Post-Game Talk: GM 2: Sharks def. Canucks 3-2 in OT - Lead series 2-0

[Hammer79]

Since we've had the sedins, we've had plenty of series where our team has made the other goalie look like a Vezina candidate. It isn't that these goalies magically turn on a god mode. The Sedins are our primary point producers and they don't get it done. Unacceptable.

How often have we had a legitimate secondary scoring threat? Most decent playoff teams can get favorable matchups to shut down a top line. When they are doing that, the depth needs to step up and make them pay while the top pairing of the other team is focusing on the Sedin line.

 

[WinterEmpire]

kesler seems like the only guy who shoots to score, everyone else just weakly flips it on net or shoots for a rebound (smart play, if only someone on this team was willing to consistently go to the net)

Agreed, how many times have we seen Daniel pass up prime shots for a pointless pass in the last two games? Way too many times if you're supposed to be a top tier winger. It's extremely infuriating, almost like he's afraid to shoot.

 

[Scurr]

How often have we had a legitimate secondary scoring threat? Most decent playoff teams can get favorable matchups to shut down a top line. When they are doing that, the depth needs to step up and make them pay while the top pairing of the other team is focusing on the Sedin line.

The twins need to be better, more consistent point producers in the playoffs. That said, the amount they need to improve compared to most of the guys on this team is small. Some scoring from somewhere else would definitely take the pressure off.

 

[Hammer79]

Yeah, that's true. However, look at all of the other series that the Sedins have been involved in. They are pretty much no-shows besides the 10-11 sharks series.

I don't think they are shooting like they mean it though. Too much indecision. Too much double-clutching. No chance in hell that one of them would have cranked that slapshot like Kesler's 2nd goal. They would have waited until there was a billion people in front of the net and then they'd pass it off.

They took over the 2010 Kings series, the opposing coach admitted as much in the post-series interview. Secondary scoring needs to be a threat to take defensive pressure ie the opponents top D pairing off the Sedin line.

We've run into some pretty good Chicago teams in the 2nd round a couple years in a row. Chicago won the cup, and got bounced twice in a row in the first round after that. Look at how they are doing this year with a lot of the same core intact. Why can't teams just shut down their top line? It's because they have plenty of secondary scoring.

 

[Grumbler]

I just don't get how columbus swept SJS and we can't beat them after 5 tries.

 

[ShouldveDraftedFiala]

If Bieksa sprawled on the ice, they would have picked his pocket before he could get up and have another shot 2 on 0. If he did manage to get the puck, there would be 2 Sharks stuck behind the play with the puck going towards SJ's end.
.

What are you talking about? Picked his pocket? Huh?

In a 2v1 like that you drop to the ice and block the pass... make the guy shoot. There would be no other shot 2 on 0. No idea what you're talking about

 

[luongo321]

How often have we had a legitimate secondary scoring threat? Most decent playoff teams can get favorable matchups to shut down a top line. When they are doing that, the depth needs to step up and make them pay while the top pairing of the other team is focusing on the Sedin line.

It's true. We don't have the best secondary scoring (especially in the past) which is why the Sedins need to buckle down even more and get it done. The excuse for the sedins in 10-11 was that they had to face such an amazing pair of keith/seabrook, then suter and weber, destroyed san jose and then got shutdown by chara. They are now playing a sharks team with no norris candidate worthy d-men to shut them down. If our secondary support sucks, you'd think the sedins would realize they need to try even harder, but they don't. FFS, kesler was really sick during the first game and the Sedins absolutely disappeared. You'd think they'd at least try a bit harder with Kesler feeling under the weather. In the second game, kesler singlehandedly tried to will this team to victory. If the Sedins played with an ounce of the fight of Kesler, they'd be putting up points (not counting their assists on kesler's goal).

There's no intensity from the SEdins. That's what bugs me the most. They don't even look like they are putting in extra effort.

They took over the 2010 Kings series, the opposing coach admitted as much in the post-series interview. Secondary scoring needs to be a threat to take defensive pressure ie the opponents top D pairing off the Sedin line.

We've run into some pretty good Chicago teams in the 2nd round a couple years in a row. Chicago won the cup, and got bounced twice in a row in the first round after that. Look at how they are doing this year with a lot of the same core intact. Why can't teams just shut down their top line? It's because they have plenty of secondary scoring.

This is a poor excuse. It's not as if they are breaking up a top defensive pairing to cover the Hawks. They'll play their best defensive pairing vs. the Hawks top line. The top defensive pairing will go against the Sedins. It's not as if they have more d-men out there when they're on the ice. Toews and company score more (besides having more pure offensive skill) because they elevate their game in the playoffs. You'd think if it was secondary scoring that was the problem that the Sedins would have trouble scoring in the regular season as well, but that's not what we see. We only see them struggling consistently in the playoffs.

 

[Hammer79]

Well we have at least 2 games left. If they don't do anything in those two games then maybe the goals come three games from now which will happen to take place in September.

The series has been too close for it to end up in a sweep. SJ earned the win in game 1, but the Canucks deserved a better fate in game 2. I think the Canucks will win game 3.

 

[serge2k]

How often have we had a legitimate secondary scoring threat? Most decent playoff teams can get favorable matchups to shut down a top line. When they are doing that, the depth needs to step up and make them pay while the top pairing of the other team is focusing on the Sedin line.

The Sedin's should be winning battles against the top pairings and shutdown forwards.

Instead they lose that battle every single time.

 

[Hammer79]

What are you talking about? Picked his pocket? Huh?

In a 2v1 like that you drop to the ice and block the pass... make the guy shoot. There would be no other shot 2 on 0. No idea what you're talking about

If Bieksa is on the ice, what's he supposed to do, close his hand on the puck? They would just dig it out and have another shot before he manages to get back up. If he stays on his feet and manages the intercept, it's a scoring chance going the other way. Blaming Bieksa is a bit ridiculous when it was the Edler pinch that lead to that situation in the first place.

 

[Hammer79]

The Sedin's should be winning battles against the top pairings and shutdown forwards.

Instead they lose that battle every single time.

Did you look at the scoring chance differential link that I posted?

 

[Big Naissak]

The Sedin's should be winning battles against the top pairings and shutdown forwards.

Instead they lose that battle every single time.

Let Kassian try to create space for them then.

 

[MikeK]

The Sedin's should be winning battles against the top pairings and shutdown forwards.

Instead they lose that battle every single time.

They are losing that battle in the playoffs and have been for years. Other teams know exactly what they are going to do and know how to shut them down. The Sedin's have no bag of tricks and have no extra gears to shift to. I have seen enough of them over the years to know they are playoff chokers. I don't have to wait for a player to be traded or retire before I call it how it is. The Sedin's disappear every playoffs and this has been a constant. They are playoff chokers and always will be.

 

[Verviticus]

on the other hand, they arent. ive seen enough to know this

 

[luongo321]

They are losing that battle in the playoffs and have been for years. Other teams know exactly what they are going to do and know how to shut them down. The Sedin's have no bag of tricks and have no extra gears to shift to. I have seen enough of them over the years to know they are playoff chokers. I don't have to wait for a player to be traded or retire before I call it how it is. The Sedin's disappear every playoffs and this has been a constant. They are playoff chokers and always will be.

I'll disagree with one part. I saw Henrik playing at a much higher gear last playoffs with Daniel out of the lineup. I really though he had figured out how to elevate his game in the playoffs, but it seems like it was just a one-time thing. Probably took having his brother assaulted to really fire him up and snap some sense into him. Other then that I haven't really seen them elevate their game consistently during the playoffs.

 

[Hammer79]

This is a poor excuse. It's not as if they are breaking up a top defensive pairing to cover the Hawks. They'll play their best defensive pairing vs. the Hawks top line. The top defensive pairing will go against the Sedins. It's not as if they have more d-men out there when they're on the ice. Toews and company scores more because they elevate their game in the playoffs. You'd think if if was secondary scoring that was the problem that the Sedins would have trouble scoring in the regular season as well, but that's not what we see. We only see them struggling consistently in the playoffs.

They elevated their games, leading to two straight first round losses, one of them to a fairly weak Coyotes team. They made Mike Smith look like a Vezina candidate. This year, they are playing against a Wild team that probably shouldn't have made the playoffs in the first place, with Harding in net. Niemi >>> Harding

As for regular season vs playoffs, scoring drops across the board, it's not just the Canucks this happens to. The officials let a lot more go. What would be an interference/obstruction penalty in the regular season is simply not called in the playoffs unless the refs are looking for an even-up call for game management.

 

[FelixPotvin29]

Lupul. I feel it.

Sure hope so!

 

[Pip]

One question which can probably get answered quickly, I watched a recording so I couldn't ask at the time.

Henrik's delay of game penalty confused me, it looked like he just hit the puck with his hand, and didn't cover it which should just be a hand pass no?

Or is it because it was off a faceoff?

 

[Hammer79]

One question which can probably get answered quickly, I watched a recording so I couldn't ask at the time.

Henrik's delay of game penalty confused me, it looked like he just hit the puck with his hand, and didn't cover it which should just be a hand pass no?

Or is it because it was off a faceoff?

It's a new rule they brought in this season. If you use your hand to win a faceoff, it's delay of game.

Rule 76.4 : 'both players facing-off are prohibited from batting the puck with their hand in an attempt to win the face-off. Any attempt by either center to win the face-off by batting the puck with their hand shall result in a minor penalty. This penalty shall be announced a "Minor Penalty for Delay of Game -- Face-off Violation.'

I'd argue that he hit it with his stick, but the refs didn't see it that way.

 

[vanuck]

Terrible that fans have gone this far.

Agreed.

 

[luongo321]

One question which can probably get answered quickly, I watched a recording so I couldn't ask at the time.

Henrik's delay of game penalty confused me, it looked like he just hit the puck with his hand, and didn't cover it which should just be a hand pass no?

Or is it because it was off a faceoff?

It was ******** just like Garrison's penalty.

 

[vanuck]

I still have hope. It is very small but I kind of feel like I'm this guy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KX5jNnDMfxA.
...so you're saying there's a chance?

For our sake, let's hope this movie doesn't end the same way... wandering in the wilderness.

 

[Pip]

It's a new rule they brought in this season. If you use your hand to win a faceoff, it's delay of game.

Rule 76.4 : 'both players facing-off are prohibited from batting the puck with their hand in an attempt to win the face-off. Any attempt by either center to win the face-off by batting the puck with their hand shall result in a minor penalty. This penalty shall be announced a "Minor Penalty for Delay of Game -- Face-off Violation.'

I'd argue that he hit it with his stick, but the refs didn't see it that way.

thank you, that's what it was

 

[JA]

This isn't 2011. We all know how the decimated back-end torpedoed the transition game. People mention how Ehrhoff was a huge loss, but he was around for that entire series.

I don't agree that the Sedins aren't 'shooting like they mean it'. They had plenty of scoring chances, and even strength they created far more chances than they allowed which indicates they played a good possession game. They just didn't get rewarded.

One of the most effective players for the Canucks in the 2011 Stanley Cup Final was Raffi Torres. This guy elevates his game in the postseason and does everything a team needs to succeed. I was very disappointed when the Canucks failed to acquire him at the trade deadline, and even more so when they let him go after such a tremendous performance in the Final. His play, along with Luongo's, won the Canucks Games 1 and 5 of the Stanley Cup Finals. There's no doubt with the way Luongo is playing right now that Torres may have been the player to score a big goal for us if he was on our roster.

Game 5 Winner: 1-0 Vancouver (assisted by Raffi Torres)


In Game 3, the only goal scored was on a direct assist from Raffi Torres:



Game 1 Winner: 1-0 Vancouver (scored by Raffi Torres)


Additionally, in the 2006 Stanley Cup Finals, he had a goal and three assists in seven games against Carolina. There's no doubt he played a huge role in helping that Oilers team go on that run as well. He can score, intimidate, and do everything a team needs to win. I was very disappointed when the Canucks failed to acquire him at the trade deadline. He elevates his game in key situations.

The concern regarding Torres shouldn't entire have been his ability to hit. He's made some big plays in the postseason as well. Considering the series isn't over yet, the Canucks need to be aware of his ability to sneak in and make a huge play. He isn't a prolific scorer, but he steps up and makes big plays when it matters. He just adds to the list of players the team needs to worry about.

 

[vanuck]

As an outsider, I've actually been rooting for you guys the last couple years. There is no greater feeling than watching your team win the cup, and your fan base REALLY deserves one. You guys have been through a lot and are as hockey crazed and faithful to your team as any group of fans in North America

What I saw from you guys a couple years ago, really showed me something. Sticking around to the end, giving your team one last big applause. Booing the hell out of the commish. It was awesome

I made up my mind then, that other than my own team winning, I wanted nothing more than to see you guys finally get to experience the incredible joy of seeing your players jumping up and down in exausted, emotional pure happiness. Passing that cup around the rink. Taking that big team picture, with the cup in between them. Parading it around town a day or two later

It's something any faithful fanbase, who love the game and love their team deserves to experience. And this is coming from.....a Bruins fan. I know, how much some of you hate my team. Especially the guy who makes all those videos. I get it. When you're so close to it, you can't help but resent anyone who stood in your way. But it WILL happen. And it can still happen this year

A 2-0 defecit in the NHL playoffs? Please. The better team can always come back from that. And I have no doubt you guys are a better team than San Jose. One win, will feel like a snowball, and they will be on their way. Keep the faith boys

Thanks for the kind words, really appreciate it. Good luck in your series too (although you probably don't need it lol).