Sharks Circling the Blues

The St. Louis Blues’ regular-season championship isn’t doing them much good right now.

For the second consecutive season, they’re facing a 3-1 playoff series deficit. The San Jose Sharks, who finished 27 points behind the Blues and were believed to be easy pickings entering the playoffs, can eliminate them in Game 5 tonight at St. Louis.

“Three-one is a great position to be in, but this is far from over,” Shark forward Owen Nolan said. “The feeling in our room is they have everything to prove, though. All the pressure is on them and we’re playing pressure-free.”

Last year, the Blues trailed, 3-1, in the first round against the Phoenix Coyotes. That was a more difficult comeback, because the Blues were seeded lower and had to win Game 7 on the road.

At least this time, their franchise-record 114-point season would guarantee them a seventh game at home--if they make it that far. The Sharks have won three in a row since the Blues won the opener.

“All year we were finding ways to win and right now it just isn’t happening,” defenseman Al MacInnis said. “If we keep working hard, hopefully we can take a page out of last year’s book against Phoenix.”

Elsewhere, the Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars and Pittsburgh Penguins are positioned to wrap up their first-round series with victories tonight against the Coyotes, Edmonton Oilers and Washington Capitals, respectively.

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Joe Thornton and Anson Carter, the Boston Bruins’ top two scorers, have undergone right shoulder surgery following a season in which the Bruins missed the playoffs for the second time in four years.

Both are expected to be ready to play by training camp.