Series Thread: Sharks Vs Preds

[Cbrower91]

well most experts are picking the preds, should be an interesting series, I think Burns and Jones are going to be huge factors maybe Marleau too as he seems to light up the preds come playoff time

 

[Cmon_WTF]

Rinne has had the Sharks number the last few years and they have a history of laying an egg the first game after a long layoff. I'm not expecting much in game one.

 

[Cbrower91]

I just think it's funny reading about how great the Preds second pair is like Vlasic and Braun suck. Not to mention the Preds 3rd pair hardly sees the ice not to mention the Sharks have a very servicable 3rd pair. I think the Preds wears down over the series

 

[mr.hockey4242]

well most experts are picking the preds, should be an interesting series, I think Burns and Jones are going to be huge factors maybe Marleau too as he seems to light up the preds come playoff time

I have no fucking clue what experts your looking at

 

[Cbrower91]

That was a real bad goal, a goalie of Jones' size should not being beat from that spot ever

 

[Cmon_WTF]

Braun can't let that cross ice pass. He backed in way to far.

 

[madcap9999]

Sharks need to get 1 or 2 guys in front of Rinne on the PP, which so far they haven't done at all. Too good when he sees the puck.

 

[Cmon_WTF]

Well, this is why the Sharks got Ward and he hasn't disappointed.

 

[Cbrower91]

Well, this is why the Sharks got Ward and he hasn't disappointed.

As far as im concerned hes been nothing short of a steal

 

[Cbrower91]

Holy Hell whered that come from?!?!?

 

[Cmon_WTF]

Holy Hell whered that come from?!?!?

Got their legs under them. That was an impressive display.

 

[Cbrower91]

streaming the game was so bad i didnt want to watch it, guess ill have to go to a bar on sunday

 

[Cbrower91]

Got their legs under them. That was an impressive display.

you know Rinne is only going to get tougher to beat

 

[Cmon_WTF]

you know Rinne is only going to get tougher to beat

Hutton came out after the Wingels goal and Rinne was on the bench being looked at by the trainer.

 

[Cbrower91]

Hutton came out after the Wingels goal and Rinne was on the bench being looked at by the trainer.

Probably a groin after Ward deked him

 

[sjrules99]

You know what, I'm gunna do the bad thing and come out and say it: the sharks are gunna win the cup this year. I have been so so skeptical of the big two for so long. However, so far, the sharks look different. Not in the their play. Not in their execution. But in their heart. their response to adversity. they guts. their coaching.

Against LA, they lose the tough one at home in OT. years past, they would choke from there. They bounce back to win game 4 and in that game up 3-0., they give up two quickies, but then get tough and win. Game 5 they blow 3-0, but get tough and win. This game, they are stoned 1-0 by rinne, but get tough and win. They have come up against really trying adversity 3 or 4 times so far, and have bounced back beautifully every single time. last night, down 1-0 going into the 3rd against arguably the best goalie in the league, they woulda lost in years past. Even after bad breaks like all the lucky goals like off of Johansen's face and all the LA goals, the sharks showed character and didnt let back puck luck cost em.

This time, the character is shining through. The coaching is superb and the depth is fantastic, and amazingly last night, they get 5 goals and jumbo and patty combine for zero points and -1. when those two are so useless, they used to lose every time. This year, ward, donskoi, hertl, karlsson, etc and the like are picking up the slack and taking all the pressure off the old two. and Jones is so smooth in net.

There is no panic in their game right now. They are composed, they bounce back. They arent tired or broken down since they roll four lines and 3 D pairs. I am beginning to believe that it really is different this year.

 

[Cmon_WTF]

I have a hard time labeling either Thornton or Marleau's play last night as useless. Both of them were monsters last night with puck control and puck retrieval. They wore down the Preds top four dmen and opened up the ice for Couture's line. Just because someone's name doesn't show up on the scoresheet doesn't mean they are useless. Outside of the Couture line Marleau and Thornton were easily the best players on the ice.

 

[sjrules99]

I have a hard time labeling either Thornton or Marleau's play last night as useless. Both of them were monsters last night with puck control and puck retrieval. They wore down the Preds top four dmen and opened up the ice for Couture's line. Just because someone's name doesn't show up on the scoresheet doesn't mean they are useless. Outside of the Couture line Marleau and Thornton were easily the best players on the ice.

I understand that of course a player can be good even without scoring. However, at the end of the day, the team with more goals wins. How many times in playoffs past has the big two played hard but failed to produce on the score sheet, where it matters. Possession is great. hits are great. puck control and forechecking is great. But goals for and no goals against wins games. being good as possession and corsi is not acceptable or sufficient for those guys. Thats fine for the spalings, wingels tierneys neitos and karlssons but not for the thornton, marleau, or pavelskis. Those guys are expected to score, so when I say useless, I mean not doing what they have to do, which is produce goals.

If ward, cooch, and hertl dont score, then all that great possession means a 1-0 loss.

 

[sjrules99]

Also, pavelski and burns were far better than jumbo or patty. I would argue that hertl was too, punishing weber physically and scoring the big goal. I also think Jones was better as I thought he was once again outstanding. Only 1 real goal (who scores off your face??) again. patty and jumbo were fine, but it was the rest of the team that won.

My point however, is that with this team, patty and jumbo CAN be only 'fine' and they can still win. That is different from the past. if those two were shut out of the scoresheet, the sharks very very rarely won. In fact I bet in the last decade, they have probably only won a small handful of playoff games when neither registers a point. I dont have the energy to look, but I would guess it's no more than 10. and I would guess their record might be 7-30 when that happens.

This year, the sharks are 2-0 when neither registers a point. That is astounding, and unheard of in sharks history, and its why I feel that it's just different this time around.

 

[Cmon_WTF]

Pavelski had a terrible game by the standards he set this year at least. He was owned by Weber all night. He had a couple good tips but that was it. Lost the puck with bad turnovers a few times and lost his man on the backcheck a lot. The first two periods Thornton covered for a lot of Pavelski errors.

Burns was certainly good but it was Thornton and Marleau who drove the play last night forcing Lavi to change his match ups and opening up ice for Couture's line.