Why this year's hot start isn't like last year's

[crunchyblack*]

Their tranistion game is WAY better this year too allowing odd man rushes or to establish the cycle.

 

[Gene Parmesan]

They are playing a very aggressive puck pursuit system and are focusing more on fast zone entries and taking it to the net immediately. They are doing exactly what we've been begging for this team to do for years.

Or finally have the players to do it.

 

[Pinkfloyd]

Or finally have the players to do it.

They have more horses to play the speed game now but they could have gone to it sooner than they did but they were too stubborn to play certain players and play a certain way to cover for their speed issues.

 

[Gene Parmesan]

They have more horses to play the speed game now but they could have gone to it sooner than they did but they were too stubborn to play certain players and play a certain way to cover for their speed issues.

I'm not sure there are many ways to cover for Zus, Clowe and Murray all in the same line up. The most overlooked aspect of why they play faster is the puck handling and passing has improved greatly. It doesn't matter how fast you are if you can't pass the puck up the ice consistently.

 

[Gilligans Island]

I know many of us wanted Demers in over Murray. That would have helped.

I don't recall if there were options instead of Clowe and Zus. Anyhow, as much as I liked those players' toughness, glad they are gone. They were anchors.

 

[Gene Parmesan]

I know many of us wanted Demers in over Murray. That would have helped.

I don't recall if there were options instead of Clowe and Zus. Anyhow, as much as I liked those players' toughness, glad they are gone. They were anchors.

Demers has finally gotten his act together off the ice it seems as well.

 

[thirtysix*]

They are playing a very aggressive puck pursuit system and are focusing more on fast zone entries and taking it to the net immediately. They are doing exactly what we've been begging for this team to do for years.

i noticed three goals in the last two games where theres 3-4 players watching one guy come in to the side, shoots it, bounces off niemi and a late guy is wide open and scores on us.

too much puck pursuit?

 

[NathanCouture]

i noticed three goals in the last two games where theres 3-4 players watching one guy come in to the side, shoots it, bounces off niemi and a late guy is wide open and scores on us.

too much puck pursuit?

I am hoping they adjust a bit to take care of this. If the don't the late man on the weak side will continue to find success.

 

[Gilligans Island]

I am hoping they adjust a bit to take care of this. If the don't the late man on the weak side will continue to find success.

Seems to be a pretty correctable issue. Niemi has to have better rebound control and the players have to watch for the oncoming 3rd or 4th man instead of the puck.

 

[Fistfullofbeer]

I am a litttle concerned about Nemo's rebound control over the last 2 games. He has given some juicy ones which have led to goals.

I am also concerned about the fact that he is not getting enough rest (not surprised though). If he ends up playing for Finland in the Olympics (longshot over Rinne) then this is going to hurt us in the playoffs.

I think the forward and defensemen have bought into and playing they system as asked too. There are some minor tweaks required here and there but I think they will be fine.

 

[SHAR KS]

7-0-1 without a #1D, 2nd line winger and 3rd line winger, Feels good man.

 

[Leidi J]

Nick Cotsonika ‏@cotsonika 7m
The Sharks are deeper, faster, more aggressive and 8-1-1 http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nhl--b...ders-205401013.html?soc_src=mediacontentstory … via @YahooSports

 

[Led Zappa]

At the quarter mark:

2012 11-7-4

2013 14-3-5

Last year we went 1-3-2 in the next 6 games then turned it around to go 8-1. The rest of the season was back and forth.

 

[SJeasy]

At the quarter mark:

2012 11-7-4

2013 14-3-5

Last year we went 1-3-2 in the next 6 games then turned it around to go 8-1. The rest of the season was back and forth.

Add ROW and goal diff and I think it strongly supports your point. They are better this year in just about every team category that I use.

 

[Led Zappa]

Add ROW and goal diff and I think it strongly supports your point. They are better this year in just about every team category that I use.

If you go back in this thread you'll notice I didn't post because even though my eyes told me one thing, there wasn't enough data to say much. Yes, there was much more even strength scoring and other numbers looked good, but not enough IMO. I may have been more supportive in other threads, but that was all based on opinion.

I mostly made the post above as a quarter season mark for future reference and to see what other comments people might have now that we're this far into the season.

Even at this point I was surprised at how little difference there was in the W/L/O numbers. I think you rightly point out the goal diff and ROW's as giving more credence to the eye test.

Comparing the seasons going forward, the next six games could really put some separation in the W/L/O numbers, but soon we're gonna have to consider last years shortened season when comparing the two seasons as the trades were made and a real push by the team was necessary because the PO's were so close.

I do think another key difference is the substantial missed games by top players so far, so that is also in favor of this team not being the team of last year.

At this point, as Mark Spector recently put it, "I think I’m ready to take another run at that football, Lucy"

 

[do0glas]

If you go back in this thread you'll notice I didn't post because even though my eyes told me one thing, there wasn't enough data to say much. Yes, there was much more even strength scoring and other numbers looked good, but not enough IMO. I may have been more supportive in other threads, but that was all based on opinion.

I mostly made the post above as a quarter season mark for future reference and to see what other comments people might have now that we're this far into the season.

Even at this point I was surprised at how little difference there was in the W/L/O numbers. I think you rightly point out the goal diff and ROW's as giving more credence to the eye test.

Comparing the seasons going forward, the next six games could really put some separation in the W/L/O numbers, but soon we're gonna have to consider last years shortened season when comparing the two seasons as the trades were made and a real push by the team was necessary because the PO's were so close.

I do think another key difference is the substantial missed games by top players so far, so that is also in favor of this team not being the team of last year.

At this point, as Mark Spector recently put it, "I think I’m ready to take another run at that football, Lucy"

I think you should compare records after the TDL simply because the team make up is so different.

I think it's fairly obvious that unless this team is running on fumes they are better in every facet compared to the other sharks.

 

[Led Zappa]

I think you should compare records after the TDL simply because the team make up is so different.

I think it's fairly obvious that unless this team is running on fumes they are better in every facet compared to the other sharks.

Technically there really isn't enough data and being so close to the playoffs changes everything. It also wasn't the point of this thread.

Plus, this team is basically the team that we had after the TDL except we have Hertl and have had to deal with losing Torres, Burns and Boyle for a substantial number of games. What's the point in comparing the same team when trying to say which one is better lol.

Personally I had little doubt that this years team was better than the team that started last year, but until you have the facts you can never be sure with our Sharks

 

[do0glas]

Technically there really isn't enough data and being so close to the playoffs changes everything. It also wasn't the point of this thread.

Plus, this team is basically the team that we had after the TDL except we have Hertl and have had to deal with losing Torres, Burns and Boyle for a substantial number of games. What's the point in comparing the same team when trying to say which one is better lol.

Personally I had little doubt that this years team was better than the team that started last year, but until you have the facts you can never be sure with our Sharks

I don't think this thread is trying to say which team is better. Simply stating why we won't fall into the same habits we did last year.

Secondly, instead of just looking at records we should be looking at how these games are being won. Are we getting secondary scoring, is our blue line stepping up? As someone else said, even amongst our big guys the scoring is spread out pretty evenly.

Our fourth line is constructed to be able to do different things if we put nieto vs brown down there

I don't know...standings is important too. How are we doing relative to other teams. 3 games in hand and 2 points out of 1st? Looks good.

 

[Led Zappa]

I don't think this thread is trying to say which team is better. Simply stating why we won't fall into the same habits we did last year.

Secondly, instead of just looking at records we should be looking at how these games are being won. Are we getting secondary scoring, is our blue line stepping up? As someone else said, even amongst our big guys the scoring is spread out pretty evenly.

Our fourth line is constructed to be able to do different things if we put nieto vs brown down there

I don't know...standings is important too. How are we doing relative to other teams. 3 games in hand and 2 points out of 1st? Looks good.

We can compare whatever we want in this thread, but the title is "Why this year's hot start isn't like last year's" clearly talking about the two teams that started each season. There are plenty of posts pointing to the stats of each start including the points AND goals being more spread out this year. I'm not discounting those, just adding to them.

As to your last paragraph, we're on pace for 123 points as are a few other teams. That's crazy yo!

 

[SactoShark]

I don't have the mind or patience for most statistics, but the goal differential number always reflects the standings in the end. And that's looking mighty fine.

 

[SJeasy]

I don't think this thread is trying to say which team is better. Simply stating why we won't fall into the same habits we did last year.

Secondly, instead of just looking at records we should be looking at how these games are being won. Are we getting secondary scoring, is our blue line stepping up? As someone else said, even amongst our big guys the scoring is spread out pretty evenly.

Our fourth line is constructed to be able to do different things if we put nieto vs brown down there

I don't know...standings is important too. How are we doing relative to other teams. 3 games in hand and 2 points out of 1st? Looks good.

What you are talking about is almost a universal among coaches in the league. By the 20 game mark, a lot of coaches have gone conservative even if they didn't start that way. Some wait until a team goes into a goal drought. It is the rare coach who keeps his foot on the gas even through slumps. I hope TM has the guts to do it, he has been borderline in the past (which is good for coaches by comparison). When a coach pulls in his horns, it is usually the kiss of death for the silver thingy and there is a lot of fluff for the fans about defense winning, etc.

I was especially impressed by Capuano last year who kept his foot on the pedal even against the Pens last year in the playoffs. That was both exciting and very rare. It was also probably the only chance that the Isles had even if they weren't able to capitalize.

 

[Juxtaposer]

I don't think this thread is trying to say which team is better. Simply stating why we won't fall into the same habits we did last year.

Secondly, instead of just looking at records we should be looking at how these games are being won. Are we getting secondary scoring, is our blue line stepping up? As someone else said, even amongst our big guys the scoring is spread out pretty evenly.

Our fourth line is constructed to be able to do different things if we put nieto vs brown down there

I don't know...standings is important too. How are we doing relative to other teams. 3 games in hand and 2 points out of 1st? Looks good.

Nope, it's trying to say that this team is a lot ****ing better.

 

[Juxtaposer]

Another thing: Sharks are have only a .455 winning percentage in one-goal games, which are often decided by luck. They are 8-1 in games decided by 3+ goals, which is a great indication of how good a team this is. The only loss was to Chicago.

 

[DarrylshutzSydor]

The team is definitely better, but until they can beat Chicago, they are not advancing to the SCF.

 

[Pinkfloyd]

The team is definitely better, but until they can beat Chicago, they are not advancing to the SCF.

They may not have to worry about Chicago. I don't think Chicago makes it past St. Louis and the Sharks can beat the Blues in a 7 game series.