Notes #14: Avs Overwhelm Sharks 6-2

Period One

Couture goal: The San Jose Sharks benefit from less-than-stellar goaltending. Despite their record, Colorado is strong in virtually every SPORTLOGiQ micro-stat, they’ve just been submarined by very unreliable netminding. Case in point there.

Kadri goal: The puck doesn’t leave zone far enough for the Sharks to execute that slow a line change. Sharks’ effort is there, but predictably off kilter mentally, I think.

The last #SJSharks power play was in the first period of Tuesday's game — it's been six periods and ten penalty kills since

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) November 14, 2021

Avs have had three full power plays, fourth one called with seconds left. Considering this, the Sharks being down just 5-2 in Slot Shots on Net through one period, per SPORTLOGiQ, isn’t that bad. San Jose actually had a 12-4 Shots edge at five-on-five.

Period Two

Two in: Sherwood pickpockets Couture, someone has to restore order a little here.

Three in: Meier almost executes a highlight-reel play. Pass behind his back, he’s almost able to one hand it too himself.

Five in: Simek has been the easy whipping boy, but disagree with Hedican a little here. Off draw, Simek try to go the other way behind the net, he’s stopped but recovers the puck. He reverses it to Meier along the wall, who misses Vlasic coming up the middle with speed — Meier received it clean from Simek — not sure how that’s on Simek.

Eight in: They don’t create any chance, but good possession time led by Hertl down low. He’s such a load down there.

Meier rush chance: Incredible Karlsson pass or did Karlsson miss Dahlen in center lane and puck found Meier in left lane? Regardless, it worked.

Ten in: Girard goes down easy as Cogliano gets him neutral zone. Cogliano grabs it, two-on-one, Merkley stopped. But credit to Cogliano, crafty play, unacceptably soft from Girard.

Newhook goal: Awful play from Barabanov. Boughner alluded to it this morning, you need better puck management there. Barabanov had puck, instead of trying to skate it out or accepting that he has to off the glass and out, he lofts it over to the middle to Hertl. That’s a bread-and-butter San Jose Sharks breakout — but Hertl isn’t open. That’s a tough, tough position to put Hertl in. You gotta skate it out, eat it, or dump it out — live to fight another day. Balcers probably could’ve done a better job watching Newhook walk down backdoor too.

O’Connor goal: A lot not to like there, but I don’t like Burns’s decision to play up on the pass. That leaves his backside and the middle of the ice open for O’Connor. Burns probably hoped that Ferraro could make up for it there, but didn’t happen, and O’Connor got a breakaway.

Period Three

The San Jose Sharks need more than this: Three in, Colorado enters, they find the late man off the bench in J. Johnson — looks like Karlsson could’ve got back harder, not allowed the trailer a free chance.

Barabanov goal: Good puck movement all around, great net front from Weatherby.

Burakovsky goal: Poor job, once again, of San Jose not picking up late man, this case Girard jumping on for Makar. Hill hasn’t had much of a game in his re-match against his former partner Kuemper, but he’s had little, little help. The last two games, the San Jose Sharks have looked like the Sharks from last year. Hopefully, they can find a higher gear against Minnesota.