GDT: 160322 Sharks vs Blues 7:30 CSNCA - Force vs Schwartz

[Helistin]

Wait people are actually DEFENDING that PP? Good god you guys.

And can somebody PLEASE explain Marleau's role on this team? The guy gives minimal effort a best with everything he does. He is such a damn loser. If we needed somebody who can put the puck right into the goaltender we might as well bring up somebody younger.

Heart transplant for Marleau in the offseason. Or possibly he picks it up again without since it's a contract year.

 

[BaileyMacTavish]

Wait people are actually DEFENDING that PP? Good god you guys.

And can somebody PLEASE explain Marleau's role on this team? The guy gives minimal effort a best with everything he does. He is such a damn loser. If we needed somebody who can put the puck right into the goaltender we might as well bring up somebody younger.

That PP was bad, I don't think anyone is defending it, the pp at the end was awful.

 

[Limekiller]

I'm not that annoyed about this game. We were dominating for long stretches, but their goalie stood on his head and kept everything out. They got the lucky bounce for a goal, and we didn't. It's not like they blew us out of the rink, this was really close, despite us missing Vlasic. Sure there's individual items that could be improved, but I thought their compete level and intensity were fine, and they played hard.

 

[TomasHertlsRooster]

It's not that big of a deal

If this is a 7 game playoff series the Sharks obv win lol

 

[Bizz]

Wait people are actually DEFENDING that PP? Good god you guys.

And can somebody PLEASE explain Marleau's role on this team? The guy gives minimal effort a best with everything he does. He is such a damn loser. If we needed somebody who can put the puck right into the goaltender we might as well bring up somebody younger.

Marleau has been terrible the last 7+ seasons and you're just now starting to realize it?

 

[CanadienShark]

****** night. The Habs beat Anaheim. Sharks lose in regulation.

 

[LeeIFBB]

Losers find a way to lose.

 

[boylerroom]

Bs night of officiating again. Why the league still allows a handful of teams to play a pre-2005 rules game is beyond me. Rules aren't contextual to the team on the ice.

Contemplating if watching Monday is even worth my time. Why watch the Kings for three hours get to clutch, grab, and interfere their way to another win?

 

[WTFetus]

Heart transplant for Marleau in the offseason. Or possibly he picks it up again without since it's a contract year.

Didn't watch the game, so I can't judge Marleau's play yesterday, but he probably will. But the huge improvement in play from contract years and Olympic years (being good up until he's chosen) to other years is getting tiresome.

 

[hockeyball]

Not really. I mean raining shots without regard for angles and recovery chances would likely have resulted in a clear or ENG. They had several good looks, in lieu of actually breaking down the defense that's all you can really expect.



Didn't look like they took the night off to me

I didn't say they took the night off, I said they need to find some determination. They need find a way to win these critical games. Losing that game pretty much relagated them to 3rd place officially, win that game and they had a decent shot at at least being at home in the first round. And yes, we are a better road team, but that will not necessarily translate to the playoffs and home ice is always the safer bet. Also, it means less travel and more revenue for the team.

It was a suffocating game, but the Sharks need to find a way. We've lost two many playoff series to being suffocated and they Sharks have to find a strategy to win those games.

 

[USF Shark]

I didn't say they took the night off, I said they need to find some determination. They need find a way to win these critical games. Losing that game pretty much relagated them to 3rd place officially, win that game and they had a decent shot at at least being at home in the first round. And yes, we are a better road team, but that will not necessarily translate to the playoffs and home ice is always the safer bet. Also, it means less travel and more revenue for the team.

It was a suffocating game, but the Sharks need to find a way. We've lost two many playoff series to being suffocated and they Sharks have to find a strategy to win those games.

Sometimes you just get beat. Both teams played a great, gritty, defensive game and the only goal was a kind-of fluke goal that got deflected by DeMelo. Sharks had great chances but Elliott made the saves.

To say that the Sharks needed to find a way to win this game doesn't do their play justice, nor does it give credit to St. Louis. The Sharks did find ways to almost win. They had great opportunities to score, but Elliott bested our shooters.

 

[Pinkfloyd]

I didn't say they took the night off, I said they need to find some determination. They need find a way to win these critical games. Losing that game pretty much relagated them to 3rd place officially, win that game and they had a decent shot at at least being at home in the first round. And yes, we are a better road team, but that will not necessarily translate to the playoffs and home ice is always the safer bet. Also, it means less travel and more revenue for the team.

It was a suffocating game, but the Sharks need to find a way. We've lost two many playoff series to being suffocated and they Sharks have to find a strategy to win those games.

You said that it seems like when the Ducks and Kings lose, the Sharks decide to take the night off. I don't know how one can interpret that any differently in this context.

I've seen enough of this team to not worry about its determination or its play in these types of games. Maybe it's different for other people but I think they'll be fine and know that sometimes it comes down to bounces and you don't get them on some nights while you do on others. That's often the difference between relatively equal teams.

 

[hohosaregood]

Sometimes you just get beat. Both teams played a great, gritty, defensive game and the only goal was a kind-of fluke goal that got deflected by DeMelo. Sharks had great chances but Elliott made the saves.

To say that the Sharks needed to find a way to win this game doesn't do their play justice, nor does it give credit to St. Louis. The Sharks did find ways to almost win. They had great opportunities to score, but Elliott bested our shooters.

I'm probably remembering it wrong but I don't really feel like there were many chances for us where it seemed like Elliot stole a goal which probably means that the Blues defensive structure was super tight.

 

[Timo Time]

Can anyone with the fancy stats provide something that says otherwise, but for the last month Marleau has looked awful. By the eye test, it seems like the play keeps dying on his stick.

 

[Gene Parmesan]

I'm probably remembering it wrong but I don't really feel like there were many chances for us where it seemed like Elliot stole a goal which probably means that the Blues defensive structure was super tight.

He made some great saves in traffic off deflected shots. He also had some luck in pucks dying in front of him or hopping over sticks.

 

[hohosaregood]

Can anyone with the fancy stats provide something that says otherwise, but for the last month Marleau has looked awful. By the eye test, it seems like the play keeps dying on his stick.

If anything, he's gotten a lot better over the last month CF% and FF% wise and honestly, I think he has been but the last game probably brought up a lot of pent up Patty frustrations. Which is kinda legit cuz between November and January, he was pretty terrible.

But in terms of scoring potential, I don't really think he should be counted on to score and at this point, Donskoi and Hertl are pushing hard for his spot on the first PP next year.

 

[Pinkfloyd]

If anything, he's gotten a lot better over the last month CF% and FF% wise and honestly, I think he has been but the last game probably brought up a lot of pent up Patty frustrations. Which is kinda legit cuz between November and January, he was pretty terrible.

But in terms of scoring potential, I don't really think he should be counted on to score and at this point, Donskoi and Hertl are pushing hard for his spot on the first PP next year.

They will push but it's unlikely they would get it because Marleau is still productive on the power play and his role is not something they can easily replace. His zone entries on the power play are still very good and not something anyone else consistently does well. At even strength, it simply comes down to getting a playmaker on his line that can reasonably go up against top competition. Tierney struggles pretty badly at that level. Nieto is good defensively in that role but not as a producer or playmaker. I think Hertl is actually the best solution for that but I think the coaches will have a difficult time breaking up the top line for various reasons even though I don't think Hertl dropping from that line will have an adverse affect.

 

[WTFetus]

They will push but it's unlikely they would get it because Marleau is still productive on the power play and his role is not something they can easily replace. His zone entries on the power play are still very good and not something anyone else consistently does well. At even strength, it simply comes down to getting a playmaker on his line that can reasonably go up against top competition. Tierney struggles pretty badly at that level. Nieto is good defensively in that role but not as a producer or playmaker. I think Hertl is actually the best solution for that but I think the coaches will have a difficult time breaking up the top line for various reasons even though I don't think Hertl dropping from that line will have an adverse affect.

Disagree. A full-on dump-and-chase entry, yeah his speed is helpful. But small chips around the defensemen or dekes on the blue-line, Couture and Donskoi are a lot better.

 

[Timo Time]

If anything, he's gotten a lot better over the last month CF% and FF% wise and honestly, I think he has been but the last game probably brought up a lot of pent up Patty frustrations. Which is kinda legit cuz between November and January, he was pretty terrible.

But in terms of scoring potential, I don't really think he should be counted on to score and at this point, Donskoi and Hertl are pushing hard for his spot on the first PP next year.

I still think Patty is a top-6 forward, for obvious reasons. Even when he's not scoring, his speed and two-way play is integral to the line he plays on.

But it's when his scoring dips I get concerned because it looks like, at least for right now; that he's not letting the game come to him. He's fighting his own game at times.

Side note, I really like how PD has a puck hound on each line down the lineup mixed with some possession savvy's.

 

[Pinkfloyd]

Disagree. A full-on dump-and-chase entry, yeah his speed is helpful. But small chips around the defensemen or dekes on the blue-line, Couture and Donskoi are a lot better.

Even on the small chips around the defensemen, Marleau's presence is vital. The way they enter the zone, Couture is on the wall with the puck on his stick and the guy that is his out to keep the puck is almost always Marleau because his speed pushes the D back to open space behind him and along the far wall to rim around to Thornton or Burns. Neither Couture nor Donskoi would do very well in that spot nor carrying the puck on the rush into the zone because their speed doesn't open as much up as you need.

They can't go to a power play unit that would be completely devoid of speed up front.

 

[hohosaregood]

Even on the small chips around the defensemen, Marleau's presence is vital. The way they enter the zone, Couture is on the wall with the puck on his stick and the guy that is his out to keep the puck is almost always Marleau because his speed pushes the D back to open space behind him and along the far wall to rim around to Thornton or Burns. Neither Couture nor Donskoi would do very well in that spot nor carrying the puck on the rush into the zone because their speed doesn't open as much up as you need.

They can't go to a power play unit that would be completely devoid of speed up front.

IMO, 2nd unit's doing something right on zone entries right now cuz it's been awhile since I've thought that the 1st unit has been better than the 2nd unit on controlled zone entries and there's not a whole lot of speed between Hertl and Donskoi.

 

[Pinkfloyd]

IMO, 2nd unit's doing something right on zone entries right now cuz it's been awhile since I've thought that the 1st unit has been better than the 2nd unit on controlled zone entries and there's not a whole lot of speed between Hertl and Donskoi.

Yeah, they're very often going against second level PK units. That helps. The entries aren't really where the problem is when the unit doesn't score. But again, the unit is 4th in the league now on the power play so this isn't really an issue at this point.

The six on three had spacing issues because it isn't a practiced situation. That last shot where Pavs did a backhander taking away Burns' one-timer from, I think Marleau, speaks to that problem. They didn't really know what they were doing in that spot. The extra man is often not an advantage because it takes away space which is where the PP advantage is really at.

 

[jwhitesj]

You said that it seems like when the Ducks and Kings lose, the Sharks decide to take the night off. I don't know how one can interpret that any differently in this context.

I've seen enough of this team to not worry about its determination or its play in these types of games. Maybe it's different for other people but I think they'll be fine and know that sometimes it comes down to bounces and you don't get them on some nights while you do on others. That's often the difference between relatively equal teams.

I think that's what makes hockey different than any of the other sports. Hockey has more of a luck factor. You will never see a Warriors type team in the NHL. Good teams will win more often then bad teams. BUT on any given night, it's a roll of the dice.

 

[Sharksrule04]

I wasn't just referring to that 6 on 3.
The entire powerplay system has been disappointing for the length of the season.

They're a third ranked power play. If you're disappointed with it, you have unfair standards for what isn't disappointing.

Seriously! Do people expect the power-play to go 100%? Our PP is one of the best in the league. I can't imagine how some of you would react if we had other teams PP's. The crying and whining is absurd.

 

[Sharksrule04]

This team needs to stop looking for the perfect opportunities when they're on a 2+ man advantage. That perimeter passing wasted 30 seconds only for a measly deflection to be covered.

Actually that is the goal on a 5-on-3. You have better passing lanes and the point is to move the puck until you get a good shot. If you take stupid shots from the point you make it much easier for the 3 defenders to block a shot or gain control off a rebound and clear.

This isn't aimed at you, but the people who yell "shoot" during a PP just because a guy has control of the puck in the offensive zone are morons, and simply don't understand the strategy behind Power Plays. Yes the Sharks are over-passive at times but I'm going to trust them one of the best power plays (and players) more than the couch fan who just thinks every random shot is going to be deflected in for a goal.