goals-against average, nine shutouts and a .940 save percentage, and was the Blues' lone All-Star. Halak was fifth with a 1.97 goals-against average and six shutouts and is playoff-tested, winning a pair of Game 7s to lift the No. 8 seed Canadiens in 2009-10.Their combined 15 shutouts tied the modern NHL record set by the Chicago Blackhawks in 1969-70, and they're the first tandem in NHL history with at least six shutouts apiece.Even though Elliott's locker stall was empty, Halak was taking nothing for granted and acted as if he didn't know he would start. He didn't make much of his prior success, either."That happened two years ago almost," Halak said. "We are here right now and it's a different team,Brad Marchand Authentic Jersey, different playoffs. It's a new season for everybody. You start from scratch."Expectations are high for a franchise that took flight after the Hitchcock hire in early November, going 43-15-11 after a so-so 6-7 start. They're the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference after a 109-point total that tied for second overall in the NHL.And, though they're in the playoffs for just the second time in seven seasons and haven't won a series in a decade, they swept the four-game season series against the No. 7 Sharks while outscoring them 11-3. Halak and Elliott each shut out San Jose at home."It doesn't matter which goalie you play against, which system you play against," the Sharks' Dan Boyle said. "You want to get shots, traffic,Zdeno Chara Authentic Jersey, screen the goalie,Nathan Horton Authentic Jersey, get some ugly rebound goals. That's usually the key to success."Most of the season the Blues have been a defence-oriented outfit, setting an NHL record with just 155 goals allowed. Hitchcock is hopeful the Blues can step it up on offence, too, with difference-makers David Perron, Andy McDonald and Alex Steen healthy after missing huge chunks of the season with concussions and ready to complement a relentless north-south attack designed to grind down opponents.The shifty Perron was second on the team with 21 goals and totalled 42 points in 57 games. The speedy McDonald had 22 points in 25 games, and Steen, perhaps the team's best two-way player, had 28 points in 43 games."I'm excited to see how we look offensively because I believe we can match against anybody," Hitchcock said. "And I think we're going to prove it."Perron was sidelined more than a year by a mid-ice blow to the head delivered by the Sharks' Joe Thornton,Authentic Brad Marchand Jersey, who emerged from the penalty box and caught the Blues player by surprise. Thornton texted an apology before Perron's first game back, the two have spoken, and Perron said it's a non-factor."It was really dirty to me because he was coming out of the box, and how can you know someone's coming out of the penalty box?" Perron said. "He's moved on, I've moved on,Milan Lucic Jersey, and the biggest thing for us is to beat the Sharks, not to beat Joe Thornton."Thornton, the Sharks' captain, anticipates he'll be the prime target for heckling."We're not going to get a warm reception there, I hope," Thornton said. "They're not going to get a warm reception here in San Jose, I can tell you that much