See You Thursday
May 10th, 2011, 10:35 am
Ryane Clowe, the Sharks’ leading scorer in the playoffs, is out for game 6. This is not good. While I’ve certainly softened from the position I stated on the podcast, I can’t help but think the Sharks are significant underdogs tonight in Detroit.
If they do close the series out, I will be fixing myself a gigantic plate of crow. Mmmm, crow.
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My opinion on tonight. T-Mac needs to make a major adjustment and pull a page out of Nashville’s book tonight. Clog the lanes, play an exclusively defensive style, and try and steal the game. Without Clowe and with Marleau playing like a zero, if we try and match fire with fire, it could get ugly. Sharks need to treat this like a Game 7 and ignore the extra game cushion. Do not let it go 7.
I play Ben Eager tonight for Clowe. He has the best chance at filling his role and actually has decent skills when his head is on right. He’s been here before and can focus. I go with Eager.
How would everyone else play it? Stay status quo or make a major adjustment.
I agree with you, Mike. Tell Eager that his job is to be Ryan Clowe for tonight, put him with Couture and Heatley, and hope those hands he showed at the end of the regular season show up. They won’t get last change, but try to match them up against Detroit’s 3rd/4th lines.
Leave Jumbo’s line intact and hope Marleau brings his A game. Leave the hellacopter line alone, but play it like a second line tonight. Wellwood deserves 18+ minutes tonight with some time on the PP.
Sharks win 5-2. Marleau with a goal and an assist, Wellwood with 3 assists including two on the PP. Jamie McGinn pops in the first goal for a 4th liner in these playoffs.
Prepare a double helping of Crow, because JR can’t cook, but he said he’d eat it.
I go back and forth on this like a bouncing puck on bad ice: why didn’t they treat game 4 like a game 7? Am I not giving Detroit due respect and thinking that “its Detroit, of course it would go to 7”?
I was at game 5 and the last 15 looked nothing like the first 45. I suppose the best thing to do is let it be. If the Sharks want it they have the skill.
Hoping for, correction, LOOKING for, handshakes tonite.
I would play Eager with Wellwood and Pavs…they played earlier this season when we first acquired them and there was some pretty good chemistry there. 4-1 win. Niemi comes up big. Pavs G and 2 A!
Final thought of encouragement before I let the game play itself. In the end with the come back and shot count in game 5, it’s fair to say that Detroit stole one, just the way we did in game 3. It doesn’t happen that often, the let down hurts but we’ll pull it back together tonight. Sharks win 3-1 in a tight defensive game. Goals by White, Pavs and an empty netter by Marleau.
Ummm I’m thinking Detroit wins 3-1, empty netter by Helm on a masterfully bs line change that not only seals the game for Detroit, but also exemplifies the stupidity of a sport where cheating and luck far too easy determine who wins games.