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Eager sits out in Game 3

Friday, 05.20.2011 / 9:10 PM

By Dan Rosen - NHL.com Senior Writer / 2011 Western Conf. Final: Canucks-Sharks Blog

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2011 Western Conf. Final: Canucks-Sharks Blog
Eager sits out in Game 3
After talking up Ben Eager's importance following his six-penalty performance in Game 2, Sharks coach Todd McLellan has apparently had a change of heart because the bruising fourth-liner who lost his cool Wednesday night will not play in Game 3 for San Jose.

The Sharks' fourth line is instead a grouping of Jamie McGinn, Andrew Desjardins and Jamal Mayers -- three guys who did not play in Game 2. McGinn last played in Game 6 against Detroit while Desjardins will be making his Stanley Cup Playoff debut as the center on the Sharks' fourth line.

McLellan was high in his praise of Eager's game following Wednesday's 7-3 loss, saying he likes what the grinding winger brings in terms of energy and physicality -- but the downside, of course, is when he parades himself to the penalty box like he did in Game 2.

The Canucks also have two changes on their fourth line, as Alex Bolduc has gone from Black Ace to fourth-line center in a matter of days. He replaces rookie Cody Hodgson, who played in six straight games. Tanner Glass has drawn back in on the left side for Jeff Tambellini, who played in Game 2 because Canucks coach Alain Vigneault was looking for some speed.

Clearly Vigneault is going the physical rout because with Victor Oreskovich, Bolduc and Glass will give the Canucks a massive and tough fourth line. It all may have been a ploy to counter Eager, but he is not playing.

Here are the rest of the lines and defensive pairings that were shown during pre-game warm-ups:

SAN JOSE

Patrick Marleau - Joe Thornton - Devin Setoguchi
Ryane Clowe - Logan Couture - Dany Heatley
Kyle Wellwood - Joe Pavelski - Torrey Mitchell
Jamie McGinn - Andrew Desjardins - Jamal Mayers

Dan Boyle - Douglas Murray
Niclas Wallin - Ian White
Marc-Edouard Vlasic - Kent Huskins

Antti Niemi
Antero Niittymaki

VANCOUVER

Daniel Sedin - Henrik Sedin - Alex Burrows
Chris Higgins - Ryan Kesler - Mason Raymond
Raffi Torres - Maxim Lapierre - Jannik Hansen
Tanner Glass - Alex Bolduc - Victor Oreskovich

Dan Hamhuis - Kevin Bieksa
Christian Ehrhoff - Aaron Rome
Sami Salo - Alex Edler

Roberto Luongo
Cory Schneider

Follow Dan Rosen on Twitter at: @drosennhl

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