Post-Game Talk: PDSF: Spring cleaning day. Sharks VS Kings. Game #4. 7:30PM II

[hohosaregood]

Vlasic-Braun
Hannan-Demers
Irwin-Boyle

I guess? Second and third pairings are just based on past success. I just wish that Vlasic and Braun were back together for a game and are relied upon heavily. They can handle the minutes.

Kinda moot though because there's no way Stuart sits.

Seriously. I'm almost certain that Vlasic and Braun could handle 25-30 minutes right now and I don't think I would mind if they played that much.

Vlasic-Braun 25-30 minutes
Hannan-Demers 15-20 minutes
Irwin-Boyle 15-20 minutes

Why Stuart so BAD?

 

[freddypuck]

lets call a spade a spade Braun was not good last night , lets not blame Stuart.....

 

[freddypuck]

Oh agreed. Hannan is better than Stuart. Only someone truely horrendous could make someone as skilled as Braun look that bad...

we didn't watch same game , Braun was awful period.....

 

[LeeIFBB]

They should have just won the game.

 

[Ralgo]

Srsly guys, why so mad?

Sharks just wanted the home crowd to enjoy the final hit to the Kings from up close.

So they just took it back home.

Nothing wrong there - its pretty important to think about your fanbase

 

[Pinkfloyd]

lets call a spade a spade Braun was not good last night , lets not blame Stuart.....

Stuart's play on the Gaborik goal cost the team any shot and/or belief the team had of coming back. That laziness was horrible. Why he was even out there on the first or second shift of the 3rd period is beyond me? Some of the personnel choices, I just don't get. That and how they start four on fours are probably the dumbest things that McLellan has going on right now which isn't bad on the whole of it but stuff that kills team momentum.

 

[stator]

Swap Wingels for Havlat.

I don't believe Havlat has the mental fortitude to come back out from being benched and be hungry and productive. He seems to let the emotions of being benched linger. He would be better off taking the buyout and going to the KHL.

Niemi did not perform solidly in this game. He has to limit opposition to 2 or 3 goals per game and 1.000% in OT; regardless of the defensive ups and downs during the game. Shark's defense is the weakest link overall, and since DW did not make any serious moves to shore it up from last year, we have to assume they believe Niemi will counterbalance that.

 

[hockeyball]

we didn't watch same game , Braun was awful period.....

Stuart was far, far, far worse than Braun. Braun didn't have a great night, but that still puts him at twice the level of Stuart. Stuart sucks AND had a bad night.

The blame for this loss goes primarily on the defense though in general, and Niemi who really just needs to be benched unless Stalock starts to suck too. Niemi has been consistently mediocre this year and that has continued right into the playoffs. Mediocre isn't going to cut it and Stalock deserves and opportunity. Had Niemi stopped those two soft goals we very well may have won that game, but they were back-breakers.

 

[Pinkfloyd]

I don't believe Havlat has the mental fortitude to come back out from being benched and be hungry and productive. He seems to let the emotions of being benched linger. He would be better off taking the buyout and going to the KHL.

Niemi did not perform solidly in this game. He has to limit opposition to 2 or 3 goals per game and 1.000% in OT; regardless of the defensive ups and downs during the game. Shark's defense is the weakest link overall, and since DW did not make any serious moves to shore it up from last year, we have to assume they believe Niemi will counterbalance that.

Your Havlat bit is based on nothing but what you've made up in your head.

Your expectations of a goalie is ridiculous as well. Goals against will always be mostly due to the skaters in front of the goalie and pure dumb luck. There is only so much a goalie is going to be able to do these days. That's applicable to pretty much all goalies.

 

[sr228]

I still thought the Sharks were the better teams last night and that a couple of bounces that went the Kings way at the end of the 2nd were the difference, but that may very well have been the worst defensive (by d-men) game I've seen the Sharks play all season.

I didn't like the 1st or 2nd goal Niemi gave up (though that 1st goal was a great play by Brown) but it's pretty easy to put the other 3 squarely on the defense in front of him. I don't expect the D to be that bad again and I'd expect a better game from Niemi as well.

That said, from what I've seen in these 4 games the coaches have given the team a really good game plan on how to beat the Kings. If they continue to play the way they have while cleaning up some of their issues in the d-zone they have a really good shot at ending this series sooner rather then later.

 

[Levie]

I still thought the Sharks were the better teams last night and that a couple of bounces that went the Kings way at the end of the 2nd were the difference, but that may very well have been the worst defensive (by d-men) game I've seen the Sharks play all season.

I didn't like the 1st or 2nd goal Niemi gave up (though that 1st goal was a great play by Brown) but it's pretty easy to put the other 3 squarely on the defense in front of him. I don't expect the D to be that bad again and I'd expect a better game from Niemi as well.

That said, from what I've seen in these 4 games the coaches have given the team a really good game plan on how to beat the Kings. If they continue to play the way they have while cleaning up some of their issues in the d-zone they have a really good shot at ending this series sooner rather then later.

I think so too, but I don't think they played a great game by this series' standard. LA just wanted it more.

The good thing is we know the Sharks can do better. Pavelski can be on the third line, our D can be better, and our G can be better. Expecting them to beat the Kings Saturday and let me get a good nights sleep over the weekend.

 

[sr228]

I think so too, but I don't think they played a great game by this series' standard. LA just wanted it more.

The good thing is we know the Sharks can do better. Pavelski can be on the third line, our D can be better, and our G can be better. Expecting them to beat the Kings Saturday and let me get a good nights sleep over the weekend.

I don't think they did either but that was pretty close to LA's best they got last night so it was still kind of awesome to see that the Sharks not at their best can still outplay the Kings when they're very close to theirs.

 

[Gene Parmesan]

It doesn't matter where Pavelski plays since they will be at home and get the match up advantage. L.A. can only get one line going at a time, last night it was Carter and the rookies.

 

[SharksFan1]

Now with a loss under their belt, I wonder if we will see any lineup changes. My guess is things will be the same for game 5 since they can choose the matchups, but if the Sharks can't close it out at home, then I would expect some changes for game 6.

 

[Timo Time]

Has everyone had time to sleep this off?

Sharks will come out ready Saturday. There's no way they allow this to get back to LA.

I still don't blame Nemo on the loss, there were some tough breaks he could catch and the Gaborik goal was sort of the back breaker. Had it been 4-2 I think we would've won the game. Quick stole some second chances but was leaving rebounds left and right. So he wasn't much better than Nemo last night IMHO. Sharks still dictated the play and I liked seeing that despite being down a few goals with the Kings fighting for their lives.

 

[sr228]

Now with a lose under their belt, I wonder if we will see any lineup changes. My guess is things will be the same for game 5 since they can choose the matchups, but if the Sharks can't close it out at home, then I would expect some changes for game 6.

I don't really see any roster changes either but considering Brown's ice time has been cut every game, including to under 4 min last night, and how awful the 4th line was in the last two games it's probably a good time to get him out of the lineup.

Kennedy really does everything Brown does only (minus helping to run the goalie) much better.

 

[thirtysix*]

eh the sharks already did what the kings couldnt do.

we'll finish em at the SAP centa

 

[Levie]

Also some good news. We should be able to connect with more passes at SAP. Don't have to worry about Kings' ice. Speeds our game up.

 

[alexander supertramp]

Haven't been much of a fan of Wingels this series. He's finishing every check, but that's about it. He's playing like a glorified 4th liner.

if I'm not mistaken, he had the highest Corsi of any forward.

 

[Gilligans Island]

I don't really see any roster changes either but considering Brown's ice time has been cut every game, including to under 4 min last night, and how awful the 4th line was in the last two games it's probably a good time to get him out of the lineup.

Kennedy really does everything Brown does only (minus helping to run the goalie) much better.

I wouldn't really be opposed to taking Brown out of the lineup but to be fair, he did have a 10 minute misconduct penalty. And on the road, his minutes will drop since TMac will play the 4th line less.

He did draw the Clifford penalty likely due to the havoc he's been creating all series. Doubt Kennedy would have drawn that one.

 

[Timos Death Stare]

Stuart's play on the Gaborik goal cost the team any shot and/or belief the team had of coming back. That laziness was horrible. Why he was even out there on the first or second shift of the 3rd period is beyond me? Some of the personnel choices, I just don't get. That and how they start four on fours are probably the dumbest things that McLellan has going on right now which isn't bad on the whole of it but stuff that kills team momentum.

Stuart can barely skate... I don't think I've seen a slower skater. Seriously... Wallin was faster than him.

 

[Gilligans Island]

I still thought the Sharks were the better teams last night and that a couple of bounces that went the Kings way at the end of the 2nd were the difference, but that may very well have been the worst defensive (by d-men) game I've seen the Sharks play all season.

I didn't like the 1st or 2nd goal Niemi gave up (though that 1st goal was a great play by Brown) but it's pretty easy to put the other 3 squarely on the defense in front of him. I don't expect the D to be that bad again and I'd expect a better game from Niemi as well.

That said, from what I've seen in these 4 games the coaches have given the team a really good game plan on how to beat the Kings. If they continue to play the way they have while cleaning up some of their issues in the d-zone they have a really good shot at ending this series sooner rather then later.

The game plan for this matchup (and the execution most of the time) has been the most impressive. I think that's where the Sharks have had the distinct advantage - i.e., if both teams' execute their plan to the fullest, the Sharks will come out on top. I don't think Sutter has figured out how to stop the Sharks when they're on top of their game.

The defensive miscues are very correctable.
Goal 3 - Braun lost awareness of Williams. Sure, lucky bounce but Williams was wide open to take advantage of the bounce off the boards.
Goal 4 - sure, lucky deflection off Desi's glove made for a perfect pass to Toffoli but Braun should have had better coverage there.
Goal 5 - talked about. Stuart fumbled Braun's pass (which may have been a bit hard) but that goal is mostly on Stuart.

For Game 5, I don't worry about Brown/Kopi/Gaborik as much as I worry about WIlliams/Stoll/whomever. That new 3rd line has a knack for taking advantage of miscues. We need to clean that up.

 

[Juxtaposer]

I wouldn't really be opposed to taking Brown out of the lineup but to be fair, he did have a 10 minute misconduct penalty. And on the road, his minutes will drop since TMac will play the 4th line less.

He did draw the Clifford penalty likely due to the havoc he's been creating all series. Doubt Kennedy would have drawn that one.

No, but Kennedy puts a lot of potshots on goal which, given how Quick has been playing, will either result in rebounds for the Sharks to put home or in Quick holding on to the puck, resulting in an offensive zone draw for Joe Thornton's line.

 

[Timos Death Stare]

I don't believe Havlat has the mental fortitude to come back out from being benched and be hungry and productive. He seems to let the emotions of being benched linger. He would be better off taking the buyout and going to the KHL.

Niemi did not perform solidly in this game. He has to limit opposition to 2 or 3 goals per game and 1.000% in OT; regardless of the defensive ups and downs during the game. Shark's defense is the weakest link overall, and since DW did not make any serious moves to shore it up from last year, we have to assume they believe Niemi will counterbalance that.

Niemi is a system goal. In order for him to be successful the Sharks need to have a much better defensive game overall. They played lazy in their own zone and it cost them.

Niemi focuses on making the first save and the D cleans up the trash. Last night I felt like LAK got to our net way too easily and weren't paying the same price that we were.

On a side note, Pavelski is getting absolutely mugged out there.... and he seems to be one of the few forwards willing to pay that price by standing in front of the net.

 

[Timos Death Stare]

No, but Kennedy puts a lot of potshots on goal which, given how Quick has been playing, will either result in rebounds for the Sharks to put home or in Quick holding on to the puck, resulting in an offensive zone draw for Joe Thornton's line.

I'd advocate putting TK in also for the simply fact that he can do spot duty on the 2nd or 3rd line if one of our forwards get injured (please no!) or TMac just wants to juggle lines. Brown is pretty much a 4th line wing, period.

My 2c.