May 19th Stanley Cup Playoffs Morning Skate

BLUES, SHARKS DEADLOCKED HEADING INTO GAME 5

After the Sharks and Blues split the first four contests, the Western Conference Final shifts back to SAP Center in San Jose on Sunday for Game 5. When the Conference Finals/Semifinals are tied 2-2, the winner of Game 5 owns an all-time series record of 19-8 (70.3%)

* The Sharks find themselves tied 2-2 in a best-of-seven series for the 19th time in franchise history and second in the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs. They have gone on to capture the series in seven of the previous 18 instances, including a seven-game triumph over the Avalanche in the Second Round.

* The Blues are knotted at two games apiece after four games of a seven-game series for the 25th time in franchise history (9-15) and third time this postseason. They advanced in each of the opening two rounds after the series was tied 2-2, knocking off the Jets in six games and the Stars in seven contests.

* San Jose heads home to SAP Center boasting the postseason leader in goals and points, Logan Couture (14-6–20 in 18 GP). Couture, who sits one tally shy of establishing a single postseason franchise record for goals, is one of 13 players to average at least one point per game (1.11 P/GP) in the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs (min. 7 GP). After 19 players accomplished the feat in 2018, the NHL can feature consecutive postseasons with at least 13 such instances for the first time since a three-year run in 2008 (16), 2009 (16) and 2010 (17).


* Couture (8-5–13 in 10 GP) and teammates Tomas Hertl (8-5–13 in 10 GP) and Brent Burns (4-9–13 in 10 GP) have each collected 13 home points during the Sharks’ playoff run and sit one point shy of matching the single postseason franchise record for home points, set by Couture (7-7–14 in 12 GP) and Joe Thornton (3–11–14 in 12 GP) during the club’s first Stanley Cup Final appearance in 2016.

* Additionally, the duo of Couture and Hertl have already established single postseason franchise records for home goals and now sit two shy of becoming just the sixth and seventh different players in the last 30 years to tally at least 10 goals on home ice - a list paced by Cam Neely’s 14 home goals with the Bruins in 1991, which tied Reggie Leach’s NHL record set in 1976 with the Flyers.

* Conversely, Blues forwards Jaden Schwartz (4-4–8) and Ryan O’Reilly (3-5–8) pace their teammates with eight road points in eight such contests this postseason. Only Bruins teammates Brad Marchand (5-5–10 in 8 GP) and David Pastrnak (4-5–9 in 8 GP) have collected more road points in the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

* During St. Louis’ previous appearance in the Conference Finals in 2016, Robby Fabbri (2-8–10 in 10 GP) became just the fourth player in Blues franchise history to notch at least 10 road points in a single postseason. The others: Doug Gilmour (9-6–15 in 1986), Bernie Federko (2-9–11 in 1986) and Rod Brind’Amour (4-6–10 in 1990).

BLUES CAPTAIN SETS SIGHTS ON FRANCHISE MARK

Captain Alex Pietrangelo has collected 2-10—12 in 17 playoff games in 2019, surpassing his previous postseason career high of 2-8—10 (20 GP) set in 2016. Pietrangelo sits one point shy of establishing a Blues franchise record for points in a postseason by a defenseman.

* Pietrangelo has proven to contribute when it matters most as a three-time champion on the international stage. He was a member of Team Canada’s gold medal-winning entries at the 2009 World Junior Championship and 2014 Olympic Winter Games and helped his country win World Cup of Hockey 2016.

(NHL Media)