Taking the always-important opening game of the series, San Jose jumped out to a 1-0 series lead against a very dangerous Vancouver Canucks team to start the 2013 NHL Playoffs.
One of the most intriguing match-ups heading into the postseason, No. 6 San Jose got the early advantage they needed, taking the series opener 3-1 behind timely goal-scoring from Patrick Marleau and defenseman Dan Boyle along with stellar play from goaltender Antti Niemi.
The puck will drop in Game 2 on Friday May 3rd at 10:00pm, EDT. Coverage will be available on both the TSN and CNBC networks.
Following a loss to San Jose where they struggled mightily offensively, the Canucks will change up their forward lines, according to NHL.com. Centers Ryan Kesler and Derek Roy will now be paired with Chris Higgins, reuniting a trio that provided last years Stanley Cup finalists with a big boost offensively toward the end of the regular season.
Looking awful offensively in the first game, Vancouver needs a complete effort moving forward, something not lost on the mind of their leader.
"I need more from my whole team," Vancouver head coach Alain Vigneault said to reporters following the Game 1 loss. "There's no doubt there that all our players understand that we have to get better and we're going to get better."
While the third-seeded Canucks did not look cohesive offensively, a large part of the problem was clearly the play of the opposing net minder.
Antti Niemi was a steel door in the win, gobbling up 29 of the 30 shots he saw in the first contest. The 29-year-old native of Vantaa, Finland led the league in wins during the regular season with 24 so it should come as no surprise that he was so dominant to begin the series.
Looking to build off the star performance of their keeper, the Sharks will now aim to give themselves a cushion moving forward.
"We got one game, now we want two," Sharks center Logan Couture said. "It's a good start, but that's it. We know they are going to be better though so we have to be prepared for that."
The Sharks will look to take a quick 2-0 series lead over the Vancouver Canucks Friday night.
Be sure to check out all the action from Game 2 between the Western Conference rivals starting at 10:00pm, EDT. Coverage will be available on the TSN Network and CNBC network.
Watch Highlights from San Jose's 3-1 Victory in Game 1:
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