Game Thread: CAPITALS (28-16-10) at SHARKS (28-20-7)

[Mr. Teal]

TV: NBCSN, SN

SAN JOSE -- After losing back-to-back games, the San Jose Sharks will try to salvage a win in the finale of their three-game homestand against the Washington Capitals at SAP Center on Wednesday (10:30 ET; NBCSN, SN).

The Sharks are 1-3-1 in their past five games and are coming off a 4-1 loss Monday against the Calgary Flames that dropoped them from second to third place in the Pacific Division.

"I think enough's enough in terms of our inconsistent play," Sharks forward Tommy Wingels said. "We can't keep riding this roller coaster the rest of the year because before you know it the season will be wasted away, and we'll look back on it and not be happy missing the playoffs. We got to step it up and find a way to start winning consistently."

Sharks coach Todd McLellan said he wants to see a strong 60-minute game from his team.

"The win takes care of itself if you establish a 60-minute game and get to an intensity level that is above par," McLellan said. "We have to get to that point. When you're short-staffed, you've got to take your game up, and I'm not sure that we've done that as a group. We've probably slipped a little bit, and as a result we're on the losing end of games more than we are on the winning end."

The Sharks will be without injured defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic (upper body), their top defenseman, for a third straight game. Defenseman Justin Braun (broken left hand), who spent much of the season skating with Vlasic, will miss his ninth straight game. The Sharks have seven healthy defensemen, but the seventh is rookie Dylan DeMelo, who has yet to make his NHL debut.

That's bad news for the Sharks in a game against the high-powered Capitals and Alex Ovechkin, who's tied for the NHL lead with 33 goals.

The Sharks had an optional skate, but fourth-line forwards Tyler Kennedy and Andrew Desjardins stayed late on the ice and skated hard. It appears as if they'll come out of the lineup and be replaced by John Scott and Barclay Goodrow.

Here are the projected lineups:

CAPITALS

Alex Ovechkin - Nicklas Backstrom - Marcus Johansson

Jason Chimera - Evgeny Kuznetsov - Troy Brouwer

Brooks Laich - Eric Fehr - Joel Ward

Andre Burakovsky - Michael Latta - Jay Beagle

Brooks Orpik - John Carlson

Karl Alzner - Matt Niskanen

Jack Hillen - Mike Green

Braden Holtby

Justin Peters

Scratched: Tom Wilson, Aaron Volpatti, Steve Oleksy

Injured: Dmitry Orlov (wrist), John Erskine (neck surgery)

SHARKS

Melker Karlsson - Joe Thornton - Joe Pavelski

Patrick Marleau - Logan Couture - Matt Nieto

Tomas Hertl - Chris Tierney - Tommy Wingels

John Scott - James Sheppard - Barclay Goodrow

Scott Hannan - Brent Burns

Matt Irwin - Matt Tennyson

Brenden Dillon - Mirco Mueller

Antti Niemi

Alex Stalock

Scratched: Tyler Kennedy, Andrew Desjardins, Dylan DeMelo

Injured: Raffi Torres (knee), Mike Brown (right leg), Justin Braun (left hand), Tye McGinn (upper body), Marc-Edouard Vlasic (upper body), Daniil Tarasov (undisclosed)

Status report: Niemi will make his fourth straight start. He gave up five goals on 34 shots in a 6-5 Sharks shootout victory against the Capitals on Oct. 14. ... Scott was a healthy scratch the past three games. ... Alzner is expected to be in the lineup and play his 400th career NHL game, all with the Capitals.

Who's hot: Kuznetsov has eight points (2-6-8) in his past eight games. ... Backstrom has 13 points (3-10-13) in his past 11 games. ... Ovechkin has six goals in his past seven games. ... Couture has a three-game point streak (1-3-4).

 

[RaiderZar]

We lose 6 - 2. Stalock comes off the bench during/after the 2nd period.

 

[Mr. Teal]

Historically the Sharks do well against the Caps so I am optimistic albeit cautiously so because I watched the last 2 games.

 

[Mr. Teal]

If the Sharks cant manage to make a concerted team effort for a full 3 periods today in honor of Nabby's retirement, it will be a complete travesty. I don't even need them to win, I just want them to play like it's important. If they can't do that on an important day for the franchise, then to hell with 'em.

While I'm very disappointed in their efforts as of late, I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt.
I hope they'll honor our most successful netminder the way he deserves to be honored.

Referring to another thread regarding his number being retired, I still think it's important to win a Cup before anyone's number is retired. Otherwise, celebrating ourselves for being in the league for 24 years with nothing to show for it wouldn't be right.

 

[Mr. Teal]

Fight @ 13:11 1srt per. Brower vs. Dillon.

Dillon got rocked.
Hard.

 

[Mr. Teal]

Couture had a really nice wraparound goal to make it 3-2 Sharks at the end of the 2nd.

 

[Mr. Teal]

Well, the Sharks lost in OT but they showed more grit than they typically do and they got a point out of it so that's something. I guess.
I'm not thrilled but they tried harder. Clearly there's a lot of room for improvement.
Thornton showed up.
Burns shouldve had his man tied up on the OT winner tho.

 

[MrFlyingV]

I was at that shit show last night. The 3rd Caps goal, the ref fucked up and got in Dillon's way but he was somewhat out of position before it happened. Looked like Hannon got tripped before the OT winner. He and Pavs were on the refs and did not leave the ice right away. But, in reality, they are a complete train wreck on defense now. Burns for all his plusses on offense is not a defenseman. Terrible decisions at times. Same with the rest of the d. I don't know if it is just the d but the forwards not taking their man, some scores on trailing forward wide open scoring on rebounds.

The big picture: this is not a playoff. I almost hope they don't make it because this franchise needs some humble pie now. Too complacent and set in their ways for too long now. Guys not worried about their jobs. Last night not a sellout with Ovi in town even. I got center ice upper level in the first few rows for fairly cheap. Next year if this keeps up it is going easy pickins for cheap tickets. Probably between 12 to 14 thousand a night next year at best unless it is a top flight opponent.

The only real keepers on this team are Couture, Pavs, Vlasic. The rest of the D can go. Nieto is a waste of space, Hertl badly needs to get stronger in the offseason. I don't think he is completely recovered from that knee injury. 3rd and 4th lines worthless. I wish they could be sellers but not really going where they sit in standings right now. Kennedy will be moved, but not much else. I'd love to move Marleau. That is guy is soft in the corners. More worried about not getting hit than clearing the puck half the time. Now I know why Thornton's face is all beat up and Marleau's not, all the puck possession Thornton does.

Lose to Edmonton, Calgary, Carolina, Calgary, Washington..4 of those at home. Huge red flag of a team running out of gas and an end of an era.

Rant over.

 

[Mr. Teal]

If it's the end of an era of sucking, I'm all for it.

 

[Cbrower91]

I was at that shit show last night. The 3rd Caps goal, the ref fucked up and got in Dillon's way but he was somewhat out of position before it happened. Looked like Hannon got tripped before the OT winner. He and Pavs were on the refs and did not leave the ice right away. But, in reality, they are a complete train wreck on defense now. Burns for all his plusses on offense is not a defenseman. Terrible decisions at times. Same with the rest of the d. I don't know if it is just the d but the forwards not taking their man, some scores on trailing forward wide open scoring on rebounds.

The big picture: this is not a playoff. I almost hope they don't make it because this franchise needs some humble pie now. Too complacent and set in their ways for too long now. Guys not worried about their jobs. Last night not a sellout with Ovi in town even. I got center ice upper level in the first few rows for fairly cheap. Next year if this keeps up it is going easy pickins for cheap tickets. Probably between 12 to 14 thousand a night next year at best unless it is a top flight opponent.

The only real keepers on this team are Couture, Pavs, Vlasic. The rest of the D can go. Nieto is a waste of space, Hertl badly needs to get stronger in the offseason. I don't think he is completely recovered from that knee injury. 3rd and 4th lines worthless. I wish they could be sellers but not really going where they sit in standings right now. Kennedy will be moved, but not much else. I'd love to move Marleau. That is guy is soft in the corners. More worried about not getting hit than clearing the puck half the time. Now I know why Thornton's face is all beat up and Marleau's not, all the puck possession Thornton does.

Lose to Edmonton, Calgary, Carolina, Calgary, Washington..4 of those at home. Huge red flag of a team running out of gas and an end of an era.

Rant over.

Im pretty sure they arent going to make it, so the offseason should be interesting to say the least, i dont see tmac going anywhere and sadly i dont see nemo going anywhere either, everyone else is probably fair game

 

[Mr. Teal]

Im pretty sure they arent going to make it, so the offseason should be interesting to say the least, i dont see tmac going anywhere and sadly i dont see nemo going anywhere either, everyone else is probably fair game

Are there any available goalies on the FA market?

 

[Cbrower91]

Are there any available goalies on the FA market?

Nope, maybe Brian Elliot but that guy cant carry a team, hes behind a stacked st louis team

 

[Likewall32]

Hello NYI GM... Whats that your say? You got Leddy & Boychuk and gave up nothing in return and are in first place?? Did Doug Wilson know about these players being available? Oh he did you say, and he didnt make an offer and said moving Burns back to D - who leads the league in turnovers and having 47 year old Hannan was perfectably fine for his backend.. Ok thanks for your time, I just wanted to clarify that our GM is a fucking idiot...

 

[Cmon_WTF]

I would of loved them to get Leddy but Bowman was pretty up front about not being willing to move him to another team in the western conference. That's part of the reason they only got one solid prospect in return for him.

Boychuk is a good Dman but doent fit the direction Wilson intends to go with getting younger. He would have been a solid addition if the Sharks were still in "win now" mode.

 

[Cbrower91]

I would of loved them to get Leddy but Bowman was pretty up front about not being willing to move him to another team in the western conference. That's part of the reason they only got one solid prospect in return for him.

Boychuk is a good Dman but doent fit the direction Wilson intends to go with getting younger. He would have been a solid addition if the Sharks were still in "win now" mode.

lol "win now" mode when did i miss that era in time

 

[Cmon_WTF]

lol "win now" mode when did i miss that era in time

I don't know. Where have you been for the last 10 years?

 

[Cbrower91]

I always forget liberal doses of sarcasm is never on the inter webs

 

[Cmon_WTF]

I always forget liberal doses of sarcasm is never on the inter webs

its okay Korky, I got the sarcasm in your post.