SAN JOSE — The series opened with all eyes on Nathan MacKinnon and that’s certainly how it’s about to close.
The 23-year-old playoff revelation has been held in check by the San Jose Sharks the last two games, going scoreless in Games 5 and 6. It ended an eight-game point streak by the Colorado Avalanche playoff leader, who has been a minus player in all three games the Avs have lost in this series.
So frustrated by the Sharks’ focus on him, the always-available MacKinnon was nowhere to be seen following the team’s 4-3 overtime win Monday after finishing minus-two.
Ditto for the team’s brief media availability Tuesday before flying to San Jose for Wednesday’s Game 7 at SAP Center.
Surely, the biggest name left in these playoffs can’t be held scoreless three games in a row, can he?
After all, prior to that he had six goals and 13 points in nine games to tie linemate Mikko Rantanen atop a playoff scoring list now led by Logan Couture.
“Right now it’s not about points or personal accomplishments,” said MacKinnon, who had 99 points in the regular season. “I don’t expect it to be open and have lots of chances. My expectations are low and I’m not going to get frustrated.”
Rantanen and Landeskog have also been keyed on brilliantly the last few games, held in check until Landeskog sent this series the distance.
“Every time (coach Jared Bednar) put (J.T.) Compher’s line on the ice they kept scoring, and every time they put our line on the ice we kept getting scored on,” Landeskog told reporters after Compher’s unlikely three-point outing Monday.
That simply can’t continue if the eighth-ranked Avalanche are to complete their second upset this spring.
Incidentally, Rantanen skated with the team Wednesday morning and said he was good to go for Game 7. He was hobbled late in the second period of Monday’s game. A Brent Burns hip check sent the Avs forward limping off the ice and to the dressing room with an apparent charley horse. Alas, he returned to start the third period and was on the ice for the winning goal.
PAVELSKI WATCH
Sharks coach Pete DeBoer continues to be testy every time he’s asked about the status of injured Sharks captain Joe Pavelski.
With the 6 p.m. local start time, the Sharks chose not to have a morning skate Wednesday, meaning DeBoer won’t address the media until 4:30 p.m. PT.
There’s little doubt Pavelski will be cleared by doctors to play, but the big question is whether the coach will announce it beforehand or try to give his team and the crowd an even bigger lift by putting him out for warmup and letting the ovation kickstart the night.
Either way, it will be good to see the team’s leading goal scorer in the regular season back for his first game in two weeks, following the scary head injury he suffered Game 7 against the Sharks.
“I’m close,” said Pavelski before Game 6.
[relatedlinks]
While the pressure rests largely on the shoulders of the Sharks, they do have the benefit of experience.
The Sharks faced three elimination games in the first round against Vegas, storming back from a 3-1 series deficit.
The older Sharks club is also no stranger to playoff pressure, having been a playoff staple for the better part of more than a decade, which includes playing in the final three years ago.
The core of that club is still on the Sharks roster, including goalie Martin Jones, who bounced back from a poor start to the playoffs to be the hero in Games 5, 6 and 7 against the Golden Knights.