Staring at elimination (again), Sharks unwavering
SAN JOSE — The Clarence Campbell Bowl will be inside Enterprise Center on Tuesday when the Sharks face the St. Louis Blues with their season on the line in Game 6 of the Western Conference final.
The last time the Sharks saw the trophy after a game, they were standing on the ice at SAP Center in 2016, posing for a photo with NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly after dispatching of the Blues in six games to advance to their first Stanley Cup Final.
Considering the list of players that may not be able to dress Tuesday night — and the momentum the Blues have captured with two straight wins to take a 3-2 series lead — keeping the bowl out of public view for at least another game will likely take the Sharks’ best effort of the playoffs so far.
Even then, there’s no guarantee of a Game 7 on Thursday back in San Jose, Calif.
“We’ve been in this situation before. It’s not done yet,” said Sharks winger Joonas Donskoi, who was feeling better Monday after he was knocked out of Game 5 for a brief time. “It’s one game at a time and we focus on tomorrow’s game just like we always do. We are looking forward to bringing it back to Game 7.”
Joe Pavelski, Tomas Hertl and Erik Karlsson, all unable to finish Game 5 because of injuries, are questionable to play Tuesday.
As was the case earlier in the playoffs when Pavelski was sidelined with a head injury, Sharks coach Pete DeBoer on Monday did not provide health updates on the three players or divulge whether any of them would travel to St. Louis.
Karlsson has had groin and leg issues since mid-January and was in discomfort again Sunday before he left the game for good in the second period. Hertl was hurt after a high hit from Ivan Barbashev in the first period, and Pavelski had to leave after it appeared he took an elbow to the head from Alex Pietrangelo early in the third.
If one or more of the three players can’t go, the Sharks’ depth — up front or on the blue line — will be tested even further against a Blues team that has allowed one goal in two games and been relentless with their forecheck.
“Listen, Joe Thornton got suspended in the Vegas series and we played without him. We played without Joe Pavelski for six games in the Colorado series,” DeBoer said. “We’ve dealt with this before, and guys have stepped in and got the job done. People can write us off, but I know in our room, we know we’ve got guys that can get in there and get this done.”
Karlsson has 16 points in these playoffs and is second on the team in average ice time per game behind Brent Burns. Pavelski has been largely held in check by the Blues, but led the Sharks with 38 regular season goals and is a key component on the power play — both as a net front presence and as a player who takes right-side faceoffs.
Hertl is the Sharks’ top faceoff man, and had played at least 19 minutes in every playoff game before Sunday, when he didn’t take a shift in the third period and played just 10:23.
Without Pavelski or Hertl, the Sharks would be searching for a fourth centermen, possibly Dylan Gambrell, to fill the void. Marcus Sorensen or Lukas Radil could step in as wingers.
On defense if Karlsson can’t play, Tim Heed would most likely be thrust into action, and others like Burns, Marc-Edouard Vlasic, Justin Braun and Brenden Dillon would be asked to play bigger minutes.
DeBoer shot down any suggestion of playing 11 forwards and seven defensemen, just in case Karlsson started Game 6 but was unable to finish.
“You prefer not to. Look around the league. Everyone’s rolling four lines,” DeBoer said. “You’re 15, 16 games into the schedule. To dress a seventh defensemen and have a guy sitting there in case takes away from your ability to do that.”
Statistically, in the four elimination games the Sharks have won in these playoffs, they scored the first goal three of four times and only took a combined 10 penalties. Hertl had five goals and two assists, Couture had four goals, Burns and Karlsson each had four assists and Pavelski had two goals and two assists.
Beyond stats, though, there’s another element that’s needed Tuesday for the Sharks to keep their season alive.
“They just believe. We believe that we can win,” DeBoer said. “We’ve done it in some tough buildings. There’s a strong belief in our room and in our group and what we do. I don’t see that wavering.”