Just Winging It

ST. LOUIS — San Jose Sharks forward Joe Thornton is no longer a full-time center.

Thornton plays on the Sharks top line, but captain Joe Pavelski assumes most of the center-ice assignments. Tomas Hertl, the third natural center on the line, plays most of his time on the wing opposite Thornton.

As he has gotten older, the 36-year-old Thornton has been asked to play on the wing more and more, but don’t you dare call him a wing.

“Well, to be honest with you, I think we have three centers,” Thornton said of his line. “I don’t think any of us are wingers. I think Tomas is a center, [Pavelski] is a center, I’m a center. Whoever takes the faceoff is the center at that particular moment. We all call ourselves centermen. Call me center, please.”

Call him whatever you want, but it is working. The line has been one of the most effective in the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs, helping the Sharks get past the Los Angeles Kings and Nashville Predators.

Sunday, in Game 1 of the Western Conference Final against the St. Louis Blues at Scottrade Center, the line was the most dominant.

The Blues may have won 2-1, but they know they have to do a better job in Game 2 (5 p.m. PT; NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports) of containing the opposition’s top line. The line scored San Jose’s only goal, by Hertl, and generated a dozen shots on goal.

In 13 games this postseason, mostly on the wing, Thornton has 11 points (three goals, eight assists), fourth-most on the Sharks behind Logan Couture (17), Brent Burns (16) and Pavelski (14).

St. Louis coach Ken Hitchcock, who has coached …

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