The Sharks appear ready to break up their top line of Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau and Joe Pavelski. The line has produced three points in the Western Conference playoff series against the Blues ? all on assists by Thornton in Game 3.
The Sharks might be making a couple of lineup changes for Game 4 tonight. According to their practice lines Wednesday, former Blues Michal Handzus and Brad Winchester could see their first action of the series. They were inserted for T.J. Galiardi and Dominic Moore.
"Potential lineup changes, there's potential shuffling," San Jose coach Todd McLellan said. "We still have to sit down as a staff and confirm everything. But there's always that opportunity."
In Wednesday's on-ice workout, Thornton centered Logan Couture and Pavelski, while Marleau centered Ryane Clowe and Marty Havlat.
"Just about a different look, finding different chemistry," Thornton said. "If (McLellan) does change the lines, hopefully it will spark some offense from us."
Blues coach Ken Hitchcock was asked about the Sharks' potential changes, and noting that both Handzus and Winchester are both 6 feet 5, he said: "They brought size and obviously 'Zus' is a great (penalty-killing) guy ... (McLellan) has got his depth, we've got our depth."
Hitchcock said that he plans to keep the same lineup in Game 4, but he mentioned possible changes with the forward combinations. The lines in Wednesday's practice remained the same, with each of the four units wearing a different colored jersey.
"I wouldn't go to the bank on the lines in practice," Hitchcock said. "I think we're going to make a couple of changes here as we move forward, but I was too lazy to change the jerseys today."
That means Ryan Reaves, who had four hits in eight minutes of ice time in Game 1 and has been a healthy scratch the past two games, won't be back in the lineup. Asked about his decision to not dress Reaves, Hitchcock said the Blues need the attributes B.J. Crombeen brings to the lineup.
"I just think we needed that voice in the locker room at that time," Hitchcock said. "We needed as much experience to understand the level of the playoffs as anybody and 'Beener' has that experience. We needed a stronger voice inside the locker room. They're both similar players, but we needed the voice to understand that this isn't the regular season.
"We played OK in Game 1, but we didn't have the emotional content necessary to win a series. I didn't think with the emotional level we put into Game 1 that we were going to win the series. We needed to change our emotional level."
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PIVOTAL GAME
Hitchcock had an interesting take Wednesday when discussing how pivotal tonight's game would be. The Blues can either take a commanding 3-1 lead in the series, or they can go back to St. Louis for Game 5 Saturday with the series tied at two games apiece.
In the latter case, the series would come down to a best of three, with a 3 1/2-hour plane flight between each game.
"If this thing goes 2-2, then it's who's got the best bus and whose got the best plane, and that's not good for either team," he said. "They want this thing going where they could start taking it over, and we're looking at it as it gets scary after tomorrow. You're talking long flights, not much sleep, every second day ? who's got the best plane and whose got the best bus."
The Sharks might be making a couple of lineup changes for Game 4 tonight. According to their practice lines Wednesday, former Blues Michal Handzus and Brad Winchester could see their first action of the series. They were inserted for T.J. Galiardi and Dominic Moore.
"Potential lineup changes, there's potential shuffling," San Jose coach Todd McLellan said. "We still have to sit down as a staff and confirm everything. But there's always that opportunity."
In Wednesday's on-ice workout, Thornton centered Logan Couture and Pavelski, while Marleau centered Ryane Clowe and Marty Havlat.
"Just about a different look, finding different chemistry," Thornton said. "If (McLellan) does change the lines, hopefully it will spark some offense from us."
Blues coach Ken Hitchcock was asked about the Sharks' potential changes, and noting that both Handzus and Winchester are both 6 feet 5, he said: "They brought size and obviously 'Zus' is a great (penalty-killing) guy ... (McLellan) has got his depth, we've got our depth."
Hitchcock said that he plans to keep the same lineup in Game 4, but he mentioned possible changes with the forward combinations. The lines in Wednesday's practice remained the same, with each of the four units wearing a different colored jersey.
"I wouldn't go to the bank on the lines in practice," Hitchcock said. "I think we're going to make a couple of changes here as we move forward, but I was too lazy to change the jerseys today."
That means Ryan Reaves, who had four hits in eight minutes of ice time in Game 1 and has been a healthy scratch the past two games, won't be back in the lineup. Asked about his decision to not dress Reaves, Hitchcock said the Blues need the attributes B.J. Crombeen brings to the lineup.
"I just think we needed that voice in the locker room at that time," Hitchcock said. "We needed as much experience to understand the level of the playoffs as anybody and 'Beener' has that experience. We needed a stronger voice inside the locker room. They're both similar players, but we needed the voice to understand that this isn't the regular season.
"We played OK in Game 1, but we didn't have the emotional content necessary to win a series. I didn't think with the emotional level we put into Game 1 that we were going to win the series. We needed to change our emotional level."
====
PIVOTAL GAME
Hitchcock had an interesting take Wednesday when discussing how pivotal tonight's game would be. The Blues can either take a commanding 3-1 lead in the series, or they can go back to St. Louis for Game 5 Saturday with the series tied at two games apiece.
In the latter case, the series would come down to a best of three, with a 3 1/2-hour plane flight between each game.
"If this thing goes 2-2, then it's who's got the best bus and whose got the best plane, and that's not good for either team," he said. "They want this thing going where they could start taking it over, and we're looking at it as it gets scary after tomorrow. You're talking long flights, not much sleep, every second day ? who's got the best plane and whose got the best bus."
