GDT: Game #57 Philadelphia Flyers @ San Jose Sharks 3 Feb 2014 7:30 pm PST CSNCa

[Quid Pro Clowe]

Irwin makes 2014 Stuart look awesome.

 

[PhillyPhaithful]

Just wanted to stop by and say your play by play guy is one of the best in the league. Very professional and very enjoyable.

 

[Negatively Positive]

Probably why they aren't rushing anyone back. They know our seed is all but sealed.

*They = Coaching staff*

If they won tonight they're 7 back with a game in hand. Win that game in hand and they're 5 pts back. 5 pts back with 20 games to go after the break is doable but they keep ****ing up and not taking advantage so they probably won't pass them.

 

[Linkster]

It was a joke. I'm unhappy about it, as well. Every team lays an egg. Better now than game 7.

Oh, not attacking your original criticism.

Just adding a layer of indignation by railing against multi-millionaires for free. But at least these players (all of them) earned their salaries, instead of inheriting it.

 

[Coily]

If they won tonight they're 7 back with a game in hand. Win that game in hand and they're 5 pts back. 5 pts back with 20 games to go after the break is doable but they keep ****ing up and not taking advantage so they probably won't pass them.

K, they still aren't going to rush Torres and Couture back

 

[Quid Pro Clowe]

Just wanted to stop by and say your play by play guy is one of the best in the league. Very professional and very enjoyable.

Would you have stopped by if Philly lost?

Randy's pretty good.

 

[Gene Parmesan]

K, they still aren't going to rush Torres and Couture back

Which is the best thing to do with only 2 games til the break.

 

[Quid Pro Clowe]

Oh, not attacking your original criticism.

Just adding a layer of indignation by railing against multi-millionaires for free. But at least these players (all of them) earned their salaries, instead of inheriting it.

Lol.

Raiders fans would argue that Jamarcus Russell didn't earn his, and i'd have to agree. Unless, he got a deal with purple drank...

 

[PhillyPhaithful]

Would you have stopped by if Philly lost?

Randy's pretty good.

Yes actually, one of the first times I have ever felt this obligated to comment on another GDT, thats how enjoyable I thought he was.

 

[Quid Pro Clowe]

Yes actually, one of the first times I have ever felt this obligated to comment on another GDT, thats how enjoyable I thought he was.

Well, thanks. Don't try to convince kings and ducks fans, though. Lol.

Can i have a case of tasty cakes?

 

[PhillyPhaithful]

Well, thanks. Don't try to convince kings and ducks fans, though. Lol.

Can i have a case of tasty cakes?

The kings play by play guy is an absolute nightmare. I honestly have never heard someone so ill-prepared for a game, so often as well.

Unfortunately we haven't been earning enough tasty cakes to keep me optimistic about this season haha

 

[Alwalys]

So have the Kings, Canucks, and even the Ducks are in a rut right now.

That's the point, we dropped 6 points we had no business losing and we would have gained HUGE ground on them. So if they are really holding out guys because of our seeding ... that's not okay.

I don't think they are.

 

[WTFetus]

The kings play by play guy is an absolute nightmare. I honestly have never heard someone so ill-prepared for a game, so often as well.

No kidding. Not only is his voice super boring, but everything is from the Kings perspective. Instead of Coburn passing the puck, it's Brown forechecking, etc. And it's like he doesn't even know the other team's players. Almost everything was "The Flyers" instead of the player's name.

 

[Coily]

That's the point, we dropped 6 points we had no business losing and we would have gained HUGE ground on them. So if they are really holding out guys because of our seeding ... that's not okay.

I don't think they are.

Doubt they are holding them out, just not rushing them back like they did in 08-09. When half the team was hurt, I remember Marleau had a sprained knee, Clowe had an ankle or groin issue, we played freaking Claude Lemieux because of how banged up the forwards were.

 

[Alwalys]

Doubt they are holding them out, just not rushing them back like they did in 08-09. When half the team was hurt, I remember Marleau had a sprained knee, Clowe had an ankle or groin issue, we played freaking Claude Lemieux because of how banged up the forwards were.

yeah, me neither. but someone earlier said it was because of our positioning, i don't think so.

 

[Nighthock]

2 more games then 3 weeks off ... no rushing needed

 

[Timos Death Stare]

Stalock is awesome with that swagger... that is all.

 

[matt trick]

Wow, the Flyers goals were quite the comedy of errors (in terms of SJ defense). Good on Nieto, the more offense we get from him the more dangerous the team is. If he keeps scoring the Sharks will need to find another option then returning him to the A for cap room.

 

[hohosaregood]

I already miss good hockey even if they've had some good games lately. Let's be honest though, we knew that this team would be lucky to play .500 hockey with this lineup like it is.

No Demers sucks, no good version of Boyle sucks, the big guys sucking sucks, Kearns sucks, Brown sucks, no Torres sucks, no Couture sucks, no Hertl sucks. Nemo kinda sucks

I'd like a top 4 defenseman instead of Irwin or Stuart. I'd like it if Boyle was not playing like garbage. I'd like to keep Braun and Vlasic together. I'd like it if they big guys could play like the big guys. I'd like it if Nemo was playing like he did last year, his angling has been awful and holes like crazy lately.

That's it, I'm done complaining.

 

[ScottyDont]

So I grew up in San Ramon, moved to Philly a while back. The wife is a Flyers fan. I've enjoyed my bragging rights that the Sharks haven't lost to the Flyers since 2000...

shame the streak had to end the way it did... too many freaking injuries...

 

[Pinkfloyd]

Or Irwin since Boyle is not the issue.

You're right that Boyle is not THE issue but he is an issue on his own. His play on the power play is starting to catch up with him. He was lucky to produce early on but the team has been clipping at 16.2% on the power play since he returned from injury which would put us at 22nd in the league overall. He hasn't scored an even strength point since December 14th which was 25 games ago. Even with him having to carry Irwin at even strength, that shouldn't happen with a player of Dan Boyle's caliber.

That's the point, we dropped 6 points we had no business losing and we would have gained HUGE ground on them. So if they are really holding out guys because of our seeding ... that's not okay.

I don't think they are.

I wouldn't classify the Kings or Flyers as points we had no business losing. Both are good teams. Calgary and Edmonton sure but back-to-backs are not easy even against those teams and when they don't play with anything to lose, they're dangerous. They should have won the Edmonton game but they got a performance of a lifetime. Plus, it's not as if our team is that great right now. Half our forward are still 4th line plugs or AHL'ers and our blue line without Jason Demers right now is essentially nothing in terms of production.

The team still has two more games against Anaheim and a game in hand. They can still catch them after the Olympic break when their lineup is a lot more healthy. And even if the team doesn't, Anaheim is not as good as they appear to be. They're starting to come back down to earth and they will be beatable by this team in the playoffs with a healthier roster than what we have right now.

 

[stator]

...Boyle is not THE issue but he is an issue on his own…. He hasn't scored an even strength point since December 14th which was 25 games ago.

Sharks do not forecheck that much. So I would hesitate to put that on Boyle as it appears to be a team strategy. I would think Boyle would do much better in that department on a team with good forechecking from their forwards, and coaches willing to use it.

 

[OrrNumber4]

Let's be honest though, we knew that this team would be lucky to play .500 hockey with this lineup like it is.

No Demers sucks, no good version of Boyle sucks, the big guys sucking sucks, Kearns sucks, Brown sucks, no Torres sucks, no Couture sucks, no Hertl sucks. Nemo kinda sucks

I'd like a top 4 defenseman instead of Irwin or Stuart. I'd like it if Boyle was not playing like garbage. I'd like to keep Braun and Vlasic together. I'd like it if they big guys could play like the big guys. I'd like it if Nemo was playing like he did last year, his angling has been awful and holes like crazy lately.

That's it, I'm done complaining.

Well, I think it kind of points to the Sharks's inability to adapt on a high-level. Just like they have issues with injuries, and generally struggle to compensate, sometimes they have issues with a hot goaltender, or another team with a tough system, and just can't beat it.

Plus, it isn't like injuries only bother the Sharks. How injured were the teams the Sharks lost to? How bad were those teams even healthy? How many times over the years have the Sharks beaten on injured teams?

You're right that Boyle is not THE issue but he is an issue on his own. His play on the power play is starting to catch up with him. He was lucky to produce early on but the team has been clipping at 16.2% on the power play since he returned from injury which would put us at 22nd in the league overall. He hasn't scored an even strength point since December 14th which was 25 games ago. Even with him having to carry Irwin at even strength, that shouldn't happen with a player of Dan Boyle's caliber.

Little unfair to call his early-on production "lucky". Fact is, the production before he was injured...was before he was injured.

He needs to get healthy; he needs to sit. But whether it is his own stubbornness getting in the way, or the fact that the Sharks need him more than ever with all the injuries, I cannot say.

Half our forward are still 4th line plugs or AHL'ers and our blue line without Jason Demers right now is essentially nothing in terms of production.

Sharks need to be able to overcome the adversity. It has always been a criticism of the Sharks in the Joe Thornton era...other teams have been able to do it, when the Sharks have not.

It is up to the coaching staff and the players to find ways to produce when certain players are out...it isn't like it is an AHL roster out there.

What particularly boggles the mind, is the uniformity of the Sharks's strategy...when there is a dearth of puck-moving ability on the backend, the Sharks don't compensate...they continue to play as if it is an elite puck-mover back there. TMac compensates by using a deployment strategy, but the fact is that, for example, when Stuart and Hannan are on the ice, the Sharks's forwards can't be expecting to play that transition-type game.

They're starting to come back down to earth and they will be beatable by this team in the playoffs with a healthier roster than what we have right now.

Plus, do we really care? The Sharks are very likely going to make the playoffs. Is having the division so important? Not saying that home-ice advantage isn't desirable...but it is rarely the deciding factor.

 

[Pinkfloyd]

Sharks do not forecheck that much. So I would hesitate to put that on Boyle as it appears to be a team strategy. I would think Boyle would do much better in that department on a team with good forechecking from their forwards, and coaches willing to use it.

In the 24 games that Boyle has not scored an even strength point, Demers has 7, Braun has 5, Hannan has 2, Irwin has 8, Stuart has 3, and Vlasic has 4. All the other d-men have the same issue that you may want to throw out there in terms of team problems but have found a way to produce where Boyle hasn't. If people aren't concerned about that, they ought to be considering Boyle is supposed to be a big part of the offense from the blue line especially when Demers is out.

Little unfair to call his early-on production "lucky". Fact is, the production before he was injured...was before he was injured.

He needs to get healthy; he needs to sit. But whether it is his own stubbornness getting in the way, or the fact that the Sharks need him more than ever with all the injuries, I cannot say.



Sharks need to be able to overcome the adversity. It has always been a criticism of the Sharks in the Joe Thornton era...other teams have been able to do it, when the Sharks have not.

It is up to the coaching staff and the players to find ways to produce when certain players are out...it isn't like it is an AHL roster out there.

What particularly boggles the mind, is the uniformity of the Sharks's strategy...when there is a dearth of puck-moving ability on the backend, the Sharks don't compensate...they continue to play as if it is an elite puck-mover back there. TMac compensates by using a deployment strategy, but the fact is that, for example, when Stuart and Hannan are on the ice, the Sharks's forwards can't be expecting to play that transition-type game.



Plus, do we really care? The Sharks are very likely going to make the playoffs. Is having the division so important? Not saying that home-ice advantage isn't desirable...but it is rarely the deciding factor.

The early production I was referring to was when he originally came back when he had 7 points in 6 games. Since then it's been 13 points in 38 games.

The second bit is cliche stuff. You need talent to win games and when the parity is as it is in this league, losing top tier talent or even depth talent can and often is the difference between winning and losing on a consistent basis. Compensating for a lack of puck movement is almost impossible to do and win games.

As for the Ducks, if the opportunity presents itself to take home ice, we should care. It may not always be the difference but it was last playoffs and it could be any given series. I'd prefer to have home ice over the Hawks if they're going to have a prayer in beating them. Yeah, we beat them there in a shootout with a shallow team in the middle of the season but when the playoffs arrive and the Hawks are playing at their best, I don't think the Sharks can beat them even if they're healthy...but that's just my opinion.

 

[hockfan1991]

In the 24 games that Boyle has not scored an even strength point, Demers has 7, Braun has 5, Hannan has 2, Irwin has 8, Stuart has 3, and Vlasic has 4. All the other d-men have the same issue that you may want to throw out there in terms of team problems but have found a way to produce where Boyle hasn't. If people aren't concerned about that, they ought to be considering Boyle is supposed to be a big part of the offense from the blue line especially when Demers is out.



The early production I was referring to was when he originally came back when he had 7 points in 6 games. Since then it's been 13 points in 38 games.

The second bit is cliche stuff. You need talent to win games and when the parity is as it is in this league, losing top tier talent or even depth talent can and often is the difference between winning and losing on a consistent basis. Compensating for a lack of puck movement is almost impossible to do and win games.

As for the Ducks, if the opportunity presents itself to take home ice, we should care. It may not always be the difference but it was last playoffs and it could be any given series. I'd prefer to have home ice over the Hawks if they're going to have a prayer in beating them. Yeah, we beat them there in a shootout with a shallow team in the middle of the season but when the playoffs arrive and the Hawks are playing at their best, I don't think the Sharks can beat them even if they're healthy...but that's just my opinion.

The most frustrating part for me is when ducks lose and we don't take advantage. We are 1-4 in our last 5. Even at 3-2 we would be 5 PTS back with game in hand that would be perfect. I agree with your point that Anaheim is starting to look human. And by the time we roll into the playoffs if were healthy we should be rolling in all cylinders. Home ice or not vs ducks we should still be able to beat them. That doesn't help us with Chicago