2011 NHL Playoffs Western Conference Finals: Vancouver Canucks vs. San Jose Sharks Game 6 Breakdown
The final match between Vancouver Canucks and San Jose Sharks took place on Tuesday, May 24th. It was Game 6 of the National Hockey League (NHL) Playoff Western Conference Finals series and both teams had high hopes vested in this series, but Canucks emerged victorious.
Game 6 of the series between Vancouver and San Jose was probably one of the most intense, thrilling and exciting games of the play-offs so far and the final result was shocking and at the same time surprising.
Most people had their bets on San Jose to make a comeback and recover because of their abilities to do so and considering the past experiences Vancouver has had in the quarterfinals and semi-finals, Sharks was not expected to go down so easily.
San Jose had tackled immense pressure in Game 7 against Detroit Red Wings, especially with a Stanley Cup winning goalie, Antti Niemi, Sharks was going full throttle into their first Playoff Finals.
Some think of it to be a curse, but other just say that it was Vancouver’s time to shine and they did. Canucks is in the Stanley Cup Finals after nearly 17 years of trying, having their last shot in 1994.
This past regular being their best ever, they want to go all the way through this time and finally lift Lord Stanley’s Cup which will also be a first in their 40-year history as an NHL team.
Breaking down Game 6 and discussing all that went on during the regulation periods and overtime extensions, we will have a better view at what went on and who was destined to win.
Regulation Period 1
Henrik Sedin won the first faceoff between the two teams against veteran player, Joe Pavelski, and took an early shot at Niemi, 24 seconds into the first period.
He missed and the shots went back and forth between the two teams as San Jose outshot Canucks, 15-6.
Alex Burrows scored for Canucks at 8:02 in the period on their fifth attempt which gave Canucks a 1-0 lead. Henrik Sedin and Ryan Kesler were booked for their respective penalties within the 14 minute mark and gave San Jose an unprecedented 5-on-3 man advantage which they could not capitalise.
First period ends 1-0 in favour of Canucks.
Regulation Period 2
Pavelski won the faceoff against Henrik Sedin at the start of the second period and immediately passed the puck to Devin Setoguchi who fired a shot from 92ft, nine seconds in the period.
Kevin Bieksa was booked at the 9:07 mark which allowed Patrick Marleau to score during the power-play, 17 seconds after turning over the puck when Ryan Kesler went for a shorthanded breakaway attempt.
Torrey Mitchell went out for San Jose’s first penalty of the match nearly a minute after Marleau scored but Niemi blocked over four shot attempts in those crucial two minutes killing the penalty.
Second period ends 1-1 tied.
Regulation Period 3
Pevelski won the second consecutive faceoff with Henrik Sedin after which Daniel Sedin came into play and snatched the puck, feeding it to Alex Burrows who fired it from 13ft, but was wide off.
Devin Setoguchi scored the tie-breaker shot after Pevelski gained control of the missed shot and slid it to him for a wrist-shot at 19ft. The game continued and both teams refrained from giving any penalties to save themselves from being shorthanded.
The final minute came into play and put Vancouver on the verge of loss and forcing a Game 6 extension.
Ryan Kesler gained control of the puck after the match was stopped due to icing and a faceoff between him and Joe Thornton. Kesler fired the shot which deflected off Niemi’s pads and went into the net, forcing overtime with 14 seconds remaining.
Period ends 2-2 forcing overtime.
Overtime and Double OT
Both teams played 30 minutes into overtime after the first 20 minute extension brought no results. San Jose again outshot the Canucks 20-14 in both overtimes combined.
Vancouver made seven consecutive attempts at the net nearly midway through the second overtime while Kevin Bieksa, after having his shot deflected by Kent Huskins, got the puck back in front of him after it hit the glass partition. He fired the puck and got the game-winning goal.
Double OT ends with Bieksa’s winning goal at 10:18.
Tags: