Postgame Notes #32: Coyotes Pounce on Sharks 5-2, Simek Hurt

Period 1

3 minutes in: Looks like Leonard lifts Hayden’s stick in slot, then fires off dangerous shot. Crafty play from the rookie.

Dvorak goal: Hedican doesn’t like Couture chasing the puck behind the goal line, I think? But I think Couture is rotating over. I think Couture could use a little more help from Kane or Labanc, who I both know are watching the points. But it was originally Kane’s man, Goligoski, that pinches – Knyzhov rotates to Goligoski, then Couture rotates to who’s normally Knyzhov’s man (Fischer). For a moment, Kane is covering nobody. Meanwhile, Labanc is closest to Dvorak rolling down slot.

9 minutes left: A lot of talk about San Jose Sharks being a rush team now. But execution is king: Gambrell line shift, everybody missing east-west passes. They’re sloppy now.

3 minutes left: Another missed pass, Burns stretch pass to Hertl. Transition gummed up again.

Karlsson still breakin' ankles in 2021 pic.twitter.com/idoSaGr4MF

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) March 27, 2021

#SJSharks lucky to be down just 1: #Yotes 25-11 5v5 Corsi, 11-4 Scoring Chances, 6-2 High-Danger per @NatStatTrick. Jones still continuing his form, at least?

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) March 27, 2021

3:05 in, John Leonard had a shot from the slot. That was San Jose’s only shot from the slot in the first period. Arizona had six.

Period 2

4 of Hertl's 10 goals this year have been against #Yotes

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) March 27, 2021

6 minutes in: Don’t like that Couture soft pass in NZ that misses everybody. Coyotes comes down with chances. Despite Hertl goal tying game, San Jose Sharks’ execution still off.

7 minutes in: That’s nice transition, Karlsson-led, good work by Sorensen. Feathery passes, hard skating.

9 minutes in: Awful pass from Burns up the middle – might’ve been a clear – but regardless, leads to Couture trip. But Couture and Dvorak lucky that it wasn’t worse – bang-bang play was knee on knee.

THIS TOE SAVE THOUGH pic.twitter.com/FyAPAKoy5R

— San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) March 27, 2021

8 minutes left: Meier just explodes past Ekman-Larsson off Marleau indirect clear. Whoa.

5 minutes left: Great backcheck by Marleau in NZ. Leads to nothing, but slows down Coyotes attack.

Liked this Marleau backcheck: Doesn't lead too much but slows down #Yotes attack pic.twitter.com/5Lu3x1o9Oi

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) March 27, 2021

3 minutes left: Quietly, have liked Sorensen’s game more tonight than Wednesday. Speed and energy. Better puck management. Almost set up Balcers there again.

Good patience by Lybushkin, Meier shows shot block, Coyotes defenseman waits. Schmaltz beats Burns to front from wall to front of the net. Disappointing way to end a competitive middle frame for Sharks.

#SJSharks at least showed up for 2nd: SJS 10-9 Scoring Chances at 5v5, #Yotes 7-6 High-Danger. Would suggest Sharks not waste Jones's fountain of saves here

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) March 27, 2021

Period 3

Hertl between Sorensen and Balcers now, now Gambrell between Marleau and Meier.

4 minutes in: Nifty Karlsson entry by himself — nothing doing though, later on shift, he misses cross-ice pass to Kane.

You can make a 5-on-5 argument for Marleau, I think, but he shouldn’t be on PP2 over Balcers. Marleau still has his skating and capacity for dirty work, useful traits. But offensively, man advantage, gotta go Balcers.

Rough night for Burns – just an unforced error on that Dvorak goal. That can’t happen.

#SJSharks give up 3 goals against in 2:11

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) March 27, 2021

That should be more than 2 minutes on Schmaltz

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) March 27, 2021