Postgame Notes #46: Kořenář Makes 35 Saves, But Sharks Lose 5-2

Period 1

1 in: Marleau backs into Martinez, gets stick free to deflect Burns shot. Strong net front work.

2 in: Looks like Karlsson loses track of Pacioretty, who gets behind him. Karlsson looks like he was drifting into NZ to intercept stretch pass, but he wasn’t even close. Huge Korenar save. Not the time to try for a home run play there, I think.

Meier goal: Looks like Kellman just tosses it into blue paint. Credit to Kellman though, who flew off the bench off line change, beats a perhaps casual Tuch to the puck. Pietrangelo has rimmed it for Tuch to skate into.

5 in: Good NZ step-up by Simek, who’s had a rough stretch recently. For a moment, Gambrell and Meier look like they could have a 2-on-1, but both are a little flat-footed.

Marchessault goal: Strong Pietrangelo shift. A lot of accurate passes, big and small. Then he walks down slot, misses net, but good chance. San Jose Sharks lose the plot: Both Hertl and Karlsson head toward William Karlsson in corner, Hertl needs to be more aware of Marchessault backdoor.

Burns works over Pacioretty along wall, Max gives it back at whistle with a cross-check. Burns not taking it, the gloves drop. Looks like Burns could have got away with a board there, Pacioretty got up from that, eyes ablaze. Sharks pleading their case, probably because of the blatant cross-check. Burns’s board at least happened when puck was in play and there was no whistle then.

7 left: Karlsson with some PP puck magic to evade Pacioretty along wall. But Kane loses it at blueline; EK65 does good job to get back.

Great patience and vision by Leonard: Puck squirts to him in front, he slides it to Gregor at the side, who has an open net momentarily, but Gregor not ready, pass maybe too hard. Fleury recovers spectacularly.

2 left: Under more Vegas pressure, Gregor just slides it back to Korenar. Sign of the times. Certainly, Sharks have had good chances, but the better team is clear so far.

VGK PP: They love that high-low to Stone. Burns snuffs it out this time.

Per @SPORTLOGiQ, #VegasBorn have 12-4 Slot Shots, 4-1 Rush Chances edge. 19-8 shots. #SJSharks need to do a lot more to help out Korenar

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) April 22, 2021

Period 2

1 in: Good PK clear by Gambrell. Smart, takes a beat to bounce it off open boards instead of forcing it up middle.

Tuch beats Karlsson to outside, another VGK PP.

6 in, Kane trips on rut on ice untouched, he’s fine, #VegasBorn fans roar their approval.

10 left: Stone just working over Ferraro, but San Jose Sharks survive, get it out.

9 left: Good rush shift from Donato and Leonard, Leonard just misses Donato in slot, then Vlasic sails a deflection-friendly shot-pass. Have liked this period by San Jose more, there have been chances allowed, but more controlled, more even. San Jose has done some better work off rush, I think, putting Vegas on heels more.

Hertl goal: San Jose gets a bounce there, deflection off to side to Hertl. Bang-bang, nobody has Hertl at bad angle, Hertl finishes with a cannon shot over Fleury’s shoulder.

Ferraro penalty: Not a good hold by Ferraro. Wonder if he’s wearing down a bit after the long season.

This isn't first time that #VegasBorn have used that high-low power play pass to Stone to beat #SJSharks. Bread-and-butter play there: https://t.co/NKwssQJutT

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) April 22, 2021

Re-watching Stone goal though, actually, Burns defended it OK, it was a really hard pass that got through, more credit to Stone for the phenomenal pass reception.

Miserable break-down there: Looks like Simek gets caught on the wrong side – actually his side, but the way that play was going, he probably needs to stay on right side and leave Vlasic to his left. Neither realize what the other is doing, Tuch is wide-open for no reason at all. Good patience and execution by Theodore, who saw all this unfolding.

30 secs left: Balcers breaks McNabb’s ankles. Looks like a quietly effective offensive game from him tonight.

Period 3

3 in: San Jose Sharks just hanging in there. 2nd time tonight, Vegas pressure, I’ve seen Sharks just shovel it to Korenar for the whistle.

6 in: Great hustle dive by Hertl to keep it alive. Doesn’t lead to anything, but love the effort.

Next shift: There’s a place maybe you just want Meier to jam it, not go for the soft pass up middle that’s easily picked off. looked like puck was bouncing though, so maybe I’m wrong?

10 in: There’s a place where some would prefer Karlsson to shoot, but his patience circling behind Fleury leads to close Donato call.

8 left: Sometimes, somebody just catches my eye as I look up — I might have been typing — and this time, it’s Marleau. Not trying to oversell his competence — I’ve gone off on those bad takes about how he doesn’t deserve record — but he can still skate. It’s just not as consistently breathtaking as before.

Dam sort of breaks there: Korenar had been having himself some game, but all that pressure maybe gets to him and he lets in one that he’ll want back. Doesn’t take away from a great opening frame.

3 left: Moot point, but Tuch blazes by Burns SH, Burnd desperation dive and reach pokes it away though.