Please, how much have you seen of this team this season? 3 Playoff games? Exactly. You comment as if this is the same ol Sharks team, it isn't. Let me guess, you're looking for the big 3 to come out and score 4 goals a game? Too bad that's not how this team wins this year, but you wouldn't know that.
LOL. Let me set you straight once and for all since it is obvious that you are the guy that thinks he is the greatest fan ever and thinks he knows more about "his" team than anybody else.
I have watched pretty much every game since the All-Star break. I watched about half the games before that including the 6 losses in a row back in early January and the winning streak after that.
First of all, the "big 3" has never come out and scored 4 goals a game in the playoffs. Nor have I ever expected them to. I know the Sharks had seven 70 goal scorers in the regular season, but guess what, the regular season doesn't mean shit. I've watched the Sharks finish with the best team in the NHL and just dominate everyone they played in the regular season and lose in the first round to the 8th seed.
So fuck the regular season. It doesn't mean jack shit. I don't give a shit about what they do in the regular season. All that matters is now.
They out shot, out hit, won the draws and came back from some bad luck in their own end. They pull off one of the biggest comebacks in NHL playoff history and you give them no credit, whatever. They wouldn't have done this in any other season I've watched them play.
They won the game because LA sat back and stopped attacking and getting the puck deep. LA has dominated on the boards this series, pretty much getting the puck deep and cycling whenever they want to because they've been more physical to and on the puck. This is how they dominated in game 2 and it's how they dominated the 1st period last night.
The Sharks were able to get back into it because they were able to get the transition game going. LA collapsed in their own zone instead of winning pucks on the boards and the Sharks were able to establish possession and get pucks on net.
If you would have watched just a smidge of the regular season, you'd have realized that 2 thru 8 are NO different in skill level. Every series other than the Canucks one is basically a 4v5 matchup, it shouldn't be surprising to see the Kings playing with us, this wasn't going to get an easy series.
Oh please. LA is by far the easiest matchup for the Sharks in the playoffs. Everyone knows this. They are without their best player, have little to no scoring depth, and aren't fast. LA was supposed to be the best possible matchup for the Sharks. Everyone knows this.
Consistent teams don't blow 4 goal leads at home, so blow that stupid comment out yer ass. There was nothing consistent about the Kings last night, they were good on the PP in game two, shit in game three. Great on the PK in game two, again shit in game 3. Doughty, Johnson and Quick were great in game 2, shit in game 3. Where the fuck are you pulling consistent from? Lets not forget Doughty's brutal gaff on Couture's goal in game one. Consistent my fucking ass.
When I say consistent, I am talking about their ability to gain the zone, get a cycle going, and get pucks on net. The Kings have been far better on the boards than the Sharks this series. That is where playoff games are won. That is where the Sharks are soft.
Here's a newsflash by the way, momentum DOESN'T carry over from game to game, it's been statistically proven to simply not be true, but think whatever you wish.
Call me a homer all you want, but at least I know the fuckin team I'm supporting.
I don't care about momentum in the least bit from one game to another. Which is another reason why I wouldn't be surprised if the Sharks lost the next game by 2 goals.
Listen. I support the Sharks and want them to do well but I'm not going to cheer for them when they put forward a piss poor effort. That first period was garbage. They were skating at half speed and weren't hitting anything.
They cannot let the Kings win the battles on the boards and man handle them to and on the puck. The Sharks need to play faster and more physical so that they can break up the Kings cycle and win the battle on the boards.
Like I said, that is where games are won. Thornton, Marleau, and Heatley need to do a better job of being physical on the boards. They are 3 of our biggest forwards and they are soft. I don't care about how many goals or assists they have, I just want them to play faster and more physical because of their size and speed.
I was going nuts during the comeback last night but if you actually think the Kings first 4 goals were just "lucky" and due to "bad bounces" then you are kidding yourself. The Kings jumped all over the Sharks in that first period. Bottom line, the Sharks need to play with the same effort that they had in the 2nd period for all 3 periods.
Since you're such a regular season guy, you should know that the Sharks were statistically terrible in the 3rd period for much of the year (especially early on). You can't have that shit in the playoffs. Guys need to be ready to play when the puck drops and not let up for 3 periods or this team doesn't stand a chance vs. the likes of Vancouver and Detroit.
Let downs will happen, obviously, but the Sharks need to pick up their tempo instead of waiting for a team to score 8 straight goals on them in order to realize that they need to start playing harder.
I don't question their heart, I don't think they are going to quit, but I do question their effort when it needs to be. Sorry for not being happy with the Kings scoring 8 straight goals in this series before the Sharks decided to start playing faster.
