How Vladimir Tarasenko, Blues Forwards Bested Sharks in West Finals

Vladimir Tarasenko heated up at just the wrong time for the Sharks. 

The St. Louis Blues winger picked up eight points (three goals, five assists) in their six-game Western Conference final win over San Jose, including the game-winning power-play goal in a 5-1 win in Tuesday's Game 6 at Enterprise Center. Tarasenko led all players in the best-of-seven series with his scoring output, but the Sharks' problems did not stop with the 27-year-old in the conference final. 

"I think what made the St. Louis Blues successful wasn't just Vladimir Tarasenko, it was the production of every line," NBC Sports California guest analyst Kendall Coyne Schofield said after Game 6 on Tuesday. " ... I think a forward on every line had a point tonight. So, every line produced and that's not easy to do. It's going to take a complete team to get to the Stanley Cup Final, and I think that's what St. Louis did during this series."

Two of St. Louis' five goals Tuesday were scored in 5-on-5 situations, but the Blues got contributions from up and down their lineup. David Perron opened the scoring 92 seconds into the contest, while Tarasenko doubled the St. Louis lead just shy of 15 minutes later. Brayden Schenn, Tarasenko's linemate, answered Dylan Gambrell's first career NHL goal with another power-play tally. Tyler Bozak, normally the team's third-line center, was credited with the Blues' fourth goal after his pass deflected off of a defending Gustav Nyquist's stick. St. Louis' fourth line, after being a thorn in San Jose's side all series, left no doubt with an empty-netter with 2:15 remaining in regulation. 

Twelve forwards suited up for the Blues in the Western Conference final, and all but one ended the series with multiple points. The Sharks, by contrast, only had six forwards record at least two points. Four more scored one, and four didn't score at all. 

It didn't help the Sharks on Tuesday that they were without one of those multi-point forwards (Joe Pavelski), as well as one who was red-hot entering the conference final yet still looking for his second point against the Blues (Tomas Hertl). Despite that, San Jose created more high-danger chances at full strength in regulation (11) than in any other game this series, although six came as the Sharks attempted to climb out of a two-goal hole in the third period. 

That didn't translate into goals, Coyne Schofield said, because of what the Blues' defensemen did. 

"I thought they did a really good job boxing out, not allowing second opportunities, allowing Jordan Binnington to see the pucks and ultimately slow down the San Jose offense," she said. "A San Jose offense that was injured, that wasn't complete and [was] trying to string together lines and string together offense in any way they can when, on the other isde of things, the Blues were clicking on all cylinders."

[RELATED: Sharks expecting offseason of change after falling short]

The Blues clicked up front for much of the series. Only two St. Louis forwards (Perron and Ryan O'Reilly) were on the ice for more expected goals-against than for in 5-on-5 situations, according to Natural Stat Trick, and only one (Robert Thomas) was on the ice for more goals-against than for. 

In large part because of that edge up front, the Blues will play in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final on Memorial Day and the Sharks will pack up for the summer beforehand. 

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