Chicago Blackhawks v San Jose Sharks Live

Arguably the biggest surprise in this year’s NHL campaign, the Blackhawks showcased brilliant hockey thus far and rallied all the way to the second place in the Western Conference. Hoping to make a run at the number one overall seed, the Chicago Blackhawks will make their way to California to face Joe Thornton and the San Jose Sharks at HP Pavilion on Friday at 3:30 a.m. GMT.

Without any doubts, the Sharks are under considerable pressure to perform well not only in the regular season but also in the playoffs this year. More precisely, San Jose entered the post-season in 2008-09 with the best record but failed to make it past the first round. That said, their play so far has been terrific as they lead the Western Conference with a 35-10-8 record halfway through the season. Especially the Sharks’ offense around All-Stars Dany Heatley and Joe Thornton has been spectacular, scoring no less than 179 goals in 53 games.

The Hawks’ success on the other hand can be attributed to a large extent to their solid defense throughout the season. Being one of the best defensive teams in the league at just 2.3 goals per contest, Chicago showed that they could be a contender down the stretch. Moreover, the Blackhawks had no trouble finding the net either as Patrick Kane and company frequently caused defensive breakdowns for their opponents. Taking everything into account, the clash between the Sharks and Hawks could go either way as both teams have shown excellent hockey thus far. While San Jose might have a slight advantage offensively, Chicago’s ability to perform a both ends of the ice might be a decisive factor on Friday night.

You can watch all games of the Chicago Blackhawks and San Jose Sharks right here on www.watchlivenhl.com, the home of NHL live streaming.