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The Sharks opened a third consecutive Stanley Cup playoff series with a win on Saturday night. The home team found the net each period and equaled its biggest margin of victory in those series, with a 6-3 win in the first game against the Blues.
Here are five observations from the first game of the Western Conference.
Logan Couture continues to score
He scored San Jose less than four minutes into the match and won with the empty net. These are his 10th and 11th markers of this post-season. The center rises tremendously, as he had done in 2016 when he was playing for the Cup.
Since 2010, only Alexander Ovechkin (50) has more goals in series than Couture (45).
Evander Kane
One of the less obvious statistics leaders on Saturday night could have been Evander Kane. In the game, nobody has recorded more hits than the powerful winger, who has not seemed to hit full power regularly during these series.
However, physical play suits Kane well, and considering the opponent and his body-laying tactics, this could be the perfect way for Kane to make his mark (literally and figuratively) with this match. .
The story of Joe Pavelski continues
The story of Joe Pavelski is almost at the level of the Mighty Ducks. At the moment, Hollywood could not write a more convincing scenario than the one we've seen so far. The captain who became an emotional centerpiece of the first round, was then returned to help close in the second round.
Pavelski only scored points on the power play Saturday night to open the Western Conference finals. With four goals and four assists, Pavelski is not a team leader, but the result is even more impressive considering everything that has happened in less than his nine full playoff games .
Rookie keeper
Goaltender Jordan Binnington and the Blues were 5-1 on the road in those playoffs going into their match against the Sharks. Binnington, a rookie for the Calder Trophy, had never faced San Jose before or played an NHL game at the SAP Center.
And while his climb and performances this season are legitimate, the Sharks must be satisfied with their first meeting by sending a message to the St. Louis goalkeeper.
Attempt to return the Blues
St. Louis made a remarkable and respectable strike in the third period in Game 1. Maybe that was San Jose taking the lead with a late lead? Maybe the Blues have started to understand some things? As my colleague Scott Hannan said on television, it's hard to play for 60 minutes in the playoffs.
The Sharks held most of the control on Saturday night, but the visitors earned a spot in the middle of the third period of the third period. It would be foolish to think that Craig Berube and the Blues will not sift through all the videos, will not make the necessary adjustments and will not challenge San Jose even more on Monday night.
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