Post-Game Talk: 10/30/13 Sharks at Kings. Sharks lose 3-4 in OT

[OrrNumber4]

When he's on the ice, he isn't that bad. But when you're just not at the proper level mentally, it catches up to you and he does too many stupid things for his role to be out there, even with Jumbo. I don't think they really need to pump his value. It's not going to really go anywhere, especially if he's just going to be tacked on for a rental. The other team is going to have to take a contract back unless the Sharks dump someone prior to that.

I would tend to agree on Sheppard's mental mistakes. Back when the trade was made, I thought it was a good investment and worth a third-round pick. But it hasn't worked out, and it is time to move on.

I was troubled by Tmac's allusions to Sheppard's self-accountability. Bottom-line players should never feel entitled.

 

[Gilligans Island]

Jumbo's quote on the 2nd too many men call:

It looked like all three guys were at the bench. It was really weird because, I thought, we probably only had two guys, because you get that two foot rule kind of thing and all three guys, I thought, were going to jump. It was just so quick you just don’t realize what happened but it was a tough call.

While Sheppard needs to be smarter / less eager, looking at it again, Kennedy was about a couple feet from the bench door and not in the play at all. The refs chose to call it, such is.

We could probably keep *****ing about all the interference and cross-checks that weren't call but whatever.

 

[fasterthanlight]

So, how long is Havlat out for?

no but seriously how did he look?

 

[OrrNumber4]

Hertl was a bit lost offensively, but I thought he was solid defensively. He back-checked really hard.

Stuart had an abysmal game. So did Irwin.

 

[Gene Parmesan]

So, how long is Havlat out for?

no but seriously how did he look?

He was actually not bad. He made some plays and was physically involved. He needs to get his legs but its encouraging.

 

[Gilligans Island]

I would tend to agree on Sheppard's mental mistakes. Back when the trade was made, I thought it was a good investment and worth a third-round pick. But it hasn't worked out, and it is time to move on.

I was troubled by Tmac's allusions to Sheppard's self-accountability. Bottom-line players should never feel entitled.

Either entitlement or not having a strong intrinsic drive / compete factor. It's mental and he should be a scrub fourth liner at best.

Waited over a year now to see something but it's only there in brief spurts. With all the injuries, he'll play for now.

 

[Leidi J]

He was actually not bad. He made some plays and was physically involved. He needs to get his legs but its encouraging.

I thought he was shaky initially, but definitely got better as the game went on.

 

[Juxtaposer]

I will say this ... I'm pretty damn tired of Justin ****ing Williams owning us. Seriously why does he kill us so bad? There's nothing about him that's better than a number of our players. Yet somehow he daggers us every damn time.

Justin Williams is the best possession player in the league.

 

[Gilligans Island]

He was actually not bad. He made some plays and was physically involved. He needs to get his legs but its encouraging.

I liked him. Obviously he needs to get in game shape.

It also looked like he was trying to figure out how to fit into the new style. By game's end, he was doing better. He certainly wasn't reverting to the old Marty - dangle and skate around with the puck slowly.

It'd be a huge boon if he fit into this style and produce. We'd have really crazy scoring depth.

 

[Gilligans Island]

Hertl was a bit lost offensively, but I thought he was solid defensively. He back-checked really hard.

I saw that, too. That's encouraging. Shows his hockey smarts.

 

[SJSharks42]

It seems like Hertl spends half his TOI down on the ice. Kid falls a lot, needs to work on getting his feet planted.

 

[Gilligans Island]

It seems like Hertl spends half his TOI down on the ice. Kid falls a lot, needs to work on getting his feet planted.

And the other half, doing crazy spin-o-ramas and almost scoring.

 

[OrrNumber4]

I was reading the GDT, and saw many posts about how the refs did not handle the game well.

Keep in mind, that many playoff games are called like this. The Sharks need to find ways to win in every situation. I know that Tmac has this team playing this up-tempo style that is doing great, but the best teams can beat you multiple ways.

 

[Gilligans Island]

I was reading the GDT, and saw many posts about how the refs did not handle the game well.

Keep in mind, that many playoff games are called like this. The Sharks need to find ways to win in every situation. I know that Tmac has this team playing this up-tempo style that is doing great, but the best teams can beat you multiple ways.

I don't have any problems with the non-calls. It went both ways.

The 2nd too many men call could be argued as ticky tack but Sheppard should never have put the team in that position.

 

[OrrNumber4]

Havlat instantly makes the 2nd PP twice as dangerous. He made a couple of nice stretch passes during the game's second half.

 

[Gene Parmesan]

Either entitlement or not having a strong intrinsic drive / compete factor. It's mental and he should be a scrub fourth liner at best.

Waited over a year now to see something but it's only there in brief spurts. With all the injuries, he'll play for now.

Thats what is disappointing..he has a decent amount of skill to be more than a 4th liner. Brown and Desi are not very skilled but you can't knock the effort and willingness. Put that in Sheppard and you have a very good player.

 

[WTFetus]

I was reading the GDT, and saw many posts about how the refs did not handle the game well.

Keep in mind, that many playoff games are called like this. The Sharks need to find ways to win in every situation. I know that Tmac has this team playing this up-tempo style that is doing great, but the best teams can beat you multiple ways.

Eh, it's one thing when we complain. But when Larry Robinson complains, it must be pretty bad.

 

[Gilligans Island]

Speaking of Brown, I'm liking what I see. Don't have high expectations but he made a couple good plays - anticipating a pass to clear the d zone and decent work in the o zone.

He'll be a fine sub over Burish.

 

[Gene Parmesan]

I was reading the GDT, and saw many posts about how the refs did not handle the game well.

Keep in mind, that many playoff games are called like this. The Sharks need to find ways to win in every situation. I know that Tmac has this team playing this up-tempo style that is doing great, but the best teams can beat you multiple ways.

The officiating was fine. The Sharks were a post away from winning in regulation. They missed a few opportunities and never really got their game going. Mainly due to the turnovers and sloppy play.

Speaking of Brown, I'm liking what I see. Don't have high expectations but he made a couple good plays - anticipating a pass to clear the d zone and decent work in the o zone.

He'll be a fine sub over Burish.

Yeah me too. He forced turnovers on the forecheck and isn't the liability everyone thought he was going to be.

Eh, it's one thing when we complain. But when Larry Robinson complains, it must be pretty bad.

He was right about the late hits and obstruction. Matt Greene literally skated with the puck in his hand like a football. Both teams were hooking and holding.

 

[SabresSharks]

You people dumping on Sheppard ... Did I watch a different game?

Stuart, Irwin, and Hannan were absolutely brutal, if you really need to focus your criticism.

LA goal #1: Irwin has an easy backhand pass to the wide-open Kennedy on the boards, but handcuffs Couture (who can NEVER do wrong) with an unexpected pass, which he fumbles, and GOAL!!!

LA Goal #2: Stuart+Hannan and 4th line of Brown, McCarthy, and Desjardins on for Stoll's nice deflection of Voynov's shot.

LA Goal #3: PP goal with Marleau, Pavelski, Stuart, and Hannan on.

Uh-oh ... Sheppard with the 2nd!!!! bench minor for too many men on the ice. Hmmmm ... guess he should have ignored Kennedy waving his stick for a change, and then changing his mind when he-who-can-NEVER-do-wrong turned the puck over in the neutral zone.

You know what, guys, I've played and coached enough hockey to know that too-many-men is usually a coaching error, but feel free to piss all over Sheppard for a tough overtime loss against a quality team. Losers, or those who've never been on skates, need a scapegoat, I suppose.

I personally blame Braun for that totally unnecessary hook on Carter that led to the OT winner.

Lemme help you interpret that last comment ...

 

[Gene Parmesan]

You people dumping on Sheppard ... Did I watch a different game?

Stuart, Irwin, and Hannan were absolutely brutal, if you really need to focus your criticism.

LA goal #1: Irwin has an easy backhand pass to the wide-open Kennedy on the boards, but handcuffs Couture (who can NEVER do wrong) with an unexpected pass, which he fumbles, and GOAL!!!

LA Goal #2: Stuart+Hannan and 4th line of Brown, McCarthy, and Desjardins on for Stoll's nice deflection of Voynov's shot.

LA Goal #3: PP goal with Marleau, Pavelski, Stuart, and Hannan on.

Uh-oh ... Sheppard with the 2nd!!!! bench minor for too many men on the ice. Hmmmm ... guess he should have ignored Kennedy waving his stick for a change, and then changing his mind when he-who-can-NEVER-do-wrong turned the puck over in the neutral zone.

You know what, guys, I've played and coached enough hockey to know that too-many-men is usually a coaching error, but feel free to piss all over Sheppard for a tough overtime loss against a quality team. Losers, or those who've never been on skates, need a scapegoat, I suppose.

I personally blame Braun for that totally unnecessary hook on Carter that led to the OT winner.

Lemme help you interpret that last comment ...

We've actually talked about the defense...for a long time in the game day thread. Sheppard's play was not good. The coaches obviously weren't happy with him since he was benched for McCarthy after the 2nd too many men penalty. Sheppard is also fighting for a roster spot so he can't afford too many bad games in a row. The Sharks lost the game because of turnovers and undisciplined play. It doesn't take a genius to figure that out.

 

[Alwalys]

Justin Williams is the best possession player in the league.

Eh? By what measure? Looks to me like there are quite a few better better, but he is fairly high up and higher than any Sharks player (though we have no problem shutting down others above him on the list). But ... that's the chicken to my egg question. How does he achieve this with effect vs the Sharks, when his toolbox does not seem to contain anything especially superior to what many Sharks players possess (and quite a few inferior).

Eh, it's one thing when we complain. But when Larry Robinson complains, it must be pretty bad.

I noticed that pointed criticism. I wonder if that meant anything or would amount to anything.

 

[Reefer]

I don't have any problems with the non-calls. It went both ways.

The 2nd too many men call could be argued as ticky tack but Sheppard should never have put the team in that position.

I just finished watching the game and I can't believe anyone is blaming that too many men on penalty on Sheppard. It was clearly on Kennedy as he is right by the boards, signals with his stick for Sheppard to hop on the ice, and then for some reason looks back to the play and puts his stick down on the ice. Incredibly stupid play by Kennedy, but one you see go uncalled plenty of times.

On Sheppard's play though, he shouldn't be playing on that top line, he and Desjardins were doing a decent job of creating some scoring chances and keeping possession in the offensive zone. Burns is clearly missed on that top line. I'm not a big fan of McCarthy. He has no offensive ability at all, but I understand that the coaches trust him a bit to make smart decisions.

The defensemen mostly struggled tonight. I thought it was Braun's worst game. Had a terrible giveaway at the end of the 2nd, was way to aggressive on the play the resulted on the hooking of Carter and seemed to be getting knocked around. Stuart, atrocious. Irwin struggled as well, but he's only got like 50 games at the NHL level, I can understand wanting to have some patience with him. They keep pulling out points when they have a bad game and really are Couture's post shot away from pulling this one out. Going to be real nice when they get healthy, can't wait for Burns and Boyle to get back.

 

[LeeIFBB]

Waste of a 3rd round pick.

 

[Pinkfloyd]

There are 35 forwards averaging over 20 minutes a game right now. No one over 20 minutes tonight on the Sharks. I'm not advocating running our guys into the ground like that on a regular basis but you're telling me that on a game sandwiched by extra rest days and the 4th line giving up scoring chances left and right and generally playing like garbage we couldn't have gotten more out of our best players? Not buying it.

Couture 19:21
Pavelski 19:02
Marleau 17:38
Thornton 17:35
Hertl 16:26
Wingels 15:52
Havlat 14:01
Sheppard 13:19
Kennedy 13:02

McCarthy 12:16
Desjardins 11:37
Brown 8:02

There wasn't a line out there that wasn't playing like crap and giving up scoring chances. The team just wasn't that good. Any sort of line changes that put more of the top guys together would essentially be asking to turn them into a one-line team down the stretch and they simply can't afford to do that...not in-game and not long term because they would expose themselves further when that second or third shift comes along and they have those crappy playing players come over the boards.