Alright Arizona, let’s do each other some favors. You’re getting so close to McDavid you can smell his equipment and the Sharks need two points. I’ll trade you another – more potent – sniff of McDavid’s gear in exchange for a win. Deal?
San Jose is in the thick of a tight race in the West – one full of teams that can’t be happy with how they’ve played in the last ten games – and despite their recent burst of games they are still only one win away from hopping from 8th in the West up to 5th. We can’t expect the Conference to stay so stagnant, though, so tonight’s game against the Coyotes is of the utmost importance.
A win tonight would send the Sharks home for the next seven games on a positive note. That’s a big deal. This is the first of four straight games against non-playoff position teams before they run into another wall of death with Los Angeles, Anaheim and Chicago.
San Jose has an opportunity to pick up a good chunk of points over the next week to put themselves in a good position should they run into some trouble against California and the Hawks. Nothing is going to be handed to them, though, so they’ll need to find sixty minutes of hockey starting with tonight.
Keys to the Game
Easy Todd, Put The Bingo Balls Away
I get the point behind the Marleau to the top line move – I do – but it came at the expense of separating the Sharks best duo over the last seven seasons. Minor tinkering is all you need, Todd. There’s no need to go wild and remove Pavelski from the Thornton line – that’s just absurd and it makes you look desperate and out of control.
Over the last seven seasons – at even strength – this is what Pavelski and Thornton do together and apart.
Pavelski G20 with 19: 1.057 - w/o 19: 0.730 Pavelski GA20 with 19: 0.523 - w/o19: 0.676
More goals for, less goals against, when Pavelski is with Thornton rather than off on another line beating his head against the boards with depression.
Keep The Shots Down
The Sharks goaltenders provide – generally – a consistent save percentage. When you allow them to be shelled for 30+ shots then you’re digging your own grave.
In the last five games the Sharks have allowed over thirty shots three times, in the previous five to that they only allowed thirty once.
They need to find that defensive groove again and give themselves every opportunity to win the game. With the goal well running a little dry right now it puts even more importance on keeping the shots against down.
Brent Burns
Burns’ offence is back – but it’s at the expense of slight improvements on defence.
As his transition continues he needs to find a good balance between the two. Brenden Dillon has had a great impact on his game since they acquired him but he’s not a number one defender who can carry the entire load in the defensive zone.
Stop thinking about the next zone exit before you even get the puck and settle down in the defensive zone. Demolish someone – you’re massive. Get angry and throw some people around, but more importantly stay in position.
The transition has been slow but it’s moving in the right direction – it was always going to take time. There is no Burns to forward move coming – that’s just foolish – he’s a serviceable defender who is just trying to relearn the ropes of playing the blueline again.
Here’s hoping for one of those zero goal performances by the Coyotes.
Finally, what everyone’s been waiting for – if you didn’t see it already or just want another look.
John Scott made his own t-shirt – and put himself on it. Scott’s silky dangle snipe-shot is the theme behind it. He clearly, like everyone else, doesn’t expect to get another before the season is over.
Sharks enforcer John Scott wears T-shirt featuring Sharks enforcer John Scott scoring a goal. http://t.co/Y2lTvYktkI pic.twitter.com/9WCGVIqfxO
— Yahoo Sports NHL (@YahooSportsNHL) January 12, 2015That has a job in the NHL.
Thanks for reading.