Both teams in the Western Conference finals recognize the frailty and general unreliability of any conclusions drawn after one game of a seven-game series. The Blackhawks made a habit of losing Game 1s and recovering. The Sharks did likewise in the first round this postseason.
But a 2-0 series deficit is the mountain to a 1-0 deficit's molehill, especially with two road games to follow, all of which underscores the task at hand for the Sharks in Game 2 on Tuesday night.
"Yeah, we gotta win tomorrow night," Sharks center Joe Thornton said after practice today. "We realize that. You don't want to go down 2-0 going into Chicago. Tomorrow is going to be a very important game. We'll be ready."
In fact the Game 1 defeat to the Hawks was in many ways a facsimile of the loss to the Avalanche in the first-round opener, when a hot goalie, Craig Anderson, stymied plenty of good chances. It was indeed the same all the way down to the final score of 2-1.
So with that there is not overreaction, though there is not under-reaction either, given that experience last month.
"It can't hurt us," Sharks coach Todd McLellan said. "But what I will say is this isn't Colorado, this is Chicago. So it's a completely different team and monster, if you will. The ability to overcome is going to become very important. Obviously we're behind in the series. We expect our players to rebound."
And, also, put in some rebounds. The Sharks' agenda for Game 2 is essentially the agenda any team that loses a Game 1 is: more net traffic, more awareness of loose pucks near the net, less giveaways that feed the Hawks' transition game.
But other than that, a zero-penalty, 45-shot night that leads to a one-goal loss has not created havoc for the conference's top seed.
"Obviously we're upset," Sharks winger Patrick Marleau said. "But if you get too upset and cling onto Game 1, you're going to make the same mistakes. We've been in this position before and we'll handle it the same way."
But a 2-0 series deficit is the mountain to a 1-0 deficit's molehill, especially with two road games to follow, all of which underscores the task at hand for the Sharks in Game 2 on Tuesday night.
"Yeah, we gotta win tomorrow night," Sharks center Joe Thornton said after practice today. "We realize that. You don't want to go down 2-0 going into Chicago. Tomorrow is going to be a very important game. We'll be ready."
In fact the Game 1 defeat to the Hawks was in many ways a facsimile of the loss to the Avalanche in the first-round opener, when a hot goalie, Craig Anderson, stymied plenty of good chances. It was indeed the same all the way down to the final score of 2-1.
So with that there is not overreaction, though there is not under-reaction either, given that experience last month.
"It can't hurt us," Sharks coach Todd McLellan said. "But what I will say is this isn't Colorado, this is Chicago. So it's a completely different team and monster, if you will. The ability to overcome is going to become very important. Obviously we're behind in the series. We expect our players to rebound."
And, also, put in some rebounds. The Sharks' agenda for Game 2 is essentially the agenda any team that loses a Game 1 is: more net traffic, more awareness of loose pucks near the net, less giveaways that feed the Hawks' transition game.
But other than that, a zero-penalty, 45-shot night that leads to a one-goal loss has not created havoc for the conference's top seed.
"Obviously we're upset," Sharks winger Patrick Marleau said. "But if you get too upset and cling onto Game 1, you're going to make the same mistakes. We've been in this position before and we'll handle it the same way."
