Hours and hours spent planted in front tipping rubber is paying dividends for Joe Pavelski and the San Jose Sharks.
Pavelski's league-leading 12th postseason goal, scored on a masterful tip, stood as the eventual game winner Monday night in Game 5, as San Jose moved to within one victory of reaching the Stanley Cup Final for the first time ever.
It's obviously plenty more complex, but the difference in the contest, and in turn so far in the Western Conference Final, is ascribed in part to the captain's dedication to his craft.
"It's incredible," remarked head coach Pete DeBoer. "You think back to some of the best scorers ever. His ability to get his stick on pucks in the offensive zone, in front on the net, different angles, is as good as anybody I've ever seen."
"But it's a great lesson. He works at it. He works at it every day. He gets (Brent Burns) or one of the other (defensemen), gets them to fire 100, 200 pucks. I'll watch him from the boards with the other coaches. He'll get a piece of every single one."
DeBoer added, "His biggest asset is he works at it."
Pavelski's persistence is really part of a overarching theme in these playoffs for the Sharks, who can close out the series on home ice Wednesday.
