Vancouver

My favorite thing about this game, the two mirror image goals aside,
was the energy and forechecking the Sharks displayed - especially in
the 1st and 3rd (after allowing 2 goals) periods. I don't think I've
seen them forecheck so relentlessly in a game all season, and you
could tell the Canucks just didn't know what the hell to do (that they
were tired surely contributed, too).
 >> Stay informed about: Vancouver 

On Dec 14, 7:14 am, tack <thetac....DeleteThis@gmail.com> wrote:

> Semenov on that first vancouver goal looked hopeless.

I was sitting right there watching. What actually happened was the
Sharks taking their foot off the gas, as they tend to do when they
build a lead. It was suddenly and painfully obvious. Their clearing
attempts became pathetically weak, nothing getting out of the zone,
and even their attempts to pass to each other were soft, tentative,
sloppy. They were stuck there, and I could tell they were soft and
going to get scored on. They must have been there for 90 seconds and
were all gassed when you saw Semenov give it up. Is was soooo obvious
what happened. And then Vancouver found energy, and the Sharks
totally lost their "mo". If not for Joe's breakaway goal, things
could have turned very ugly. BTW... when Joe got that puck, he was
like a cartoon character trying to get some traction toward the
goal. Legs pumping wildly, then suddenly it was like he was shot out
of a cannon.

Oh, the other frustrating thing was the first period (even the
second). I don't recall ever seeing so few shots in the first 10 or
so minutes of a game. Each team had two. By the end of the second
period, 13, which would be a good total for one period! But at least
they scored.

I'll also note that Marleau showed up, and Bernier is playing more and
more like the beast he was in his rookie year, before he was injured.

All in all, it was a fun game to attend.

Mark
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On Dec 14, 7:14 am, tack <thetac....DeleteThis@gmail.com> wrote:


> Semenov

One comment specifically about Semenov. He was bringing the puck up
ice quite a bit at one point during the game. I don't know a lot
about the guy, but to my thinking, if he was a skilled puck handler
we'd know - his reputation would be as such.

So, for the life of me, all I could do was scratch my head and wonder
*why* the Sharks would have him carrying the play out of the D zone.
Is that just weird, or am I missing something?

Mark
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On Dec 14, 10:45 am, Duane <letskee....DeleteThis@posting4now.com> wrote:
> On Fri, 14 Dec 2007 07:14:21 -0800 (PST), tack <thetac....DeleteThis@gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> >Some very pretty goals, and a nice effort, too. Looking better and
> >playing with more consistency for most of 60 minutes. Nice to see
> >speed do something.
>
> >One "ugh" comment:
>
> >Semenov on that first vancouver goal looked hopeless. Abandons his
> >man (Sedin) and tries to make a stupid block of the shot, which would
> >have been a gimme for Nabby. Instead, only partially blocks it and
> >right to Sedin for easy tap in. It's the defenseman's first
> >responsibility to tie up guys in front of net and not to screen
> >goalie. Stopping the puck is the goalie's job. That play, and replay
> >of it, was pretty pathetic.
>
> I thought that was Oz playing goalie? Yes, it was ugly...
>
> I've been meaning to comment on the new strategy of beating the trap
> by passing over it with Michalek speeding through the neutral zone to
> gather in the puck before the opponent to beat the icing. Last night
> we saw v2.0 of that. Joe hit Milan with a perfect pass while Milan is
> in full stride in the NZ, and Milan takes it down the off wing
> (actually, in Europe he played RW, right?), beats Mitchell to the
> outside like he is standing still and roofs it. That is the way to
> beat a trap! If the Sharks do this occasionally, they will find the
> defenders backing off to avoid being beat by the speed, and will
> consequently have a lot more room to operate in the neutral zone, so I
> like the strategy. Also, the Sharks had become sort of a one note
> team, tap it in, forecheck, forecheck, forecheck, try to get an open
> shot. Adding some plays on the rush will make it that much harder for
> opponents to stop them.
>
> Welcome to SJ ice, Krajicek.
>
> Anyway, apart from the pretty and not so pretty goals, the Sharks
> played a strong game against a pretty spent team. Thanks again to the
> schedule makers.

I went back and checked again. You're right, Oz. Oy, what a bad play
for a guy playing very well lately. OK, he gets one throw-away.
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On Fri, 14 Dec 2007 07:14:21 -0800 (PST), tack <thetacker RemoveThis @gmail.com>
wrote:

>Some very pretty goals, and a nice effort, too. Looking better and
>playing with more consistency for most of 60 minutes. Nice to see
>speed do something.

I only caught bits of the game, but Marleau's goal was beautiful. I
confess to getting a little worried at 3-2, but Big Joe and Stevie B
(the definition of being in the right place at the right time) soon
dispelled that!
 >> Stay informed about: Vancouver