Notes #18: Sharks Outwork Canes, Win 2-1 in OT

Period One

The San Jose Sharks are rushing the puck a little bit to start, in my mind. Simek forces a pass, turnover, then Couture tries for Burns, turnover. Ferraro then pauses, goes backwards with puck, waits for forwards to break out, which to me is reasonable in face of a vigorous Carolina forecheck.

Five in: Cogliano is probably my favorite under-the-radar Sharks player to watch. He’s still fast but he’s smart too. Feel like you can learn a lot watching him.

Nine in: To the previous Cogliano point, this shift, just positioned perfectly in OZ and DZ.

Nine left: Barabanov caught looking down again. Niederreiter caught him in corner. Looking at replay, it was vulnerable place in corner, maybe Niederreiter needs to hold up. AB was low though.

Five left: Good, safe glass play…by Karlsson. Need to do that every once in a while. He was flat-footed and Canes a-plenty around him.

Four left: Think that’s Skjei on top of Labanc off Simek pass. That’s aggressive on forecheck. Labanc has to be quicker with the puck there, he had a chance to do something safer than a turnover in the middle of the DZ.

One left: Quick thinking by Reimer, Middleton’s stick snaps close to Reimer, puck there, Reimer steps out, walls off Carolina forecheck, gets it D-to-D.

I thought the Sharks played a good Canes team decently in first. SPORTLOGiQ has it Canes 3-1 Slot Shots, but NST has it SJS 3-0 High-Danger at five-on-five.

Period Two

DeAngelo goal: Two times, defense gets it up to wingers on wall, but forecheck is right there. Wingers maybe got to sink down lower. Ferraro had done a nice job separating puck from Svechnikov.

Five in: Ferraro does nice job of luring in forechecker Necas, using net, skating it out. That’s a way to deal with the forecheck.

Six in: Wow. Meier cuts in on Slavin, takes it to the net. That’s pretty good d-man that he sons.

Eight in: Fun shift from Karlsson. Still a master of time and space at times. Almost fake shot-passes it to Meier in front, then hits Meier through a seam through NZ, Balcers post.

Ten left: Nice NZ pass by Weatherby to spring Nieto into zone.

Six left: Dive by Bonino to get it out by PK.

Three left: Couture is one of the best I’ve seen at bouncing the puck off the wall to beat his guy.

They’ve loaded up to end period: Couture-Hertl-Meier-Burns-Karlsson. I think this is a legit thing they’re doing now with Hertl, we’ve seen them do this with Burns-Karlsson for years with little time left in a period, need a goal.

#SJSharks scoreless streak now at 131:44. Credit to them though, they've played two of the East's best very tough

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) November 23, 2021

Period Three

It’s been a pretty evenly-played game for the San Jose Sharks so far:

It seems to be an even game: Per SPORTLOGiQ, All Situations, CAR 5-4 Slot Shots, 3-1 Odd-Man Rushes — SJS 3-1 Rush Chances

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) November 23, 2021

One in: Burns puts Ferraro in a tough place with that OZ D-to-D pass. Then in other zone, Labanc has two chances to get it out with CAR on him, two soft passes that don’t get out. Sometimes, just glass and out, live to fight another day.

Three in: Good effort by Nieto to deny Svechnikov up high.

Nieto on forecheck, Weatherby finds Labanc, there’s some secondary scoring. Props to Nieto for pressuring Slavin. Looks like puck hopped up on Slavin, but regardless, pressure is pressure.

Following shift for that line, Nieto with a big shot block. Haven’t seen a lot of great play from Nieto this year, saw more of it last year, hopefully he’s getting into swing of things following injury and time in COVID protocol.

Eight in: Good read by Cogliano to pressure on PK. He and Couture inch it out of zone.

Karlsson is furious he didn't get a call there, swung stick at boards — real puck hunger there from him

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) November 23, 2021

That was on PK from Karlsson: Haven’t seen passion like that from him a ton. Head coach of Swedish Olympic team Johan Garpenlov is here again, by the way.

Eight left: Good switch by Burns and Ferraro on CAR attack.

Six left: Beautiful Karlsson area pass that Cogliano skates into.

Four left: Skjei does good work to stay with Meier chugging into zone. Not a lot of d-men have done that this year to Meier.

Three left: Reedy with the pickpocket on the FC. Then Meier enters, Skjei defends well, but Meier able to hit trailer. He’s had himself a whale of a game despite not appearing on scoreboard.

Two left: What a shift from Hertl. Invites contact from Aho. Then incredible move in tight on next play.

Crowd roars in appreciation for that outstanding effort from Hertl, and I think, the Sharks tonight — fans digging the passion and hunger they're showing tonight

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) November 23, 2021

OT

Barabanov!