SAN JOSE -- The Sharks feasted in a convincing 4-0 victory over the Golden Knights.
The series is now tied 2-2.
In every zone, San Jose took away the middle of the ice from Vegas.
On the breakout:
In the neutral zone:
But their most impressive work might have been in the offensive zone:
Here, Marc-Edouard Vlasic brilliantly plays the man (Jonathan Marchessault) and the pass to Reilly Smith. It's terrific anticipation by Vlasic -- he knows exactly where Marchessault wants to go.
When the Golden Knights were able to get center lane drive, the Sharks made a particular point of outnumbering them on entry:
In both cases, two Knights enter in stride, but they're swarmed by three Sharks. A third Knight (Haula in the first clip and Smith in the second) trails deliberately. Vegas is hoping to hit the open late man, but San Jose resists with this aggressive defensive posture.
In the second clip, the trailer (Smith) does receive the pass, but the Sharks backcheck with gusto. Vlasic blocks Smith's first shot attempt, while Joe Pavelski and Evander Kane hound Smith to the blueline, forcing a turnover.
San Jose's dominance over the middle of the ice manifested itself in this heat map of 5v5 shot attempts from Natural Stat Trick:
Tomas Hertl's goal was emblematic of San Jose's offensive dominance up the middle, as both Hertl and Logan Couture beat Vegas players to the front.
.@TomasHertl48 puts the @SanJoseSharks up 3-0. pic.twitter.com/dxSpuVFmmE
— NHL GIFs (@NHLGIFs) May 3, 2018
This is the definition of a team staying on top of you.
Pluses
Not tonight.
Minuses
Marcus Sorensen opens the scoring. What an effort to give San Jose the lead. pic.twitter.com/N13c3VgUzh
— Ryan Quigley (@RP_Quigs) May 3, 2018
Marchessault and Gerard Gallant were none too pleased with them last night.
Full Marchessault quote on #SJSharks "pick" plays, if #VegasBorn "compete" level was high enough tonight: pic.twitter.com/7LuuHBQFUM
— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) May 3, 2018
Gallant, on #SJSharks "pick" plays: "You guys saw the play. That's all I'm going to say."
— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) May 3, 2018
San Jose will pick you all day if you can't take advantage of the power plays. received. Meier goes off for a blatant, perhaps message-sending pick there
— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) May 3, 2018
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