So often in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, advancement is contingent on who is healthy and who is not.
There is a 100 percent injury rate once the NHL’s second season begins, and the best any team can hope for is that whatever bruise pops up, none are bad enough to keep players off the ice.
When it comes to this first-round match-up between the Anaheim Ducks and San Jose Sharks, it’s quite clear which team has health on its side in the forward groups.
When judging their 82-game performances, it’s easy to see that San Jose’s forwards outdid Anaheim’s by a significant margin.