Sharks after two games….

How do the sharks look after two games?

They split in Nashville, which implicitly gives them home-ice advantage for now, unless Nashville splits in San Jose.

I was, overall, happy with the Sharks play in both games; Nashville really took it to them early and the Sharks were a step slow and taking bad penalties, but by the end of game 1, they were back in it and Nashville’s penalty problems had started. In game 2, that momentum continues, with the Preds struggling to keep up with the Sharks. Right now, it’s the Sharks series to lose — but if Nashville can adjust their tactics appropriately, they can make it interesting. I’m just not convinced they can right now.

The big adjustment the Sharks made was on the power play; game 1, cross-crease passes were consistently not getting through. Game 2, back it up a few feet, use the point more, and Nashville wasn’t getting in the way nearly as much. The Sharks were also more committed to north-south skating with the puck and transitioning into the zone with more authority, and Nashville seemed a step slow in dealing with it. Confidence and speed and some grit, a nasty combination to defend.

It’s not Mason, either. He more or less singlehandedly kept game 2 from being a total laugher. My three stars for the game were Toskala, Mason, and Marleau. He deserved some credit for not letting the team be blown out of the building.

So, what does Nashville need to do? Keep Kariya flying; keep people in passing lanes on the penalty kill, figure out how to manage BOTH thornton and marleau (they seem to be able to defend one, but not both). They need to react faster, be less passive on defense, but they can’t be too aggressive or the sharks passing seems able to eat them apart. Mason has to stand on his head, and his defense has to get better. They have to stop taking penalties. period. easier said than done.

A big thing for the Sharks is the third line, centered by Mark Smith. The Preds seem to have trouble dealing with the bangers and grinding cycle after defending thornton and marleau, and so Smith gets them skating around and a bit crazy. If the smith line keeps scoring, Nashville’s done.

It’s going to be a fun couple of games in san jose — but Nashville’s got a tough road to stay in this series.

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  • Erbo

    It’s been a wild couple of games for the Avs, too.
    Game 1 started out badly for them when Dallas got the first 2, but then Colorado just plain shut them down. Wojtek Wolski immediately justified them calling him up from juniors, with a goal and 2 assists, one of those assists on Rob Blake’s game-winner. Colorado walked away with this one.
    Game 2 was one of those flukey games you just pray you live through. The first period was as perfect a period of hockey as the Avs have played all season, with 3 goals, no penalties, and completely stoning the Dallas offense. Then, in the second, it all turned the other way, with Dallas getting all the breaks, including that “what the hell was THAT?” shot that got deflected 15 feet into the air and came down bouncing off Theodore’s back into the net, tying the game…and then Modano’s go-ahead goal with just three seconds left. Then, just when you think it’s over, Brett Clark scores that short-handed goal with around 2 minutes to play to tie it again, and, in OT, first Arnott gets one past Theodore but pings it off the post, then Liles fires one at Turco and Sakic tips it in. Avs win, and people on Pamela’s online discussion group are more stunned, if anything, than they would have been if the Avs lost….
    Colorado up 2 games to 0, heading to Pepsi Center. The Stars are gonna have to run the table now to meet your prediction of a win in 6…and, right now, it seems more likely that the Avs are gonna get out the brooms. Wishful thinking? Perhaps. But if the Avs can do this well in front of a hostile crowd, they ought to do at least as well in front of their fans. (Then they probably face Detroit in the second round and get crushed like a bug.)