Tonight Will Be No Easy Task
March 12th, 2009, 7:37 am
The new podcast is right here.
I’m nervous about tonight’s game in St. Louis. The Blues were a team that started the year hot and then sank to near joke status, but they’ve risen from the NHL ashes to legitimately contend for a playoff spot. They’ve gone 6-3-1 in their last ten, but they’ve cooled off just a bit coming in a more reasonable 3-2 in their last five, with the wins coming over three non-playoff foes in Dallas, Phoenix and the lowest of the low, Tampa Bay. BUT – this team is desperate for points and St. Louis knows they can hang with the Sharks, even when they are at full strength. Previous results from the three other games with the Blues this year….
Nov 6 5-4 OT win
Dec 13 5-4 win
Dec 27 3-2 loss
Any guesses what we’re in for tonight?
On the positive side, it looks like Marcel Goc will return to the line up tonight, which means (thankfully) no more Brad Staubitz. McGinn will slide down to the 4th line with Shelley and Plihal and the line up will get a little stronger as another regular player comes back. More good news is the physical play can’t get any worse – right? In the three previous contests against St. Louis, there has been an average of 21 penalty minutes per game, good for ten total power plays per game – so it’s bound to get chippy. Oddly enough, there have been zero fighting majors – but this could be the physical wake up call the Sharks are needing after falling asleep at the hitting wheel against Minnesota. I’ve never seen the Sharks play less physical, and for a team that is 4th in the NHL in total hits (misleading stat, but a stat none the less), it was embarrassing to see no hits from Shelley and Murray and Semenov, I mean what else is Frankenstein there for – his award winning smile or smelly beard? Doubtful.
Sharks thrive in close games and perhaps this game will get their competitive juices flowing. It won’t be perfect, or even pretty – but the Sharks will win another wild one tonight.
Sharks 4
Blues 2
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Go fish.
So, being stuck in Southern California, I’m going to the game this Sunday against the Ducks… Anybody think they’ll snap out of this by then?
So here’s my theory:
The Red Wings go through a big slump in late February – early March last season and the Wings go on to win the Cup. The Wings begin slumping at about the same time this season. The Sharks do the same. Coincidental? No. Here’s why:
I think the Wings/McLellan system dictates that players play the February and early March games at about 60-75% in order to rest them up for a long playoff run. I know, I know it’s unspeakable to ask a hockey player to not give 100% all the time. But it makes sense given that the past three years the Sharks have blown their collective wad at the end of the Regular Season and had nothing at crunch time. I think McLellan comes in, says hey let’s try this, and the guys put away their pride and do what the coach asks. I think the system is dinged due to injuries to the 3rd and 4th lines which makes it difficult to cut back the minutes of top guys, but they are ramping down their play nonetheless because at this point the playoffs are more important than a W over St. Louis.
I also don’t think the injuries are of the sort that would normally keep the guys off the ice if they were battling for a playoff spot. I think McLellan is asking his clutch guys (Claude, JR, Nabby, and even the open-net threat Grier) to take a little extra down time now to refuel for a run that goes in to June.
Anybody else buy this? I know it may be a stretch, but how else do you explain the Sharks going from absolutely dominant to “fragile” over the course of a month?
Interesting theory, especially since we’re seeing it in action in Detroit again this year at times.
I think last night we missed Nabby more than anyone else because one of Boucher’s goals was super soft. Boucher is solid, but he’s not going to make the mega-save Nabby can to save the Sharks bacon.
I hope he’s back on Saturday, because the Kings are going to be another tough match up.
So they have a switch they’ll flip and they’ll start playing like they did in the first half? I don’t think so.
They have been a mediocre team at best since the All Star break. As a matter of fact, they have the 9th best record in the west since the break…not even playoff material! They’ve had a lot of injuries, but mostly to third and fourth liners…which shouldn’t affect the first two lines as much as it has. 17 goals in their last 9 games.
I, for one, am quite concerned about their play of late.
grier: we all know how much Doug Wilson loves the Detroit model, so it may be… and Nabby is on an extended break now because he’ll play 15 of the last 16 going in to the playoffs.
altuck1: Yes, I do think many players on our squad have a “switch”. Joe, Grier, Nabby, Patty, Cheech, Ehrhoff, Blake…. just to name a few. Do you have any explanation how this team has had such a reversal of fortunes? They just started sucking one day? And what about Detroit? They had the same issue last year, same issue this year, and they aren’t putting teams away like they did in the beginning of the year. Did they just start sucking too?
McLellan wants his 3rd and 4th lines to dictate play in these games, and they just haven’t had the talent or consistency as of yet. He also wants to see if an NHL caliber starter will come from Worchester. So far, maybe McGinn, but it’s been pretty lousy.
I’m concerned about the Sharks too, no doubt. But even now, in the muck of this slump, I am more enthusiastic about the team than I was when they were blazing into the playoffs last year with 20+ wins. I’m telling you, they are refueling now. My prediction: their game picks up by the 25th and they only drop one in their last ten… with Torrey Mitchell centering the 3rd line.
This team would “find a way to win” on their subpar nights the first half of the season. It appears they’ve lost that ability.
I can see a coach “resting” his stars prior to the playoffs. I’m not sure about giving 60-75%, but resting by playing fewer minutes. Boyle played over 30 minutes last Saturday in Vancouver. Patty continues to average 21-22 minutes. If they are playing at 75%, then they’re giving the other teams the confidence to think they can skate with the Sharks. I’d rather see other teams come into the Tank knowing they have little chance. But I hope you’re right.
And yes, I can’t wait to see Torrey Mitchell back on the ice.