Avs three keys
Capitalize! The team that capitalizes on the power play will be in the driver’s seat to win Game 7. Both teams have struggled to score with the man-advantage throughout this series — the Avs are 2-of-20 and the Sharks 2-of-17 — so special teams are bound to play a huge role. The Avalanche committed just one penalty in Game 6 and the Sharks had just 34 seconds of power-play time, a key reason Colorado never trailed.
MacKinnon time? Nathan MacKinnon logged a team-high 26:32 in Game 6 but was minus-2 and pointless for the second consecutive game. Hey, the guy is getting draped with Sharks defenders because San Jose believes it will win the series if he shuts down Colorado’s most explosive offensive player. If MacKinnon can fight through the attention at the SAP Center — where the Sharks will have an advantage with last change — and deliver like he normally does, the Avs have a great chance to move on.
Goaltending. It’s Philipp Grubauer against Martin Jones and the guy who has the best performance will almost certainly steer his team to victory. The Avs’ Grubauer has a superior save percentage — .928 to Jones’ .908 — but Jones will have a distinct advantage of playing at home. After losing 2-1 in Game 5, Grubauer commented on how the Sharks are “a different team in their own barn.” Indeed, it’s a tough place to play for a visiting team.
