GDT: WCQF Game 5 | Golden Knights @ Sharks (Knights lead 3-1) | 7:00 Pacific | NBCSN/ATTSN

[Vegas07]

Team was 3-0 in closeout games last year, and all the games were on the road. First one we’ve lost.

 

[HanSolo]

Looking back I want to be annoyed at Merrill for that controller disconnected moment guarding no one on the left wing, but it's hard to look at a specific defensive breakdown when the Knights were so barren of offensive synergy and lack of hustle. They truly didn't look like they wanted it tonight.

 

[ltsthinaz]

ALL THIS MEANS IS WE WIN THIS SERIES AT HOME!

I'll be there Sunday! Anyone else?!?

I will be there. Not impressed by San Jose, thought we played without intensity tonight, poor defense, passes off sticks, weak first goal. Biggest problem was Sharks very beatable tonight and we let them back in series.

 

[Boris Zubov]

Team was 3-0 in closeout games last year, and all the games were on the road. First one we’ve lost.

Means nothing. That's a TV stat. The bigger issue is how we play on home ice.

 

[hangman005]

I got the next GDT, but I'll Need help.

Wind:
Heart:

I need players to fit those two elements. Stone, Reaves, Eakin and Flower have been assigned.

 

[Pirate Deadpool]

I can only wonder if Gusev took Smith's spot on the Karlsson line if he would have buried those multiple grade A chances that Smith blew tonight

 

[Pia8988]

If they think Gusev can play. I would replace Nosek with him in game 6. Other than that, defensively this team isn't the same as last year.

 

[Vegas07]

Means nothing. That's a TV stat. The bigger issue is how we play on home ice.

I think the team had more of a killer instinct last year and played harder more consistently. The games closing out San Jose and Winnipeg were really impressive IMO. I thought they would be tougher games because those teams were facing elimination but we won more easily than I expected.

 

[BattleBorn]

I got the next GDT, but I'll Need help.

Wind:
Heart:

I need players to fit those two elements. Stone, Reaves, Eakin and Flower have been assigned.

Wind is Karlsson due to the flow.
Heart is Bellemare due to being Bellemare.

 

[Boris Zubov]

I think the team had more of a killer instinct last year and played harder more consistently. The games closing out San Jose and Winnipeg were really impressive IMO. I thought they would be tougher games because those teams were facing elimination but we won more easily than I expected.

The other guys get paid & have pride too. If this was the Sharks best game, we win easy on Sunday.

 

[BattleBorn]

If they think Gusev can play. I would replace Nosek with him in game 6. Other than that, defensively this team isn't the same as last year.

Need Nosek or Carpenter for the PK, and adding Gusev instead of either of those two isn't going to improve defense from what I've heard of Gusev.

 

[hangman005]

Wind is Karlsson due to the flow.
Heart is Bellemare due to being Bellemare.

Was leaning towards Bellemare for heart, wasn't sure about Wind though.

 

[ltsthinaz]

I can only wonder if Gusev took Smith's spot on the Karlsson line if he would have buried those multiple grade A chances that Smith blew tonight

Even though he missed several chances, thought Smith and Marchy were only real engaged players tonight.

 

[The Duck Knight]

If they think Gusev can play. I would replace Nosek with him in game 6. Other than that, defensively this team isn't the same as last year.

Nosek has to stay in just for his PK ability. I wouldn't be totally against Gusev (or Pirri) coming in on the 3rd and dropping Nosek down to the 4th.

On the 2nd point that's mainly because Engelland is a corpse on skates and Miller has fallen off.

 

[Pirate Deadpool]

Smith and Tuch should each have 2 goals tonight.

Got to bear down and finish.

Both of them don't elevate the puck on wide open shots and typically when the goalie has to come back across the pad is always low. Tuch did the same in game 2 of the finals and if he made it who knows if we win and go on the defeat a mentally crushed caps team

 

[Pia8988]

Need Nosek or Carpenter for the PK, and adding Gusev instead of either of those two isn't going to improve defense from what I've heard of Gusev.

PK as a forward is easy. 5 on 5 Nosek really isn’t dping anything.

 

[Pia8988]

Nosek has to stay in just for his PK ability. I wouldn't be totally against Gusev (or Pirri) coming in on the 3rd and dropping Nosek down to the 4th.

On the 2nd point that's mainly because Engelland is a corpse on skates and Miller has fallen off.

Then drop him to the 4th line. Either way they would have enough PK forwards

PEB
Eakin
Karlsson
Smith
Statsny
Stone

All very capable of playing 4 on 5.

 

[Boris Zubov]

Nosek has to stay in just for his PK ability. I wouldn't be totally against Gusev (or Pirri) coming in on the 3rd and dropping Nosek down to the 4th.

On the 2nd point that's mainly because Engelland is a corpse on skates and Miller has fallen off.

That's basically the story of the season. Engellend has been a traffic cone & Miller keeps struggling. Regardless of where this series or the rest of the season takes us, McPhee needs to upgrade the D big time. I said it before the season & I stand by it. Holden wasn't the answer last August, & he isn't the answer going forward. We need a young, punishing, in your face defenseman. Erik Karlsson isn't the answer either. He looks shot to me.

 

[Huck Cheever]

If only there was a scoring champion that Vegas could add in the lineup

 

[The Duck Knight]

 

[Boris Zubov]

I love when athletes make predictions. Patrick Ewing was the king of predicting victories....

 

[BattleBorn]

It's not normally in my nature to do the "lol I luv haterz" routine, but is everyone else enjoying the hate for us that the Sharks crew in general is experiencing right now?

 

[The Duck Knight]

That's basically the story of the season. Engellend has been a traffic cone & Miller keeps struggling. Regardless of where this series or the rest of the season takes us, McPhee needs to upgrade the D big time. I said it before the season & I stand by it. Holden wasn't the answer last August, & he isn't the answer going forward. We need a young, punishing, in your face defenseman. Erik Karlsson isn't the answer either. He looks shot to me.

Agreed. The D was always my biggest concern. That's what really worried me with the Patches and Stone trades. Not that they aren't both great players, it's just those were assets that could have went to the D.

I think Miller is gone and Hague/Whitecloud will compete for that 3rd pair RD. I just don't know how they'll find the kind of top 4 D we need with our limited assets/cap space.

 

[HanSolo]

Well I mean if tonight was his only frame of reference then he'd be correct.

 

[hangman005]

MILESTONE ALERT!

10,000th HF Boards Post​