Costly loss, Sharks. Costly loss.
Losing to Calgary after a shootout loss to Edmonton was not the ideal situation. The Flames have the Sharks number this year and always seem to give team teal a good go around when they meet. By the end of today the Pacific Division 2-4 could look like this:
Vancouver, Calgary, San Jose – 61 points LA – 56 points
By not capitalizing on games the Sharks are letting the division remain close when they could be sitting with a nice cushion right now watching the Canucks, Flames and Kings beat the snot out of each other. Instead, the Sharks are right in the thick of things and can’t afford to lose tonight’s game. Time for some thoughts.
Time To Shut Down The Shut-down Line
Logan Couture and his group of alleged shutdown bandits aren’t doing their job. They are getting owned more often than not and as a team with playoff aspirations that simply can’t happen.
It’s high time that the Sharks switch the “shutdown… line to the Joe Thornton unit.
Thornton/Pavelski/Karlsson are more than capable of playing against any line in the league. You need the puck to shut-down the opposition and Couture’s line just can’t seem to get it done.
Since December 10th Logan Couture has a 5v5 CF% of 48.4%. That’s nowhere close to where it needs to be for that line to be successful in keeping the top competition from the other team at bay.
Alex Stalock
I feel bad for Stalock, I really do. He looks like a kid at Christmas when he finally gets to play in a real, live, NHL hockey game. He’s anxious, overstimulated and every shot seems to be an exciting new surprise that he wants to overcompensate and tear into.
I think if Stalock actually played a string of games that you’d see an entirely different goaltender by the end of the stretch. He’ll never relax in the cage if he’s going to play once a month.
Right now his confidence has to be at an all-time low. The only reason he played last night was because it’s a back to back set. No matter how awful Niemi plays the coaching staff just won’t give him more than game here and there. There will never be any consistency in his game if his games continue to be distributed as they are now. If there are no plans to up Stalock’s playing time then I’m ready to write him off as an NHL goalie because he’ll never be comfortable in the crease.
Almost a Fourth Line
Kennedy – Tierney – Scott
So close. So, close.
Of course John Scott did score so I suppose I should rejoice and praise McLellan for his masterful wizardry.
Before I list some players who now are behind John Scott in goals, let’s discuss Tyler Kennedy.
In 20 games he’s played this year, Kennedy has a CF% of 57.0. He is behind ONLY Joe Thornton. Like him, hate him or be indifferent to his play this is a player that should be playing more than the 7:11 he played in Calgary. It’s amazing that Barclay Goodrow is above Kennedy on the depth chart, just amazing.
Back to Scott. The Sharks fashionista now has two goals on the season and the world is awaiting the next addition to his t-shirt collection. Until then, let’s look at some players he’s now comparable to from a sniper standpoint.
John Scott – 2 goals, 23 GP Olli Jokinen - 3 goals, 47 GP Dave Bolland – 2 goals, 28 GP Alex Semin – 2 goals, 28 GP Cody Hodgson – 2 goals, 49 GP Matt Read – 3 goals, 51 GP
How can those five players even sleep at night anymore? In fairness to the Calgary defense on the Scott goal, I wouldn’t have paid any attention to him either. Not really a major concern out there.
Brent Burns/Joe Pavelski
Twitter during a sporting event is absolutely hilarious. Just type Sharks in the twitter search and enjoy the ride. Last night there were calls for Burns back to forward and Pavelski back to the third line again.
So, let’s put Burns at forward. Who is going to play defense? Oh, that’s right…no one. He’s there for a reason people, give it up. Half of the things I read I swear people are only hating on Burns because that’s what all the cool kids are doing. He’s still in a transition and he’s not nearly as poor as everyone makes him out to be on the blueline.
Games 1-30 For Burns:
CF%: 52.5% SA60: 29.7 GA60: 2.8
Games 31-Present For Burns:
CF%: 52.9% SA60: 26.7 GA60: 2.4
All improvements. He’s getting better and he doesn’t deserve nearly the amount of criticism he gets. Sometimes you would swear he’s in Toronto.
Here’s your alternative: Matt Irwin becomes the best puck moving d-man on San Jose and starts logging real minutes. Smarten up.
Pavelski to the third line remains foolish as well. Solving a depth problem by breaking up your best line – and the best combination of players in Sharks history – is not a very good answer. The right move is to acquire the depth required to fill deficiencies in the lineup. This isn’t 2, 3 or 4 years ago. Joe Pavelski is Joe Thornton’s winger. It’s going to stay like that until Thornton leaves. Then Pavelski will be the 1C, but I suppose people will cry for him to be moved to the 3C position then as well, right?
Sharks and Canucks tonight. Both teams know what's at stake, should be a good tilt.
Thanks for reading.
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