Stanley Cup-winning experience and knows what can be done to win high-pressure video game titles.
San Jose will ought to win at the Staples Center one time to end Los Angeles' Stanley Container defense and reach the Western Conference Finals, but the focus right now is to continue its dominance with home ice.
If the Sharks care for business in front within their hometown fans on On the, they will be a confident group tinkering with house money in Game 7. In that state of affairs, all of the pressure could be on the Kings for the reason that home team with its championship defense exactly in danger.
As a team which includes a strong veteran core which has a lot of experience in closeout games, the Sharks are going to have plenty of confidence together with focus in Game 6. They played their worst game for the playoffs on Thursday, but this team did a great job associated with turning the page, not panicking and focusing on the next challenge all of season.
For veteran players just like Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau, this year's postseason run is certainly one of their last quality opportunities to win a Stanley Container in San Jose. Both players' contracts can be set to expire afterwards of next year (per Capgeek), and their future with the team beyond 2013-14 is uncertain immediately.
These players will be highly motivated to extend their season by an additional game, and as the leaders of this team, Thornton and Marleau helps the Sharks win Sport 6 and force your deciding seventh game the government financial aid Los Angeles on Tues.
San Jose has let its fans down plenty of times over the last few years with aggravating playoff exits, but there defintely won't be another heartbreaking ending concerning Sunday.
Nicholas Goss is an NHL Lead Writer for Bleacher Report. Nick was a credentialed reporter within the 2011 Stanley Cup Finalized and 2012 NHL playoffs, and she's also a credentialed writer in the 2013 NHL playoffs within Boston.
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