It's fair to say it was quite a first round for the Colorado Avalanche and the San Jose Sharks. Colorado upset the Western Conference regular-season champion Calgary Flames in five games and who can forget the Sharks (albeit controversial) overtime win in Game 7. The Avalanche have had a week off to recoup while the Sharks, who will be without captain Joe Pavelski for at least Game 1, if not longer, had two nights to rest. SN STAFF PREDICTIONS: Eastern Conference | Western Conference | Stanley Cup A lot is on the line for San Jose and 21-year-veteran Joe Thornton as they look for the first Stanley Cup in team history. Colorado is aiming to get past the second round for the first time since 2002 and the days of former captain, and current EVP of hockey ops, Joe Sakic. San Jose Sharks (-135) vs. Colorado Avalanche (+115): Schedule, breakdown, prediction Date Matchup Time (TV channel) April 26 Game 1 at San Jose 10 p.m. ET (NBCSN, SN, CBC, TVA) April 28 Game 2 at San Jose 7:30 p.m. ET (NBCSN, SN, CBC, TVA) April 30 Game 3 at Colorado 10 p.m. ET (NBCSN, SN, CBC, TVA) May 2 Game 4 at Colorado 10 p.m. ET (NBCSN, SN, CBC, TVA) *May 4 Game 5 at San Jose TBD *May 6 Game 6 at Colorado TBD *May 8 Game 7 at San Jose TBD (*if necessary) Season series The Sharks swept the season series, including the final game of the regular season but these games were just as close as the final scores indicate. Between the two teams, 30 players got on the scoresheet with Brent Burns (three goals, five assists) and Samuel Girard (three goals, assist), who is expected to be back in the lineup, leading the way. But the Sharks will definitely miss Pavelski who had two goals and four assists this season, and 33 points in 42 career games, against Colorado. DATE AWAY HOME RESULT Jan. 2 Sharks Avalanche SJS, 5-4 Mar. 1 Avalanche Sharks SJS 4-3 Apr. 6 Avalanche Sharks SJS, 5-2 Avalanche netminder Philipp Grubauer will be looking for some redemption in this series as he was pulled after allowing four goals on 14 shots in his lone start against San Jose in January. Martin Jones posted a 3.00 GAA and .900 save percentage in his three starts against Colorado. Offense Both teams have big points guys. Gabriel Landeskog, Mikko Rantanen and Nathan MacKinnon lead the way for Colorado. While they were split up in the first round, the trio was one of the top forward lines in the NHL for the majority of the season. Against Calgary, Rantanen had five goals and nine points and scored the overtime winner in Game 4 that all but sealed the series for the Avs. Despite the Sharks leading scorer during the regular season being a defenseman (Burns), San Jose does have forward depth — something Colorado head coach Jared Bednar lacks — including Tomas Hertl, who has been a breakout star this year, and Kevin Labanc who dominated Game 7 against Vegas. Along with Logan Couture, Hertl has six goals in the postseason following a 77-point regular season in 74 games. However, the loss of Pavelski will be a big hole that will need to be filled quickly. Edge: It’s close, but San Jose has more depth up front. (Getty Images) https://images.daznservices.com/di/library/sporting_news/31/b2/brent-burns-joe-pavelski-erik-karlsson-san-jose-sharks-040719-getty-ftrjpeg_m1yz8ickxip3123xiot6t1jma.jpg?t=-114429367&w=500&quality=80 Defense You cannot argue with the fact that the Sharks have some of the best defensemen in the game on their roster in Burns and Erik Karlsson; however, the defense as a whole was lacking in the seven-game series against the Golden Knights. Despite allowing the most goals against (25) and sporting the second-worst GAA (3.57), San Jose advanced. Questions arose as to the health of Karlsson, who only played in 53 games and solely the season finale in the last five weeks of the regular season but he has shown flashes of the old EK at times in the playoffs. Overall, San Jose will need to tighten things up immensely if they want to advance to the Western Conference final. For Colorado, they held the Flames — who along with the Sharks scored the second-most goals in the regular season (289) — to just 11. The top pairing of Tyson Barrie and Nikita Zadorov are a solid pair but were only plus-2 in the first round; having Girard back will definitely help stabilize the blueline. Cale Makar, the Avs first-round pick in 2017 who made his NHL debut in Game 3, has played well and averaged close to 20 minutes of ice time in Games 4 and 5. Edge: Because of the names on the blueline, and what we all know they can do when needed, Sharks have the slight edge. Goaltending If you were Pete DeBoer, you may be pulling what little hair is left thanks to Martin Jones. The goalie had a terrible regular season for a No. 1 netminder, posting a 2.94 GAA and .896 save percentage. You'd think maybe he'd flip the page once the playoffs started, but no, his numbers were worse in the first four games (5.34 GAA, .759 save percentage) and he was pulled twice! So why, did DeBoer stay with him? Because Aaron Dell's numbers are worse. But then, with the season on the line in Games 5-7, Jones stepped up and not only posted spectacular numbers (1.83 GAA, .946 save percentage) he made some big saves. “They should have a stat that says ‘belief in your goaltender,’” DeBoer said back in mid-April before the postseason began. “If they had that stat, Jonesy would be batting 1.000 with our group. There’s not been one mumble or whisper within our group about him or our confidence in him to get the job done.” Needless to say, Jones will need to be the Jones of the last few games for the Sharks to continue their march for the Cup. Across the way, Grubauer has been spectacular for Colorado posting a 1.90 GAA and .939 save percentage in five games.<doc-sep>Following arguably the most exhilarating win in franchise history, the Sharks will start their second round playoff matchup against the Colorado Avalanche on Friday at 7 p.m. at SAP Center, with games continuing every other day for however long the best-of-7 series lasts. Game 2 is Sunday in San Jose at 4:30 p.m. and games 3 and 4 will both be at 7 p.m. at the Pepsi Center in Denver on April 30 and May 2, respectively. Start times for games 5, 6 and 7 will be determined at a later date if the series lasts that long. The first four games will be televised by NBC Sports Network. The Sharks scored four power play goals in a span of 4 minutes and 1 second in the third period to erase a three-goal deficit in Game 7 of their first round series with the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday in San Jose. Barclay Goodrow then scored with 1:41 left in the first overtime to give the Sharks a 5-4 win, which clinched a four-games-to-three series victory. The Sharks finished the regular season with the second-best record in the Western Conference and will have home ice advantage for this round and for the conference final, should they make it that far. The Avalanche finished the regular season in the second wild card spot with a 38-30-14 record and upset the top-seeded Calgary Flames in the first round four-games-to-one. The other Western Conference series between the St. Louis Blues and Dallas Stars begins Thursday in St. Louis. Radio broadcasts for all Sharks games will be on 98.5 KFOX and the Sharks Radio Network. (all times Pacific) Game 1 — Avalanche at Sharks, Friday, 7 p.m., NBCSN Game 2 — Avalanche at Sharks, Sunday, 4:30 p.m., NBCSN Game 3 — Sharks at Avalanche, Tuesday, 7 p.m., NBCSN Game 4 — Sharks at Avalanche, May 2, 7 p.m., NBCSN *Game 5 — Avalanche at Sharks, May 4, TBD *Game 6 — Sharks at Avalanche, May 6, TBD *Game 7 — Avalanche at Sharks, May 8, TBD * if necessary<doc-sep>It’s the battle of a regular season juggernaut and a red hot team, as the San Jose Sharks take on the Colorado Avalanche in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The San Jose Sharks and Colorado Avalanche are set to square off in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. One team is rested while the other one isn’t. As the higher seed, you’d think the Sharks would be the more rested team. But that’s not the case, as they’re coming off a seven-game series against the Vegas Golden Knights. Rather, it’s the Avalanche who are coming in rested. They eliminated the Calgary Flames, the top seed in the Western Conference, in five games. It is the Avalanche who have looked like the stronger team in the Stanley Cup Playoffs as well. Not only did their top line trio of Nathan MacKinnon, Gabriel Landeskog, and Mikko Rantanen dominate, they also got depth scoring. The addition of Cale Makar makes the Avalanche a much more lethal team. Especially when you consider how well Tyson Barrie has been playing on their blueline. Makar might be playing third pairing minutes, but the ice tends to be tilted heavily towards the Avalanche whenever he’s on the ice. Furthermore, the Sharks aren’t healthy. Joe Pavelski likely won’t play in Game 1. He’s lucky he avoided a fractured skull after a nasty spill in Game 7 caused him to hit his head on the ice. The sooner the Sharks can get him back, the better because he’s arguably their best forward. At the trade deadline, the Sharks traded for Gustav Nyquist. Now, at the time, it didn’t make much sense. Why not trade for goaltender Jimmy Howard instead? But suddenly, with Pavelski out, Nyquist could be a huge part of the series. The Sharks are hoping to make a Stanley Cup run, as this is probably Joe Thornton’s last season. Meanwhile, the Avalanche are hoping to make a Stanley Cup run themselves, this one led by an outstanding goaltender in Philipp Grubauer.<doc-sep>Denver Post staffers make their predictions for the Avalanche and Sharks in the Western Conference semifinals. Game 1 is 8 p.m. Friday in San Jose. Mike Chambers, beat reporter Avs in 6 Because of the Sharks’ injuries and the Avalanche’s recent surge in every facet of the game, Colorado is poised to advance to the Western Conference final for the first time since 2002, when it lost 7-0 in Game 7 to fall to the hated Detroit Red Wings. The Avalanche and Sharks have split the four previous playoff series in this matchup and the Avs will win the rubber match. Mark Kiszla, columnist Sharks in 7 This Avs team beginning to have Rocktober-y feel. But Shark Tank has given me heebie-jeebies ever since that earthquake measuring 5.1 on Richter Scale shook the arena during 1999 playoffs. Kyle Fredrickson, reporter Avs in 7 Who said it was going to be easy? These young Avs are now playoff proven, but the next step is grinding out a seven-game series. Colorado has the guts to do it. Sean Keeler, reporter Avs in 6 Since March 1, the Sharks are 13-12 (.520). Since March 1, Cale Makar’s teams — UMass and the Avs — are 9-3 (.750) and unbeaten (3-0) in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Destiny isn’t wearing teal, kids. She’s rocking burgundy. Lori Punko, editor Avs in 6 It took everything San Jose had to get past Vegas — including a controversial call from the referees. The Avs will ride the MGM line, the stellar goaltending of Philipp Grubauer and the emergence of Cale Makar to the Western Conference Finals. Matt Stephens, editor Avs in 6 The Sharks have been playing so many extra periods in these playoffs, their legs have to be tired — right? Maybe a little. Colorado takes advantage of the extra rest, steals Game 1 and wins every game back at the Pepsi Center.<doc-sep>
There are many reasons to like the Colorado Avalanche in this series. They have distinct advantages in overall team speed and in goaltending. They're healthier, and they're rested in comparison to the San Jose Sharks. And yet, it's difficult to ignore the supernatural forces that propelled the Sharks through the first round. 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs Miss a game from the 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs? Want to experience a game again? Every playoff matchup is available for replay on ESPN+. Watch now » The double-overtime win on the road in Game 6, a career night from the previously leaky Martin Jones in goal and a winning goal from Tomas Hertl, who had vowed there would be a Game 7. Then, in Game 7, being gifted a five-minute major penalty by the referees after Cody Eakin's cross-check led to a Joe Pavelski injury, and erasing a three-goal deficit with four power-play goals before eventually winning in overtime. Here's a breakdown of this second-round battle between the Sharks (101 points, second in the Pacific) and the Avalanche (90 points, second wild card). First line: Like many coaches in the postseason, Avs coach Jared Bednar hasn't hesitated to scramble his dynamic top line of Nathan MacKinnon, Gabriel Landeskog and Mikko Rantanen. The first two skated with Alexander Kerfoot in the first round, and Rantanen has played with Colin Wilson and Carl Soderberg. But when assembled, this line is savage: 44 goals in 66 games together in the regular season, with a 61.11 goals for percentage. The Sharks' top line lately was Pavelski -- who will miss the start of the series after his horrific Game 7 injury against Vegas -- along with Timo Meier and Logan Couture. Though they can be an effective trio, the Avalanche had a gold-standard top line when it plays together. Advantage: Avalanche. Depth: The Sharks received a stellar first round from Hertl -- including the double-OT winner in Game 6 -- who is tied with Couture for the team lead in goals (6). But far too many of the Sharks' depth forwards didn't find the score sheet with regularity in Round 1, including Evander Kane and Joe Thornton (both with 1 goal, 3 assists), Gustav Nyquist (0 goals, 3 assists) and Marcus Sorensen (2 assists). Kevin Labanc was solid, with two goals and three assists. Meanwhile, Colorado's depth was seen as questionable for most of the series, but their first round hinted there's more to them than just the members of the MacKinnon line. Matt Nieto, Wilson and J.T. Compher all had two goals. Derick Brassard should be ready for Game 1 after being felled by an illness in the previous round. Advantage: Sharks. Defense: The Sharks' blue line received a boost when Marc-Edouard Vlasic returned from injury in Game 5, partnering with Brent Burns (1 goal, 3 assists) and helping to stabilize the defense in front of Jones. Erik Karlsson ... well, he was all over the map. He skated 27:15 per game and amassed nine assists, but his underlying numbers were uncharacteristically ordinary (like a 40.75 expected goals percentage at 5-on-5). Conventional wisdom is that he's playing injured but has had flashes of Erik Karlsson moments. Brenden Dillon, Justin Braun and Joakim Ryan round out the group. The Avalanche received only four even-strength points from their defensemen vs. Calgary, but the group played well in front of Philipp Grubauer. Tyson Barrie (a team high 25:06 per game) and Nikita Zadorov are one pairing; with Samuel Girard returning from injury, one assumes he'll reunite with Erik Johnson. Ian Cole and Cale Makar, the brilliant young defenseman who jumped from UMass to the playoffs, round out a group that doesn't have the Sharks' elite defenders but might be the deeper group. This was close. Advantage: Sharks. Goaltending: Grubauer has been absolutely brilliant for the Avalanche since March, posting a .948 save percentage in his past 18 games. He won four straight against Calgary, with two of them coming in overtime. What the Sharks accomplish in this series could come down to which Jones shows up. Will it be the guy who made 58 saves in a double-overtime masterpiece in Game 6 or the guy who was pulled twice in three games in the middle of the series vs. Vegas? The Sharks would probably settle for "average" at this point. Advantage: Avalanche. Health: Pavelski is doubtful for Game 1 after what the Sharks inferred was a concussion.