WCQF Game: Chalk The First Series Sweep Up For The Sharks

OVERALL RECAP

The deficit alone always looks daunting. Coming back from a 3-0 hole isn’t going to be easy, doing it against a team you haven’t beaten all year is going to make it harder even still. If the Canucks wanted to stay in this series it had to start tonight. Despite pushing this game to Overtime, the Sharks were a little more than they could handle, and San Jose is the first team in to the Second Round.

May 7, 2013; San Jose, CA, USA; San Jose Sharks center Patrick Marleau (12), center James Sheppard (15) and defenseman Brent Burns (88) shake hands with Vancouver Canucks left wing Daniel Sedin (22) after game four of the first round of the 2013 Stanley Cup playoffs at HP Pavilion. The San Jose Sharks defeated the Vancouver Canucks 4-3. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

GAME RECAP

Less than 3 minutes into this game and things already looked to be going right for the San Jose Sharks. Brent Burns would give them Sharks a 1-0 lead and for a few minutes deflate the tires of the Canucks almost completely. 5 Minutes later however, the Canucks would persevere for what seemed like only the second time in the series, and knot this at 1 on a Mason Raymond goal. However, thanks to a Derek Roy boarding call, the Sharks power play would go to work. Putting home his third of the series, Joe Pavelski wasted no time giving the Sharks the lead heading into the Second Period.

The second period had the teams looking stymied. Despite a 4 minute power play the Sharks couldn’t get anything passed Cory Schneider. Regardless of everyones best efforts this game stayed at 2-1. Interesting to note, Vancouver registered only 4 shots in the period, not a winning strategy.

Period 3 was desperation time for Vancouver. Given the opportunity, their power play needed to convert, and convert it did. Alexandre Burrows, once again kickstarted by the Henrik Sedin and Daniel Sedin,ties this game at 2. Approaching the midway mark of the third, Alexander Edler would  put one home and the Canucks take a 3-2 lead in the game.

With just under 5 minutes to play, Joe Pavelski would strike again. On the power play, Pavelski would tie this one up and force the elimination game into overtime. Then, everything began to unwind for the Canucks. Daniel Sedin, heading off the ice for a boarding call lets his mouth get the better of him and  is given a 10 minute misconduct for abusive language. If there’s ever a sign that things aren’t going well, this is it. On the ensuing power play the resurgent Patrick Marleau would score, pushing the Sharks to round 2.

SENSHOT 3 STARS

1- Patrick Marleau

2 – Joe Thornton

3 – Joe Pavelski