The San Jose Sharks head into Sunday night’s game three against the Vancouver Canucks with a commanding 2-0 series lead, and are returning home for the next two games. The Sharks were 17-2-5 at HP Pavilion this season, and will look to continue that trend of success. While Joe Thornton, Logan Couture and Patrick Marleau have all scored to help lead the way for the offense, defenseman Dan Boyle is tied for the team lead in playoff points and continues to be a great asset for the Sharks at both ends of the ice.
Boyle finished the regular season tied for fifth on the team in scoring with seven goals and 20 points. He saw nearly two more minutes of ice time than any other Sharks player, and is now continuing his great season with a strong playoff performance. Boyle’s third-period goal in game one proved to be the game-winner, and an assist in game two has already given him more points than he managed in five playoff games last season. He has one power play assist in the series, also continuing his strong contribution with the man-advantage. Boyle had five goals and 13 points on the power play during the regular season.
Boyle brings a ton of playoff experience to the team, with a 2004 Stanley Cup championship with the Tampa Bay Lightning to his credit. With the exception of last year, he has shown a consistent ability to elevate his game in the postseason, and that has the Sharks in great position to make quick work of their first round matchup.
Jonathan Katje is an NHL senior writer for Rant Sports. You can follow him on Twitter or add him to your circles on Google Plus.
