Postgame Notes #50: Sharks Toothless in Denver, Shut Out 3-0

Period 1

3 in: Good patience by Barabanov. Breakout opportunity, but takes his time, cuts back, lures in sole Avs forechecker, then gives it to San Jose Sharks d-man.

By the way, Chekhovich the second #SJSharks player to wear No. 82, after the immortal Nikolay Goldobin. Hopefully, Chekhovich has a better NHL fate

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) May 1, 2021

First San Jose Sharks PP: Not to make it all about Barabanov, but I’m mostly watching the new guys anyway. He keeps standing out, a couple examples of moving puck efficiently though under duress there.

On Hedican’s criticism of Karlsson’s pass – it is a tough pass, but Burns looks like he has enough time to execute a better pass himself. The Avalanche PK wasn’t exactly on top of Burns. Not criticizing either myself – plays like this happen, but I do not get criticizing Karlsson there.

2 left: When True gets going, his speed is okay. Good example there on the forecheck.

Period 2

First shift: Not sure if it was Barabanov who turned puck back on Landeskog trying to chip puck up, maybe? But I think he might be an underrated forechecker – smart, puck seems to not go where offense wants when he’s forechecking.

Looks like Gregor/Chekhovich flip-flopped on lines, Gregor now with Couture/Balcers, Chekhovich with True/Meier

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) May 1, 2021

Yeah, not to be too hard on Chekhovich, but he goes offside there, 5 minutes in, as Meier roaring in.

That’s a tough D-to-D pass by Burns, leads to Ferraro taking down Rantanen, another Colorado power play.

Not sure why Rantanen gets away unscathed after elbowing Kane – did Rantanen apologize or something? I get you don’t just jump a skill guy like Rantanen, sort of against hockey code, but no one is responding to the hit in any sort of way. Wonder if Kane will later? If he does later, that’ll make you wonder more why San Jose Sharks teammates like Couture, Karlsson, and Knyzhov stood around here.

Small, clever play by Hertl: Chekhovich throws it out front, but Hertl knows he's well covered by Sherwood (44). So he lifts Sherwood's stick so the puck can get back to the open #SJSharks player at the point pic.twitter.com/Bq8677SEx7

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) May 1, 2021

1 left: Slick stickhandling from Barabanov

Nice Barabanov sequence: He's patient with the puck off the wall, doesn't panic as 2 Avs close in, gives it to Hertl, then goes, beats his man up the ice. 2 Avs on him means a teammate is open. Then Barabanov stickhandles his way through Girard (49) pic.twitter.com/6c8HcmCUGH

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) May 1, 2021

Per @NatStatTrick, #SJSharks haven't had one High-Danger chance yet at 5v5 — it's been two periods

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) May 1, 2021

Period 3

Chekhovich now moved down to fourth line. Been a rough debut. He seemed nervous in the morning, so it wouldn’t surprise me if some of this is jitters. Hope he gets another look, shows a better version of himself tomorrow.

Did not have that on my 2021 bingo card: Labanc fighting MacKinnon

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) May 1, 2021

Per @hockeyfights, that's Kevin Labanc's first-ever NHL fight — MacKinnon's sixth

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) May 1, 2021

That’s too bad: A decade ago, that’s a power play goal and we’re feting Barabanov for his hustle there, keeping it in. Good play by him, even if it didn’t work out.