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Video: Hockey Central previews Sharks-Canucks Game 3

Daniel Sedin Hendrik Sedin Ryan Kesler Christian Ehrhoff

Vancouver Canucks’ goaltender Roberto Luongo makes a save during the first period of game 1 of NHL Western Conference final Stanley Cup playoff hockey action in Vancouver, British Columbia Wednesday, May 18, 2011 as teammates Sami Salo, 6, of Finland,and Dan Hamhuis, 2, try to clear San Jose Sharks’ Kyle Wellwood, 20, and Ryane Clowe, 29, from in front of the net. The Canucks went to win the game 7-3. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Jonathan Hayward)

AP

The San Jose Sharks went into the third period trailing by a single goal, giving the Vancouver Canucks a good fight through the first 40 minutes. While some of the team’s third period struggles have been a bit overblown, that premise gained some serious credence as the Sharks absolutely unraveled in the final frame.

Ben Eager put the biggest black eye on the game with his foolish array of penalties, but Ryane Clowe had his low moments as well. Either way, the Canucks absolutely took advantage of San Jose’s lapses in discipline by scoring two power-play goals to make it 5-2 and eventually finished the game with a 7-3 win.

This game is obviously more important for the Sharks than it is for the Canucks, so the team needs to take advantage of their home crowd (and the advantages that come with having the last change) to try to turn the tide of the series. That means testing Canucks goalie Roberto Luongo more often, doing a better job of providing their own goalie Antti Niemi with better support and avoiding dumb penalties that hurt them on the scoreboard.

“Iron” Mike Keenan and Keith Jones discuss what the Sharks need to change and what the Canucks should continue to do in Game 3 of the series, which takes place at 9 p.m. ET on Versus.