Two Sharks Find Playoff Redemption
Craig Custance - SportingNews.com
May 05, 2010
DETROIT -- Let's hope Alex Ovechkin was watching. And Mike Green, too. Because Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau gave a lesson on patience. And playoff redemption. And maybe they gave the underachieving Capitals' stars some hope as well.
Playoff success doesn't always come on the schedule we want, the schedule we demand. But that doesn't mean it never comes.
And it looks like real playoff success is finally here for the San Jose Sharks. Tuesday's 4-3 victory over the Detroit Red Wings gave them a 3-0 series lead. They're one win away from the Western Conference finals, and they're doing it against the only team to represent the West in the finals the past two seasons.
Chokers? Not these Sharks.
"Hopefully down the road, we can look back and say, 'You know, this was a turning point.' But there's still much work ahead of us," Sharks defenseman Dan Boyle said. "We'll know down the road if this was the turning point or not."
If it was, it was Thornton and Marleau who got them there.
Through all the failures and all the playoff disappointment, Thornton never stopped trusting Marleau. In one of the biggest overtimes of his career, Thornton gathered an errant shot from Detroit's Jason Williams and trucked up the ice. Marleau was to his left, only Brian Rafalski between them.
Sharks coach Todd McLellan was sure Thornton would shoot. Thornton was sure of the opposite.
"When you see Patty Marleau, that's an easy decision to make," Thornton said. "I made a pass to him and just -- great play. Great play by Patty."
And what a pass! For two players who have been labeled playoff chokers, there was nothing about the play that showed nerves. Thornton fired the puck, didn't finesse anything. He trusted Marleau could handle a pass with muscle behind it.
He was right.
"There's probably only a couple guys in this locker room, him and (Dany Heatley), that can handle that," Thornton said. "I put a lot of steam on that pass."
Marleau banged it past Red Wings goalie Jimmy Howard and the game was over. Thornton jumped into Marleau's arms and they were quickly mobbed by teammates.
The easiest way to shut up critics? Do that.
"I guess we're sick and tired of hearing you guys asking about past failures and stuff," Boyle said. "The only way to stop that is to go out there and get the job done. ... We're getting it done and finding a way."
And that makes this San Jose team different than any in franchise history. When the Red Wings jumped to a 3-1 lead and controlled play for the first two periods, there wasn't panic in the Sharks' dressing room. They just reminded each other that if they opened up the offense too much, the experienced Red Wings would capitalize.
----
Sound Off...What do you think? Join the discussion
Copyright 2012 by SportingNews.com
