Boston Bruins: Pros and cons to facing the San Jose Sharks
By Luke Ryan
Pro: The San Jose Sharks will be coming in tired.
If the Boston Bruins are to face the San Jose Sharks, it will be a Sharks team that has played all seven games of their Western Conference final.
With the St. Louis Blues holding a 3-2 series lead, it has already been intense and tiring, especially when you compare it to the Boston Bruins relatively easy sweep of the Carolina Hurricanes.
Not forgetting that the San Jose Sharks would’ve done the whole journey the hardest way possible.
They trailed the Vegas Golden Knights 3-2 heading into Game 6 of their first series this post-season. Then they allowed the Colorado Avalanche back into the series preceding that; they had every chance to close it off in Game 6 but slipped to a 4-3 over-time defeat that saw that series also go to 7.
Now, they’re on the brink of elimination in the Western Conference final and will have to take that series to seven games if they’re getting even a sniff at the Stanley Cup.
So that makes it 21 games to just reach the Stanley Cup Final for the San Jose Sharks; by comparison, the Boston Bruins are there with a week to spare; their path was a little easier – 7 games against the Toronto Maple Leafs, 6 games against the Columbus Blue Jackets and then the 4 game sweep of the Carolina Hurricanes.
In all but the Eastern Conference final, they were resilient after falling behind in the series and were able to, much like the Sharks so far, mount successful comebacks.
It will be vital that the Bruins use this difference in the amount of game-time to their advantage. The Sharks are no doubt going to be somewhat banged up and that is where Boston has to capitalise.
They need to skate hard and fast to ensure the weary legs of their opponents continue to put in substantial work.