The arrival of Brian Campbell (51) has led to a lot more celebrating in San Jose. (Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press)

California has introduced us to a lot of trendy things. Say what you will about skateboarding, LSD and Lauren Conrad, but each has enjoyed an extended run of success.

Not so of late for the San Jose Sharks. At least not in the playoffs. A "sexy" pick of pundits looking to tab a Stanley Cup "sleeper" in each of the last two years, NoCal's favourite pro hockey team hasn't made it past the second round since before the 2004-05 NHL lockout.

With this year's team boasting a stingy defence, a high-scoring trade deadline acquisition and a stunning late-season surge, the Sharks are again a hot Cup pick as the 2008 playoffs get underway. But do they have what it takes to play deep into the spring?

First, about that surge: Between Feb. 21 andApril 1, the Sharks suffered exactly zero regulation losses. Zero. That incredible 20-game streak propelled San Jose past defending Cup champion Anaheim for the Pacific Division title and the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference. The Sharks nearly caught top-ranked Detroit for the Presidents' Trophy before dropping two meaningless games to close the season.

"The team is playing really well," defenceman Brian Campbell, the aforementioned trade acquisition, told CBCSports.ca the evening after the Sharks' 5-2 April Fools Day laugher over Los Angeles. "We're just trying to roll on and get prepared for the playoffs."

Campbell adds firepower

San Jose's late-season push coincided with Campbell's arrival in a Feb. 26 swap that sent young forward Steve Bernier to Buffalo. A superb skater and puck handler who shoots — and hits — harder than his 191-pound frame would suggest, Campbell had 19 points in 20 games with the Sharks after registering 43 in 63 with the Sabres.

Evgeni Nabokov nearly set the NHL record for wins by a goalie this season. (Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press)

"The points have been coming, but I've been playing with [all-world playmaker Joe] Thornton's line a lot of times, so that definitely helps. And I'm getting opportunities to play a lot of special teams."

Often manning the point on the power play, Campbell has bolstered a so-so attack that scored 2.63 goals per game on the season — down from 3.1 in 2006-07 — but averaged north of 3.0 after his arrival.

"He loves to have the puck," head coach Ron Wilson told reporters on a conference call in the regular season's final week. "It's just kind of changed our game — a little less dump-and-chase, and forecheck."

"And then that threat of the way he handles a puck, whether it's skating or passing, or his little spin-around move, seems to back the forecheck off and creates more passing lanes and openings for us to create speed through the neutral zone."

Though the acquisition of Campbell has worked wonders for the Sharks' offence, they still finished the season with an underwhelming plus-29 goal differential. Here's why that's troubling: in the 11 seasons since lockout-shortened 1994-95, no Stanley Cup champion has had a differential that low (chart), and only the 2005-06 Carolina Hurricanes were even close.

NHL champion (season)	Goal diff.
Anaheim (06-07)	+50
Carolina (05-06)	+34
Tampa Bay (03-04)	+53
New Jersey (02-03)	+50
Detroit (01-02)	+64
Colorado (00-01)	+78
New Jersey (99-00)	+48
Dallas (98-99)	+68
Detroit (97-98)	+54
Detroit (96-97)	+56
Colorado (95-96)	+86

The Sharks have offset their lack of blowout victories with an uncanny ability to win one-goal games, going 26-7-10 in such contests. Of course, the trick to one-goal games is that they can go sideways with just one bad bounce, but the Sharks appear well-stocked to fortify a slim lead. Backed by the outstanding play of goalie Evgeni Nabokov, who came within two wins of tying Martin Brodeur's NHL single-season record of 48, San Jose cut its goals allowed from 2.40 per game a year ago to 2.28 — third-stingiest in the league.

"The guys are all very reliable out there," Campbell said. "They know they're positioning. It's an easy system to play."

Motown showdown looming?

Though the Sharks fell to Detroit in six games in the second round of last year's playoffs, San Jose has reason for optimism if the road to the Stanley Cup again goes through Motown. The Red Wings' 54 wins easily topped the NHL, but one of their biggest strengths — special teams — is something San Jose can neutralize.

An extremely disciplined bunch, the Sharks played shorthanded just 310 times — third-fewest in the NHL — and their penalty-killing success rate of 85.4 per cent led the league. On the flip side, San Jose ranked in the top five in penalties drawn and had a top-10 power play.

"If we play Detroit, it wouldn't be until the conference finals, so you can worry about that them," Campbell said. "But we're a team that can play different styles and have success against anybody."

Still, even the newcomer knows the burden of proof is on the Sharks to show they're no passing fad.

"Everybody talks about how good the streak is, but it's not going to mean a whole lot if we're not successful in the playoffs," Campbell said. "That's something we're well aware of in the locker-room.

"There's a lot of work left to be done."