GDT: Red Wings @ Sharks - March 3, 7:30 PST

[sjrules99]

yeah, I'd say it's even at best... the No goal call was embarassing. I'll take two or three missed penalty calls in exchange for a no goal call. cant complain in that way...

Sharks started great, but for some reason they just stopped moving on that PP and then never started again... Not sure why they cant keep up the intensity continuously. That was a nice little flash though to what SJ can be in they move their feet and are active away from the puck.

 

[SJVP408]

Credit the Wings for getting their flow back. There was no way the Sharks were going to carry that kind play for a long time with the Wings. It's going to be a good one. Just keep crashing and crowding the net and Sharks will be ok.

 

[filosofy29]

Damn is Pavelski ever smart. The kid sure can see the game.

Hopefully Heatley can start to get on a roll here.

 

[sjrules99]

wow... heater heating up??? Great one time, no looker from pavs... Brilliant goal!

 

[koblix]

wow... heater heating up??? Great one time, no looker from pavs... Brilliant goal!

that was one heck of a nice goal

 

[filosofy29]

Marleau has had a heck of a strong game. A couple great set ups and a good couple of scoring chances.

 

[sjrules99]

4th line is really struggling...

 

[sjrules99]

why is mitchell in the NHL again?

 

[Winged_Wheel88]

Feels like playoff hockey, eh?

 

[Slimpikins]

Good fight from the Sharks tonight. They have been winning with hard work and good defense (did I really just type that?)

 

[li0lsh]

fucking BEAUTY from marleau.

they just don't come that pretty very often folks.

red wings fans, u just witnessed a beautiful goal

 

[SJVP408]

Good all around effort. Finally a Heatley sighting in a positive light.

 

[Ties5o11]

When was the last time McClelland was mentioned in a GDT? It seems like we lose a game in a shootout and half this board is jumping down his throat, yet we win 8 in a row and barely a peep is mentioned.

I guess when your fanbase is full of bleeding heart liberals cynicism and negativity come naturally :P

 

[Ties5o11]

Detroit on the second half of a back to back Sharks better take advantage of that. I know they can get lazy when there on an extended home stand.

EDIT: From DP Boyle is out and the Todd agrees with me.

Todd McLellan said he planned to use his team’s last two games against Detroit — both on the road — in preparing them for tonight’s contest.


“The first 10-12-14 minutes both nights we were spectators,” McLellan said. “We may as well have bought tickets andwatched the game because we were slow and certainly not in the right position, reacting rather than being pro-active and we have to be much better tonight.

This doesn't count. I mean when was the last time McClelland was applauded when we actually do something good?

 

[Destroydacre]

This doesn't count. I mean when was the last time McClelland was applauded when we actually do something good?

He's a good coach. The reason McLellan comes under fire on here is because for stretches at a time guys like Thornton and Marleau will play very lazy hockey and play much more poorly than they should. A lot of people blame that on coaching. In San Jose's case I don't believe that to be true. The reason the Sharks are winning is because the team is playing hard, not because McLellan has done anything special. Don't get me wrong, I think McLellan is good at changing things up and making adjustments both from game to game and during games, but to be a winning coach that's a must. For the last few weeks, Thornton and Marleau and even Heatley last night have decided they want to play the game the right way and thus the wins are coming. The other guys have played hard for most of the season, so when you get the top 3 going as well, with all the talent this team has, you're gonna win most of your games.

I do think McLellan is a good coach and I was never on the fire him bandwagon when the Sharks lost 6 in a row in January, but the turnaround has much more to do with the big guys playing like they should be. They make the big bucks and as such they're in the spotlight. When they play well, they get talked about and the coach remains in the background and that's the way it should be.

 

[filosofy29]

When was the last time McClelland was mentioned in a GDT? It seems like we lose a game in a shootout and half this board is jumping down his throat, yet we win 8 in a row and barely a peep is mentioned.

I guess when your fanbase is full of bleeding heart liberals cynicism and negativity come naturally :P

It seems like you're hyper-sensitive to criticism. I think the only person on here that thinks McLellan is a bad coach is SJRules. I've maybe harped on McLellan 3 times this entire season and I'm usually defending him. Have you read this board the entire season or just during the 6 game skid to present? Also, welcome to watching sports bud, the coach ALWAYS gets criticism from people who don't know what they're talking about

By the way, if you're a "full blown" Republican, you're just as big of maroon as the liberals. Anybody who isn't middle of the road when it comes to politics doesn't know what they're talking about

 

[KillerVee]

I guess when your fanbase is full of bleeding heart liberals cynicism and negativity come naturally :P

What has that got to do with anything?

 

[Slimpikins]

I guess when your fanbase is full of bleeding heart liberals cynicism and negativity come naturally :P

What has that got to do with anything?

I actually thought that was pretty funny.

 

[sjrules99]

I was the big mclellan naysayer. For 40 games, the team was terribly inconsistent and the effort just wast there. Mclellan just wasnt getting them going. Obviously, he seems to have turned them around alot. A huge part of this comes from Niemi's rediculously good play. Granted the D is clearing rebounds well and they are playing solid D but niemi has been lights out and when a goalie gets that hot, it's hard to lose.

That said, mclellan pushed some button right (or correctly didnt push some button), but suddenly Jumbo is trying harder and the whole team is hustling. Still, I worry for obvious reasons, but as long as nemo gives up nothing, the sharks will be in good shape. The proof remains in the the PO pudding, but maybe this is the Sharks' "torture" and the team needed that adversity earlier to teach work ethic and attention to detail. Hopefully Mclellan keeps them focused, because it isnt gunna get easier going forward.

This year does not have a dominant set of teams in the west as detroit clearly was before last year and chicago last year. Both of those teams got worse. Detroit mainly due to age as lidstrom is a bit slower and rafalski is getting hit with injuries and slowing down, not to mention aging forwards like holmstrom, but detroit also has major goalie problems as Howard has deifnitely not shown much thus far or last year's PO's (aaahhhh, that couture goal from the goalline was sweet). Chicago lost three excellent forwards in Ladd, Byfuglien, and Versteeg and they are lot less potent without them, not to mention a bit thinner on D. Obviously vancouver has been very good, but they have injuries to deal with too and while the sedins are awesome, if you can shut them down, the nucks dont have THAT much secondary scoring beyond Kesler. Samuelsson, Burrows, and Raymond along with manny and torres are a solid top 8, but not equal to chicago's from last year and not that much better than the sharks' top 8. Their D is much better, but not if Edler, ballard, hamhuis, or bieksa are hurt. not to mention Luongo is iffy in net in the PO's. Every one of those teams has an achilles heal and is beatable, so the west is open for the Sharks this year if their team D is good enough to shut down the likes of the sedins and toews-Kane.

 

[Ties5o11]

Fair enough, thanks for clearing it up guys. I read this board maybe three or four times a week, starting a couple months ago. I just remember a lot of criticism when things are going bad, and not a lot of praise when things are going good. But its understandable.

Political quib was a joke haha.