They were the league's third-best possession team and that isn't a team that should be blown up just because the Western Conference Murderer's Row tripped them up once again.
It's great that the Sharks manage to
attempt more shots than their opponent, and often get more on target, but a possession stat driven by shots doesn't give an accurate account of a teams control of the puck/ice.
FF% (Fenwick for percentage) -
3rd
SF% (Shots for percentage) -
3rd
CF% (Corsi for percentage) -
5th
The Sharks do a great job on generating chances in the right direction and their shooting based possession stats look very dangerous.
But..... despite dominating possession....
The Sharks (NHL's 2nd best faceoff team) have a hard time establishing faceoffs in the offensive zone.
http://blog.extraskater.com/2014/04/team-zone-starts/
And have a hard time drawing icings, while having one of the worst total icings taken.
http://blog.extraskater.com/2014/04/team-icing-stats/
Crazy stats for a team who is
"the league's third-best possession team". I posted those stats a few days ago, but they are worth reposting.
The zone starts are the most disturbing. Imo, it really shows a failure to apply a solid forecheck and hem a team in. It's really inexcusable be ranked #2 in FO%, Top 5 in shooting/possession, and not be able to take advantage with OZ starts. Maybe the system needs to focus on more quality than quantity, and applying more pressure to sustain OZ time? A little more strategy than an all out barrage.....
The icings can go two ways, but it's still troubling. The Sharks find it difficult to not only get a goalie freeze for an OZ start, but also aren't drawing icings for OZ starts. Again, another damning hit against the Sharks ability to apply OZ pressure and hem teams in. Causing teams to bend with firepower, but not advancing with enough pressure to make them break.
Then you have the icings taken.... Maybe the Sharks feel comfortable sending it down ice as the #2 FO team? It would still be stupid to use that strategy to gain rest in the DZ, but not use it to break teams in the OZ. However, it probably does account for taking so many icings over the course of a season, but it doesn't account for all of them. With the possession #'s the Sharks have it is very worrying to see them taking such a high amount of icings. Starting in the DZ isn't the best way to take advantage of dominating possession, and what does it say for your possession game if you are the team taking the majority of icings? If you are dominating possession then you shouldn't be the team needing to repeatedly relieve pressure.
Sure looks like the Sharks strategy of outshooting teams is heavily inflating their "possession" reputation.