Wait, a Game 6 Blog Post??
May 10th, 2016, 8:19 am
No chance to broadcast after that debacle last night, and I think people wouldn’t be so interested in hearing me beat my head into the wall on-air. So I’ll keep it short.
The Sharks, for an unknown reason, just stopped playing after Nashville scored. I can’t understand or explain it. Look at the Sharks’s shot attempts- they had about 20 the rest of the way, and the Pred had over 60. That’s domination I haven’t seen in a while. This might not have been just the worst couple of periods the Sharks have played this playoffs- they might be the worst all year.
And if you look at the Corsi/Fenwick stats for the game, you see something extraordinary at the bottom of the chart:
| Player | Corsi | Fenwick |
| Vlasic | -17 | -7 |
| Pavelski | -17 | -15 |
| Braun | -17 | -8 |
| Hertl | -18 | -13 |
| Thornton | -19 | -16 |
| Jones | -28 | -16 |
When your best players are not only not your best players but your worst players, you lose.
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Those are some ugly numbers. If they lose this series, they’re deservedly going to hear about “choking” all summer. Doug was spot on speculating that the Sharks might not be as motivated against the Preds as they would facing the Ducks. But from the Preds’ perspective, the Sharks are their LA Kings since SJ has their number in past series and Nashville has never even won a playoff game in SJ. The Preds will be hungry in Game 7. They have the better D roster and goaltender. Hopefully Jones’ recent play has been merely rookie mistakes from lack of playoff experience. Meanwhile, the West is wide open. Neither the Blues or Stars look particularly impressive. This is a golden opportunity for the Sharks to finally get to the finals, if they can pull it together. Final thought: Will game 7 be Marleau’s last Sharks game?
Don’t want to end on a negative note. How about this: PDB 1-0 all time in Game 7’s.
Anyone who watched last night’s Sharks game, then the Dubs game, saw the stark difference. The Dubs have attitude and killer instinct. They go out and take it. Not the Sharks, not last night.
It helps that the Dubs have arguably one of the greatest players (and arguably least defendable player) of all time. Killer instinct looks a lot more killer when you have someone like that.
The Preds don’t have any players better than the Sharks, or close to Curry. Yet they sure went out and took it from the Sharks.
the momentum changed as soon as neito was out of the line up
As well as Marleau has played on the second line, can’t help but think he should go back to 3rd line center. Over the season, the Sharks have played their most consistent hockey with Thornton-Couture-Marleau down the middle.
Glad to say I was wrong on both my predictions. Winner of game 4 did not win the series. Marleau on the 2nd line worked pretty well tonight.
Forget numbers, forget everything… it about will…. game 7s are about will. if the sharks dont want it bad enough they will lose. if the do shoots should be 30-20 in favor of the sharks and that gives us a chance to win. but game 7, all stats go out the door. they have to out play the preds for 60 mins…. Period. will they do it…. who knows…..
if the sharks make it to the cup im flying from Sweden to watch a cup game!!!
Go Sharks…… this is the biggest game in sharks history…… let be on the right side.
Is it just me, or is the “We like Game 7’s. It’s fun!” theme by Sharks players incredibly annoying and stupid. It’s like they don’t realize how terribly they played in Game 6 and that their season could instantly end to a weaker opponent.
I think there trying to stay loose and calm, somthing they have done all year. but as a fan i agree!
The stat no one’s discussing: The Sharks franchise has won 5 Game 7’s, but have lost the next series every time. In other words, in their 24 previous seasons the Sharks have been doomed once they reach Game 7. Either they get eliminated in the Game 7 loss, or advance but lose the following series. So no, the players should definitely not be excited about a Game 7.
That’s an amazing stat. Hopefully it’s one more ghost the Sharks can chase away.
The sharks have only gone to the western conference finals 3 times, so the only thing you are saying here is that on those 3 occasions the first round didn’t go to 7 games…
This “stat” that you try to make in to something is basically nothing.