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Tuesday Tire Pump: Joe Pavelski

Nashville Predators v San Jose Sharks

SAN JOSE, CA - NOVEMBER 05: Joe Pavelski #8 of the San Jose Sharks shoots on goal against the Nashville Predators in the first period during an NHL game at HP Pavilion at San Jose on November 5, 2011 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

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Every Tuesday at PHT, we’ll pump a player’s tire. Because every player likes it when nice things are said about them.

This week’s tire pumpee: Joe Pavelski, San Jose Sharks

Clearly we had to pick Pavelski after what he said to the media recently: “You guys already are trying to pump me up too much.”

Hey, that’s what happens when you rack up 17 points in your first 13 games. It’s not the media’s fault they’re pumping your tires. It’s YOUR fault, Joe Pavelski. Stop being so…good.

Formerly San Jose’s third-line center, the 27-year-old has been a scoring machine playing the wing on the Sharks’ top line with Joe Thornton in the middle and either Logan Couture or Patrick Marleau on the other side.

“Pavs is just really good around the net,” Thornton told the Mercury News last week. “He has nice hands with a great shot. He goes to dirty areas and works hard. When you put all those things together, you’re going to score a lot of goals.”

Pavelski was one of the main players the Sharks were counting on to step up offensively after Dany Heatley and Devin Setoguchi were traded away over the summer.

So far, so good. Only Phil Kessel (10 goals) and Steven Stamkos (10) have more goals than Pavelski (9) this season.

Of those nine goals, none were bigger than this late one against the Devils on Oct. 21:

The Sharks ended up winning the game in a shootout, snapping a three-game losing streak, then went on to win four more in a row.

Joe Pavelski, everyone.