Notes #34: Sharks Embarrassed in Motown Letdown 6-2

The San Jose Sharks are looking for a response game — after getting clocked by the Pittsburgh Penguins — as they take on the Detroit Red Wings in Little Caesars Arena. They didn’t get it though, as the Motown team ran them over with two short-handed goals on a five-minute major power play in a 6-2 Sharks’ loss.

Period One

Three in: Alert stick by Weatherby in corner. Big spot for him, I think, being elevated to third-line center. Talked with a scout a few weeks ago about Weatherby’s game, thought was he was stagnating with limited NHL minutes. Time for him to show that Barracuda spell and holiday break has raised his game.

Just had a thought that I wouldn't have guessed I would've had over the summer: Jake Middleton is too valuable to be getting into fights

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) January 5, 2022

Four in: Ooh Simek hipcheck.

Five in: Nieto does a good job covering for encroaching Burns. That’s the kind of basic defensive commitment that Boughner is looking for.

Eight in: Cogliano good work on the wall to finish Detroit possession. He also had Sharks’ first good chance tonight, flying down wing off bench to intercept Wings outlet pass. He’s on his game.

Nine left: Reimer stops the puck on point shot. Sharks were running around a bit there, losing pucks in NZ and getting counterattacked. Looks like Bonino was going for a long-bomb pass that got swallowed up. Much-needed stop of play by Reimer so the San Jose Sharks can reset. He looks a little more settled today.

Eight left: Karlsson pinches, there’s Hertl backing up. Good.

Bertuzzi goal: Tough luck, settle down, follow the plan.

Four left: Terrific Karlsson pass to Gregor in stride. Gregor has a partial breakaway but a backchecking Red Wings stick hampers Gregor last second.

Interesting first period: #SJSharks protected the house and defended well, in part because of how often they got the puck in deep by dumping it in. They're doing their best to play to their identity. Obv will need to find offense, capitalize on the major (stats from SPORTLOGiQ) pic.twitter.com/tQDkgzgl9t

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) January 5, 2022

Period Two

Reedy PP1 net front, wow, that's a big spot for him

PP1: Karlsson-Meier-Dahlen-Hertl-Reedy (net front)
PP2: Burns-Barabanov-Gregor-Bonino-Weatherby (net front)

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) January 5, 2022

Well you're looking at a nadir for this season, here we are, two short-handed goals allowed in 37 seconds on a five-minute major power play

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) January 5, 2022

Reimer not getting helped, but the power play started to really unravel when Reimer himself aimlessly tossed the puck into the corner. That set off a chain of events that led to the first SHG.

Weatherby goal: He’s played with urgency tonight unlike most of his mates. Like how he just heads toward net, has stick available for Burns shot-pass.

Five in: Red Wings two-on-one, simple chip and chase by Rasmussen past Burns. Burns can’t go for the puck there, he’s gotta be more patient.

Six in: That’s a go-back-to-the-AHL turnover by Reedy in NZ. He and Halbgewachs play catch in NZ, that’s fine, but you can’t turn it over there in NZ trying to be fancy. Reedy was trying a drop pass in NZ that went straight to a Wing.

Eight in: Gotta love Gregor’s hustle and speed there, even if nothing doing.

Suter goal: That’s a dagger after Weatherby goal. Karlsson to Meier basic breakout connection that they’ve executed a billion times misses, Detroit jumps on turnover, back of the net.

Eight left: Weatherby tough on the boards, making it hard for Detroit to break out. He might be the only guy whose game that I’ve liked tonight.

Three left: Gregor with a golden chance, Barabanov sticked his way through three Wings, threw it into inner slot where Weatherby and Gregor were buzzing. Gregor on one knee after that save, perhaps wondering what he’s got to do to cash in.

Who's going to speak up in a #SJSharks room without Couture, Ferraro right now? This is frankly unacceptable hockey

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) January 5, 2022

Period Three

Larkin goal: Hill can’t let that in. This leads to…

Fabbri goal: Your goalie can’t make saves, your game starts to fall apart. Burns wildly throws puck up the middle, Fabbri puts it in. I’m not putting all the blame on the goaltending. I’ve written pleasant stuff about how the Sharks have fashioned themselves into a defense-first team — but this stretch is showing that it was illusory. Once the goaltending stopped making big saves, the San Jose Sharks reverted to their worst selves, instead of doing what a good team might do and stay with their foundation. They have plenty of time this season to turn this around, but I don’t think they have the talent to. They need that too.