Series Talk: (P3) San Jose Sharks vs. (M2) Pittsburgh Penguins

[Sleepy]

First for everything! Kings did it to us now its time for the Sharks to do it to the pens.

Rangers did it to the Pens in 2014 I believe. They have some choke in them. Jones is on fire.

 

[hohosaregood]

I'd very much like to be on the giving end of a choke.

 

[Grave]

I'd very much like to be on the giving end of a choke.

Maybe a four goal jumbo choke...

 

[Limekiller]

Maybe a four goal jumbo choke...

That's a different kind of choking altogether.

 

[OrrNumber4]

Possibly wins CS... = Complementary piece ???

He's a stud. Always been a stud, and only idiots like Boston, USA Hockey and the media keep him from getting the respect he's always deserved.

Unquestionably, Crosby, Malkin, and Letang stir the drink in Pittsburgh. Just like for years in San Jose, it was Thornton, Marleau, and Boyle. A Kessel player can win the trophy just like a Williams, a Goring, Vernon, a Claude Lemieux, etc. can with the trophy.

 

[hohosaregood]

If Hertl's still not back next game I'd like to see these lines:

Ward-Thornton-Pavelski
Marleau-Couture-Karlsson
Nieto-Tierney-Donskoi

I remember that 3rd line played for a 3rd period once and they were magic together. 2nd line worked pretty decently last night. Ward really seems like he would've worked well on the 1st line but I don't think they ever tried it during the season.

 

[T0uGh C0oki3]

How about ..................

Nieto - Thornton - Pavelski
Hertl - Couture - Donskoi
Marleau - Tierney - Ward

 

[Barrie22]

If Hertl's still not back next game I'd like to see these lines:

Ward-Thornton-Pavelski
Marleau-Couture-Karlsson
Nieto-Tierney-Donskoi

I remember that 3rd line played for a 3rd period once and they were magic together. 2nd line worked pretty decently last night. Ward really seems like he would've worked well on the 1st line but I don't think they ever tried it during the season.

Nope, like pavs and thornton. Marleau and ward were pretty much glued to each other.

 

[Levie]

Jones has played like 2011 Thomas vs MtL. We have no business being in these games.

 

[do0glas]

Well we just got lucky and if the pens play exactly like that but not give up 3 goals they will win.

Sigh

 

[Gene Parmesan]

The Sharks just need to keep putting pucks on Murray. Still too selective. There is a reason they collapse so hard in front of him.

 

[Sharksfan83]

Well we just got lucky and if the pens play exactly like that but not give up 3 goals they will win.

Sigh

My theory is!

The pens have to go off the boil at some stage, and they need to keep playing insanely well, if they don't, we're right there to take it from them. We have battled hard enough now to deserve the right to take control if they falter.

But yes, it's theirs to lose. We just have to do business at home, then hope for that off night!

 

[do0glas]

The Sharks just need to keep putting pucks on Murray. Still too selective. There is a reason they collapse so hard in front of him.

Noticed more pucks getting through from the point. They aren't holding it as long. Just getting the shot off. Caused two goals for us.

 

[Quid Pro Clowe]

Get that first goal again. Next time, don't go into full-prevent, though.

 

[bigwillie]

I didn't want to post this on the main board for fear of seriously ruffling some feathers, but Penguins fans sure remind me of us in years past.

"We outshot and outplayed them! Keep playing like this and there's no way we'll lose!"

"We just ran into a hot goalie. He won't steal every game."

"Look at all these historical examples of other teams in our situation. No way we'll lose this, it would be historic!"

 

[Levie]

I didn't want to post this on the main board for fear of seriously ruffling some feathers, but Penguins fans sure remind me of us in years past.

"We outshot and outplayed them! Keep playing like this and there's no way we'll lose!"

"We just ran into a hot goalie. He won't steal every game."

"Look at all these historical examples of other teams in our situation. No way we'll lose this, it would be historic!"

Is it also a coincidence their head coach is of Irish descent?

 

[Gene Parmesan]

Get that first goal again. Next time, don't go into full-prevent, though.

They didn't do that at all.

 

[Barrie22]

They didn't do that at all.

Only time they did was with the power play in the 3rd. But who would blame deboer, the pens have been getting some good short handed chances.

 

[Gilligans Island]

Only time they did was with the power play in the 3rd. But who would blame deboer, the pens have been getting some good short handed chances.

Yeah, - noticed Vlasic in over Marleau (I think) for that 3rd period PP. I found it curious swap since Pavs is so much slower than Marleau to pick Patty over him.

 

[Barrie22]

Yeah, - noticed Vlasic in over Marleau (I think) for that 3rd period PP. I found it curious swap since Pavs is so much slower than Marleau to pick Patty over him.

Even at 50% health, pavs is more of a threat to score on the power play then marleau.

Pavs is pretty much the trigger man down low. Burns is the trigger man up high, and then couture and thornton do most of the work down low while marleau roams around trying to open up openings.

 

[Quid Pro Clowe]

They didn't do that at all.

They certainly tried to keep Pittsburgh to the outside while not taking many risks offensively in the final 40.

 

[Pinkfloyd]

Even at 50% health, pavs is more of a threat to score on the power play then marleau.

Pavs is pretty much the trigger man down low. Burns is the trigger man up high, and then couture and thornton do most of the work down low while marleau roams around trying to open up openings.

This is certainly hyperbole. Patty is right on Pavs' heels as a producer on the power play and is miles better as an option in that situation defensively if you're going to go that route but I would've sat Couture in that spot and gone Marleau-Thornton-Pavs with Vlasic-Burns on the point.

 

[Pinkfloyd]

They certainly tried to keep Pittsburgh to the outside while not taking many risks offensively in the final 40.

Pittsburgh was holding their ground a lot more along the walls and at the point after they went down 3-2. They play pretty aggressively from puck drop but even they still have room to take more chances when the score dictates.

 

[spintheblackcircle]

just sayin

 

[Sleepy]

This Pittsburgh Narrative is Annoying

I know Pitt is dominating the shot clock, and a lot of that credit should be going to their shot blocking ability. However, most of SJ's goals were legit deflections or snipes. Pitt keeps scoring off weird bounces. Despite that, the entire media narrative is that SJ is getting all the lucky breaks. I guess it's easier to just watch the shot clock and stick with that narrative though.

Two questionable goals surrendered by Penguins rookie goalie Matt Murray gave the Sharks all the offensive life they needed on a night that was otherwise dominated by the Penguins’ constant swarms of attack.

Yes, Murray should better have that angle on Burns's goal, but Burns' shot (just like Donskoi's) was indeed a perfect snipe.

Justin Braun, again firing away, sent the puck towards the goal and Couture deflected it past Murray for this first of the series and ninth of the playoffs.

Haha, Braun just "sent the puck towards the goal". I'm fine with that in isolation, but wait until you see the next goal description:

After a great Phil Kessel pass across the ice to set up Malkin, the Penguins' star waited until there were bodies near Jones. He confidently snapped the puck off the body of Braun to cut the lead to 2-1, scoring his sixth of the playoffs.

What. The. ****.

Nick Bonino’s shot deflected off Carl Hagelin and behind Jones for his sixth of the playoffs, as the HBK Line produced the equalizer and made the crowd pop louder than it had all night.

Bouncing off Hagelin's body is pure skill.

At 14:47, the Sharks stuck again, and it was another that Murray would want back:
Couture snapped a behind the back pass to Melker Karlsson in the slot, and his shot found its way past Murray for the 3-2 lead.

Wait, what? An unguarded wrister from the slot is a bad goal now? W.T.F. Murray hasn't been great, but the Sharks scoring chances, while few, have been dynamite.



Well, okay, maybe the coverage of officiating will be a bit unbiased.

The second period was defined by two things: Laissez-faire officiating and the play of Jones.

Jones made 17 saves, some of them spectacular, as the Penguins continued to dominate in possession. (Murray, who remained in the game, calmed down on the opposite end.)

Meanwhile, rather obvious calls on Roman Polak (roughing) and Joe Pavelski (interference) weren’t whistled, a dozen other infractions were ignored. The period ended with the Sharks maintaining their 3-2 lead.

I'm ok with this, although I'd say the hooking on Pittsburgh was let go most of the game as well, and it took several scoring chances negated by too many men before the refs finally called it. I'm not sure why only the Sharks are called out here.

In conclusion, I'm not saying the Sharks are dominating. I'm not saying Murray hasn't let in a couple stinkers (Ward's slapper comes to mind). But man, the Sharks are ****ing burying their opportunities and Jones is stonewalling Pitt's. I agree Pitt is carrying the play and the difference has been Jones. But, if we're talking just about bounce goals, it's Pitt who's been lucky.

P.S. And no, when you hit the post with your shot that wasn't unlucky, that was you lacking the skill to find space between the goalie and the post---if it even existed. There's a reason that's not even considered a shot on goal.