Round 3: Sharks vs Canucks

[SJVP408]

Schedule (all times Pacific):
GAME 1: @Vancouver, Sun. 5/15, 5 pm (Versus)
GAME 2: @Vancouver, Wed. 5/18, 6 pm (Versus)
GAME 3: @San Jose, Fri. 5/20, 6 pm (Versus)
GAME 4: @San Jose, Sun. 5/22, 12 pm (NBC)
GAME 5*: @Vancouver, Tues. 5/24, 6 pm (Versus)
GAME 6*: @San Jose, Thur. 5/26, 6 pm (Versus)
GAME 7*: @Vancouver, Sat. 5/28, 5 pm (Versus)

Regular season series (1-2-1):
Nov 26 @VAN: Loss 6-1
Jan 3 @SJ: Loss 4-3
Jan 20 @VAN: Win 2-1 (shootout)
Mar 10 @SJ: Loss 5-4 (shootout)

Forwards:
Daniel Sedin - Henrik Sedin - Alex Burrows
Chris Higgins - Ryan Kesler - Mason Raymond
Raffi Torres - Maxim Lapierre - Jannik Hansen
Jeff Tambellini - Cody Hodgson - Tanner Glass

Defense:
Dan Hamhuis - Kevin Bieksa
Alex Edler - Sami Salo
Aaron Rome - Christian Ehrhoff

Goalies:
Roberto Luongo
Cory Schneider

Injuries: Manny Malhotra (out for season, eye), Mikael Samuelsson (day to day, lower body)

How will the Sharks win?
How will the Canucks win?

Let's not get swept this time.

VAN defense? What defense?

 

[rares]

How hurt is Samuelsson? I (think?) I remember him leaving the ice in Game 5 and not making it to Nashville for Game 6, but would he have played in Game 7 if there was one?

That guy is a Sharks killer... so it would be pretty great if he had to sit out a game or two to start out the series...

 

[SJVP408]

How hurt is Samuelsson? I (think?) I remember him leaving the ice in Game 5 and not making it to Nashville for Game 6, but would he have played in Game 7 if there was one?

That guy is a Sharks killer... so it would be pretty great if he had to sit out a game or two to start out the series...

That's right he never went to NAS for game 6. This is from Yahoo:

LW Mikael Samuelsson left Saturday's Game 5 loss in the first period with a lower-body injury, didn't travel for Game 6 in Nashville, and could be out a lot longer after struggling to get off the ice.

After 5 days off for the Canucks, we'll see as game 1 approaches. I'm not fearing the scoring depth of the Canucks, so having Samuelsson out of the lineup will help that cause. Canucks have two top guns in DSedin and Kesler, then Burrows, then a noticeable dropoff in goal production.

 

[caliraftdude]

I'm not fearing the scoring depth of the Canucks, so having Samuelsson out of the lineup will help that cause. Canucks have two top guns in DSedin and Kesler, then Burrows, then a noticeable dropoff in goal production.

Shutting down Kesler and the twins will go a long way towards shutting these guys down. Burrows has put in some really key minutes as well. While the depth is not there, Kesler and Burrows have looked nearly unstoppable on occasion.

I am a little concerned about the speed game with some of our D-men not being exactly swift. However, that style of game is going to suit Patty really well - and with the gorilla off his chest this could be a very defining series for him and the team. We are going to have to watch that transition game and be disciplined in the neutral zone with turnovers.

Our 4th line still bothers me. It doesn't seem like we have been able to figure out the right combination to get quality minutes there.

 

[Mr. Teal]

Raffi Tores... I still don't like that guy.

 

[Cbrower91]

another coin flip series, alot of factors. which bobby lou shows up, do the sedins continue to be non factors.

the sharks match up alot better against the nucks then they did against detroit.

 

[Cbrower91]

another coin flip series, alot of factors. which bobby lou shows up, do the sedins continue to be non factors.

the sharks match up alot better against the nucks then they did against detroit.

 

[SJVP408]

another coin flip series, alot of factors. which bobby lou shows up, do the sedins continue to be non factors.

the sharks match up alot better against the nucks then they did against detroit.

Quick scouting report on Bobby Lou, Korky. His mental game is always questioned, but what about his technical skills. Any holes? Strengths?

 

[Nimesis23]

Seems like whether Malhotra and Samuelsson play could have a major impact in shifting things for Vancouver in terms of their offensive depth.

 

[SJVP408]

Seems like whether Malhotra and Samuelsson play could have a major impact in shifting things for Vancouver in terms of their offensive depth.

Manny is out for the season.

 

[Nimesis23]

Is that confirmed for sure? He's been skating with them recently starting yesterday... If they go far enough into the playoffs could he possibly return?

 

[Nimesis23]

Nevermind just found the link on the Canucks website. Good to know for us that he's not gonna be playing this series. Sucks for him though and its a huge loss for the Nucks.

 

[SJVP408]

Nevermind just found the link on the Canucks website. Good to know for us that he's not gonna be playing this series. Sucks for him though and its a huge loss for the Nucks.

Oh didn't know he was skating already. That's good to hear, because he's a good guy. But it's good that he's not going to play this series, because he's a good player.

 

[Cbrower91]

Quick scouting report on Bobby Lou, Korky. His mental game is always questioned, but what about his technical skills. Any holes? Strengths?

he's technically deficient in many areas, yeah he isn't that good.
he has it okay glove, suspect blocker, marginal lateral, really bad stickhandling, and not a very good skater.

but he's big and takes up a lot of net and does that well, ok at scrambliwEng to

 

[rares]

Manny is out for the season.

Yeah, but I was reading a little in the ESPN article about him skating with the boys and hanging out, talking to the coaches, etc...

2011 NHL Stanley Cup playoffs: Injured forward Manny Malhotra joins Vancouver Canucks at practice but won't play - ESPN

... and mostly all I could think was... "hmmm.. how convenient that he was in the Sharks locker room last year and is in Vancouver's this year"... when they kept mentioning that he helps them a lot with advice, etc.

Not that I think it matters too much in the NHL but still... anything useful he could be telling them about how the Sharks do certain things?

Isn't that already apparent from the way they play, etc.?

 

[puckhead]

he's technically deficient in many areas, yeah he isn't that good.
he has it okay glove, suspect blocker, marginal lateral, really bad stickhandling, and not a very good skater.

but he's big and takes up a lot of net and does that well, ok at scrambliwEng to

lol... sounds like we just stuck the fat kid in net.

regular season stats: #2 in GAA (2.11), #3 in sv% (.928), #1 in wins (38), Vezina finalist.
but other than that, he sucks.

 

[filosofy29]

lol... sounds like we just stuck the fat kid in net.

regular season stats: #2 in GAA (2.11), #3 in sv% (.928), #1 in wins (38), Vezina finalist.
but other than that, he sucks.

lol, yeah, he definitely doesn't suck. That said, I think a lot of his stats this year were more a product of the team in front of him than his overall ability. I mean, there was still a small "goalie controversy" up in Vancouver this season. Although Vancouver fans and patience with goalies are like oil and water.

Like Korky said, he's big and takes up a lot of the net. He reads plays pretty well and he's got an above average glove. I actually think he's pretty good laterally, but more due to his long legs than anything technical. When he's in the butterfly he covers the entire bottom of the net.

His flaws are that he can't handle pressure in front of his cage really well and his blocker isn't the best. He's also succeptable to the occasional soft goal.

 

[Cbrower91]

lol... sounds like we just stuck the fat kid in net.

regular season stats: #2 in GAA (2.11), #3 in sv% (.928), #1 in wins (38), Vezina finalist.
but other than that, he sucks.

vezina? jim carey win that, vh1 is doing the where is he now

 

[SJVP408]

I feel the Sharks have the edge with forwards, but the Canucks have the edge with defense. Sharks third line stands out as a strength in this series. The Canucks will no doubt activate their D offensively to take advantage of the Sharks tendency to run around in the D zone and it'll be up to all 5 Sharks to stay in position and switch off their man coverage smoothly. It's all about limiting the quality of the scoring chance, not the number of scoring chances. Nemo will have to do the rest.

Couture's line is going to be key as they will draw a tough matchup whether it's the Sedins or Kesler's line. A huge key to the Sharks winning will be D coverage off the rush, with VAN D being able to break out of their own zone very well. Sharks Dmen gave a big cushion to the DET puck carrier whenever they were on the rush and I think Todd will use the same strategy versus VAN.

If the Sedins are on the ice, I would rather the Sharks not settle for poor scoring chances in favor of just keeping possession and grinding it out down low. Making that VAN line work hard defensively. The lower the Sharks cycle game is, the tougher it'll be for VAN to breakout.

 

[Cbrower91]

the cannucks d corp.are all the same type player, I think thats going to be a problem for them