Notes #6: Sharks Drop Road Finale in Nashville

Period One

ESPN saying that Duchene shot deflected off Burns’s stick. Didn’t see that, but makes sense. Regardless, wrong kind of start for the San Jose Sharks. Started with Josi beating Bonino off the wall, Bonino going to box.

Four in: Two Sharks can’t stop that centering pass to Sissons. That can’t happen.

Wow, Eklund: He beats the forechecker, then finds Tomas Hertl for the breakaway. Nice start for the rookie.

Like the pass, love how Eklund created space for himself by deceiving the first Preds forechecker pic.twitter.com/b5ma1zH5dW

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) October 27, 2021

Six in: Another Karlsson gamble then turnover leads to offense the other way. I think he’s still a very, very talented player, but I don’t find his risk management to be any better than last year. He would be a more boring but far more effective player if he took less chances — and trust me, I’ve been on the trust Karlsson to find his game bandwagon for a couple years now. Now, I believe he needs to change. What used to be say 9 out of 10 risks working out, to paraphrase Dan Boyle, has become a lesser success rate.

Nine left: Weatherby trying to break in up the middle, caught by the Preds.  The promising young center still needs a step.

Five left: Solid top line forecheck by the San Jose Sharks.

Four left: Balcers wins it after earnest forecheck by his line, then throws it away in low-to-high between his two defenseman. ESPN says Balcers looked to the rafters. I’m looking for more from Balcers — he looked like a preseason breakout candidate. Maybe a meat-and-potatoes role can help him find his game.

Two left: That soft Barabanov cross-slot pass when he was in decent shooting position isn’t going to have many fans.

Eklund off power play for Barabanov — for now. Can't imagine coaching staff loved that soft backhand pass to Weatherby, intercepted, when Barabanov was in decent shooting position. If you're going to make that play, better execute

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) October 27, 2021

Period Two

Not very good odd-man defense by Burns, but I’ll give him a little pass because he was at end of PP shift. Three-on-one too. San Jose Sharks lucked out with Trenin post, but also suffered from bad luck. Sharks pressuring, a San Jose pass back to point basically sprung Preds three-on-one with Jeannot coming out of box.

San Jose Sharks appeared to have returned to a lot of two-man drop on the power play entry. Go figure right? Entries have been pretty good tonight, but can’t beat Saros.

Five in: Burns gets burned by Josi, probably got away with a hook, but then Eklund springs Hertl with a nifty NZ pass, Hertl hurtles in and gets the call.

Nine in: Eklund turns it over, backhand pass off the wall to center. I’ve liked most of his work tonight, but that’s no bueno. Sharks forced to ice. That’s territory lost.

This ESPN broadcast, I have to say, has not been very good. Having a lot of trouble identifying Sharks players.

What deception by Josi: He holds, get three Sharks to target Duchene in front of the net — see where Barabanov's stick in the high slot is — meanwhile Forsberg is coming backdoor pic.twitter.com/DBfDLjbNan

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) October 27, 2021

Four left: Vlasic center ice challenge helps turn puck over for San Jose counterattack. That’s not something we’ve seen as much of in recent seasons.

Minute left: Good one-on-one defense by Middleton on Duchene. He did that earlier in the period as well.

Period Three

Five in: Karlsson defends well there, doesn’t give up. Not sure who Karlsson was on, but I agree with what Bob said today in terms of Karlsson is defending harder. He hasn’t been smoked on rush as regularly as last year. My contention with Karlsson is his decision-making is still too risky for a player who is still very talented but has clearly declined some.

I'm not given to exaggeration, but this is hockey genius from Eklund: He turns back, draws 3 #Preds to him, then gets it behind the defense to create a 2-on-1 out of literal thin air pic.twitter.com/uW5L9bg3fA

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) October 27, 2021

What a save by Reimer — Burns and Meier couldn’t come up with puck, misplay, breakaway. But clutch save — Reimer has made his share tonight.