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SF Series Notes
Looking ahead to Game 1
4/24/07 - By
Mike Lee
The Sharks open their Western Conference Semi
Final series with the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday night at Joe Louis
Arena
in Michigan. The Sharks are 1-1 in playoff series against Detroit. The
Sharks
upset the top seeded Red Wings in 1994, led by a rag tag lineup that
included
color analyst Jamie Baker. The Sharks will look to continue their Stanley
Cup
run with a pair of games in Detroit, before returning to the friendly
confines
of HP Pavilion on Monday night.
Here is the first installment of series notes. Look for them throughout the
remainder of the playoffs:
- Everybody and their grandmother is picking the Sharks to win this series.
Don't expect a cake walk. The Red Wings have a proven playoff game breaker
in
Domink Hasek between the pipes. His 1.57 goals against average in the
Wings 6
games against Calgary is nothing to sneeze at. The Sharks will need to
pound
Hasek if they want to provide the pundits correct.
- Red Wings defenseman Brent Lebda and forward Tomas Holmstrom may miss Game 1
while they nurse injuries. The loss of Lebda may have the biggest impact
on
the Red Wings. He's a speedy defenseman who can contain some of the Sharks
speedy forwards. Holmstrom suffered an eye injury that could keep him on
the
shelf.
- The Sharks flew to Detroit on Tuesday and did not get a practice session in.
The team will work out on Wednesday in preparation for Game 1 of their
Western
Conference Semi Final match up with Detroit.
- Red Wings defenseman Chris Chelios will most likely pass Mark Messier for 2nd
place all time in playoff games played during the upcoming series. Chelios
needs to appear in 2 games to tie Mark Messier with 234 playoff
appearances.
Patrick Roy holds the #1 spot with 247 appearances.
- Mathieu Schneider leads all players in the postseason with shots on goal.
The Wings defenseman has 34 SOG in 6 games.
Players to watch in this series:
- Johan Franzen: aside from his dramatic game winning goal in double overtime
in Game 6, the Wings forward is a +7 in the playoffs. His 5 points (2
foals, 3
assists) is tied for 2nd in scoring for Detroit.
- Todd Bertuzzi: the burly forward made a habit of getting in Calgary
defenseman Dion Phaneuf's face all series, so look for the same with any of
the
Sharks young defensemen.
- Henrik Zetterberg: one of the most consistent Detroit forwards, he didn't put
up big numbers in the Red Wings opening series. Don't expect that to
continue
if he's given any room to maneuver.
- Marc-Edouard Vlassic: the kid has been as cool as a cucumber, but now he gets
to skate at Joe Louis Arena in a playoff game. The Predators got to him in
Game 2. Look for the Wings to try rattling him from the onset. Same goes
for
Matt Carle.
- Steve Bernier: the guy has had his head bounced off glass, and his
unmentionable area assaulted with a goalie stick (twice!). He's as tough
as
nails, and this could be his coming out party in one of the biggest spot
lights
in the NHL.
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