Two teams wrapped with the stigma of underachieving at the most important time of the year have caught fire and are coming on strong after letting off the gas a little during the regular season.
The San Jose Sharks’ post-season struggles are well-documented: In eight of the past nine seasons, San Jose has posted at least 95 points (and at least 100 points five times), but have yet to advance to the Stanley Cup final despite owning some awesome firepower.
In the East, it’s the Washington Capitals who are headed down the same road. With three consecutive division titles, the young Caps are full of offense and excitement, but have also lost three straight Game 7s to end their season. Are they just learning to lose before they win big, or are they writing the same story as the Sharks?
Regardless, known for their dynamic regular seasons, both the Capitals and Sharks struggled at times in 2010-11, but both have fought back to assume control of their divisions once again. With the Caps committing to defense and the more-experienced Sharks hitting an upswing at the right time, is this the season both reach their award-winning potential?
The Hockey News ranks the teams 1-30 each Monday based on a combination of last week’s play and a squad’s overall outlook.
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