GDT - Minnesota at San Jose - Jan 22, 7:30PM

[SJVP408]

Doug's team message seems to have gotten through to Marleau. He's looking fast tonight.

 

[ads_2006]

I like the play of the 3rd and 4th lines tonight

 

[filosofy29]

Niemi bails out Pavs there as he stops former teammate madden.

 

[SJVP408]

Drew about Vlasic. "He's tough to play against". Hahaha

 

[MrFlyingV]

Clayton Stoner? Nice name. Rather have a last name of Stoner than Clutterbuck.

 

[SJVP408]

Way to snap out of a 6 game losing streak. Keep it going! Happy Saturday Sharks fans!

 

[MrChangoT97]

YaY......a win is a WIN, but we need to stop having close calls at the end of the game,

 

[Cbrower91]

Niemi has certainlly found his grove. He might end up being a steal at 2 mil for the season lol. Either way they still need a dman who can make the first pass

 

[rares]

Niemi has certainlly found his grove. He might end up being a steal at 2 mil for the season lol. Either way they still need a dman who can make the first pass

What? I was just coming to post here that Niemi fucking blows.

Makes 2-3 good saves, then looks shaky as shit on the next 4-5 saves...

It's good that the team can score enough to make up for his bad goals (2 tonight?) but it's still bullshit.

 

[MacJ88]

Yeah he gave up a weak one and was out of position on another. It's funny, I never paid much attention to goaltending, due in part to the fact that Nabby was so consistent. Now I catch myself noticing Niemi and thinking "why is he out that far? why is he way the hell over there?" Antti seems to over-commit on a lot of plays and frequently lets the stoppable squeekers go by. However, we just need him to be solid during the regular season and give us a chance to win and I feel like he has done that. He has already proven he can still some playoff games, for 2 million and 1 year, I will take that any day of the week.

 

[Cbrower91]

Say what you want but he routinely has been coming up with the big save and keeping the team in games. Does he let in a softy from time to time, yes.

Did Nabby let in back breaking softies with some regularity, yes. That's the difference between the 2, as far as im concerned. I love Nabby and he was great while in teal, but he couldnt consistantly come up with the big game changing save like Nemo is doing.

And when he gave up a bad goal it was always at the worst possible time. Also Mike Vernon was prone for giving up softies too, but he also came up with the timely saves as well.

Niemi's play has improved considerably since the start of the season, and the D has adjusted to his bad rebound control spraying ways.

 

[rares]

Niemi lets in a softy or two a game... Nabby didn't do that. He definitely went for stretches of a couple of games without giving up a softy; no way I can say the same about Niemi.

Yes, he's won a few games by playing pretty damn good but he still gives up some pretty horrific goals... he seems to do it when the Sharks are up by a couple so it doesn't cost the team all that much and I guess the bottom line is, as long as the team keeps winning, it's all good.

I will agree with you about the defense having adjusted to his bad rebounds... they still happen (a lot) but it doesn't seem to be as big a problem or look as bad as it did earlier in the season.

 

[Likewall32]

I will agree with you about the defense having adjusted to his bad rebounds... they still happen (a lot) but it doesn't seem to be as big a problem or look as bad as it did earlier in the season.

I wonder if its possible to make Niemi a special set of pads were the inside is made of one of those form fitting mattresses without the springs (forget what they are called) so when the puck hits him it just drops down instead of firing outa the crease like a home run swing...