Teams Can’t Jog to Finish Line

Two teams that had to make big leaps to get into playoff contention are traveling tough roads in the final week of the season -- but both say they welcome the test.

The San Jose Sharks, who were eight points out of a playoff spot on March 6, have won the first two games in a stretch of six in nine days. The Mighty Ducks, who were eight points out of a playoff spot on Jan. 13, on Saturday played the first of five straight road games and six games overall in 10 days.

It’s the last challenge of what Shark Coach Ron Wilson called “probably the most compressed schedule I’ve ever been involved in.” But it’s similar to what they’ll face if they’re among the top eight in the West when the season wraps up next Tuesday.

“It’s a very tough schedule, but it’s been tough for the last month or so,” said Duck goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere, whose team plays at Edmonton and San Jose before finishing at home against Calgary on Monday.

“It’s lots of games against tough teams, but I think that’s good because it’s going to get us ready for the playoffs.”

Shark General Manager Doug Wilson has the same perspective. His team has games against Vancouver on Wednesday and Thursday and home games against the fifth-place Ducks and also-ran Kings.

“I look at it that we’re in a playoff mode anyhow, we had an Olympic break, we don’t have an old team and we’ve got a lot of depth,” he said. “I’d rather we play every second night. Guys don’t like practicing this time of year. When you’re playing well you’re eager for the next game.”

The Ducks, 15-6-1 since the Olympic break, and the Sharks, 33-14-7 since they acquired Joe Thornton from Boston, are peaking as they head toward the playoffs.

By contrast, the Oilers and Avalanche are faltering because of iffy goaltending and the Canucks because of a slow, porous defense.

Edmonton finishes at home against the Ducks and Avalanche, and Colorado finishes a challenging trip with games in Vancouver and Edmonton. The Canucks, who have lost four of their last five games, play the Sharks twice and finish at home Saturday against the Avalanche

In the East, Tampa Bay, Montreal and Atlanta are scrambling for the last two spots. The Lightning, off until Friday, will face Carolina twice and Washington once. The Canadiens, who have won nine of 10 games, finish with two games against Buffalo, one against Boston and one against New Jersey. The Thrashers are four points out but could make that up because their four remaining games are against non-playoff teams.

The Flyers were chasing the New York Rangers for the Atlantic Division lead but must now worry about being passed by the Devils, who have won eight in a row and will play host to the Flyers on Thursday and Sunday. The Rangers, seeking their first division title since 1994, play Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and league-leading Ottawa at home next Tuesday.

The playoff threshold will be high, around 95 points, thanks in part to the point awarded for a shootout victory.

The quality of play has generally been high, with the traditionally best part of the season still to come.

Jaws, Revisited

Doug Wilson divides the Sharks’ season into two phases: BT -- before Thornton -- and AT, after he acquired Thornton from Boston for Brad Stuart, Marco Sturm and Wayne Primeau. Thornton’s performance with San Jose should silence Boston-born rumors that he’s not an effective leader.

“I’ve known Joe since 1997. His character is spotless,” Wilson said. “What makes him a great player is he truly makes everyone around him better. He competes tremendously hard at both ends of the rink, we use him in penalty killing and he has a physical element to him. He’s been everything and more than we expected.

“He’s such a great kid. He’s only 26 and he’s just coming into his prime.”

Winger Jonathan Cheechoo will attest to that. He had seven goals in 24 games before Thornton joined the Sharks’ lineup. Since then Cheechoo has scored 44 goals, 34 assisted by Thornton.

“Joe is probably one of the best passers in the league. A guy like that, you just have to try to find the opening for him and he’s going to put it on your stick,” Cheechoo said. “Sometimes they double-team him and he’s so strong, he beats one guy and the other guy has to worry about him coming out and leaves him for a few seconds.”

Thornton said he and Cheechoo “just had great chemistry” from the moment they first skated together. Their success has had a ripple effect, allowing the Sharks to create two scoring lines with size and speed.

“We’ve been playing really well and we’re not afraid to play teams on the road,” Thornton said. “We just have a lot of confidence as a team right now.”

Pigs Are Flying in New York

Once the NHL’s most reckless spenders, the Rangers have become a model of moderation and logic. All it took for them to make the playoffs for the first time since 1997 was a lockout, a salary cap, a crackdown on obstruction and a dose of common sense.

“Sometimes too much is not good,” Jaromir Jagr said of the club’s bad, old ways. “I feel like there was so many skills, so many superstars on one team, and there’s no third and fourth line. There were players who play on third and fourth line who are supposed to play on first or second line. It’s never going to work.

“You know, those superstars, if you want them to play the way they can play, you have to give them ice time. If you have 15 of them on the same team, you cannot give everybody 20 minutes or more ice time. If you don’t give it to them, they’re not going to be that effective.”

With 53 goals and 121 points, Jagr broke Jean Ratelle’s 34-year-old club record of 109 points and Adam Graves’ 12-year-old club record of 52 goals. He’s close to winning his first scoring title since 2001 with Pittsburgh.

“You need very good players around you,” he said. “You need players who understand your game. You need a coach who believes in you and gives you the ice time you need. That’s what I have so far.”