DAL Stars at SJO Sharks (May 02, 2008)
2008-05-02 06:31:00
PA SPORTSTICKER NHL PLAYOFF PREVIEW
(DALLAS-SAN JOSE)
*Sharks try to keep playoff hopes alive, again*
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Dallas at San Jose 10:00 pm EDT
Western Conference semifinals Stars lead, 3-1
SAN JOSE, California (Ticker) - The San Jose Sharks avoided a
sweep, but they still have a long way to go to get back in the
Western Conference semifinals.
The second-seeded Sharks try to keep their playoff hopes alive
on Friday when they host the fifth-seeded Dallas Stars for Game
Five of their best-of-seven series.
Patrick Marleau and Milan Michalek each scored a goal as the
Sharks rallied from a two-goal deficit on Wednesday to claim a
2-1 victory over the Stars in Game Four.
Despite the thrilling victory, Marleau is making sure San Jose
focuses on one game at a time.
"We can't get too far ahead of ourselves," Marleau said. "We're
going home and feel pretty confident about ourselves. That
being said, we still have a lot of work ahead of us."
Vezina Trophy finalist Evgeni Nabokov made 17 saves for the
Sharks and Michalek believes the momentum is back with his team.
"Obviously, (the Stars) didn't want to go back (to San Jose), so
we got the confidence now and they're going to be nervous now,
so it's great for us," Michalek said. "We're going to go home
and we're going to win at home now."
Only two teams in NHL history have come back from 3-0 series
deficits in 150 instances and Sharks coach Ron Wilson praised
his team for playing with a sense of desperation.
"We had nothing to lose," Sharks coach Ron Wilson said. "So we
went out there and had fun. We'll embrace the challenge to make
history in coming back from a 3-0 deficit."
Despite failing to close out the series on home ice, Stars
goalie Marty Turco isn't worried, saying his team never expected
to advance with four consecutive wins.
"After winning the first three, at home, you'd like to close it
out," said Turco, who made 22 saves in Game Four. "We smelled
the blood, we went after it. I don't think we ever thought we
were going to win four straight in this series against these
guys. Until (Game Three), we were always planning on going back
to San Jose."
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