Post-Game Talk: SJS @ VGK Game 3: Sharks lose 6-3, down 2-1 in series

[stator]

Deboer has brought two teams to the Stanley Cup Final. Do I like him, not really. Are there a dozen coaches I'd probably rather have, maybe. Do I think he's nearly as bad as people on this message board seem to believe, absolutely not.

First year coach in each case. PDB brought somebody else's system to the SCF. This suggests to me that PDB is a great at rapport with the players early, but is not the strategic type to develop systems and teams.

Looking closer at his record, Pete's best season points wise with FL and NJ were the first year. All three years at FL, Pete has never won more games that lost. He tied 41W-41L in the first year though.

Next four years at NH, Pete had more wins than loses in the first year (the SCF appearance year), but then had more loses than wins in the succeeding years.

The aberration is the Sharks, but Pete is a mediocre coach at his best, and poor coach at his worse. He's lucky to be coaching in a well-managed organization. Don't confuse luck for skill. This Sharks team is one of the top three teams in Sharks history, and it's a mess. The system is messed up, and not up to NHL competitive standards.

It came in 2nd in the division on the strength of individual talent.

The PP system is even worse.

Sharks have never won the division under PDB. They had a great chance to this season, but it's a mess when they lost 1st place the last time to right now.

 

[Pinkfloyd]

I agree that the majority of the team is either playing terribly (Karlsson, Jones, Couture) or they are invisible (Hertl, Meier, Pavelski), but the gameplan also has to be better. It had to be better 15+ games ago.

When the Sharks won Game 1, Deboer said one of the biggest contributing factors was that they scored the first goal. It sounds like he built the gameplan around that and is refusing to adjust. That's an awful mindset. When they don't score the first goal when that's what the coach has been preaching all pre-game, they are going to ask the bolded statement above.

There's a lot of different things going on as well. They try to force a lot of things defensively regardless of what zone they're in or what they're odds are of success and when they fail, a low percentage play if they just played back turns into an odd man rush. Or when Vegas is entering the Sharks' zone, they're playing soft at the blue line especially when they're on the power play instead of attacking. It's really weird to see in real time. I have no idea why both Karlsson and Dillon were along the boards on that opening shift. I don't know how that kind of mental lapse isn't a matter of preparation. This theme has been going on all year. Their commitment to defense is severely lacking and is being exposed by a team that wasn't a good matchup for them in the first place. lol

 

[TomasHertlsRooster]

Oh my god. I did not even see this.



What the f*** is Erik Karlsson doing there? He should not be playing.

 

[Lebanezer]

Oh my god. I did not even see this.



What the **** is Erik Karlsson doing there? He should not be playing.

He’s clearly not healthy and it’s not like the fracture he experienced when he almost led the senators to the finals. That was just about playing with a lot of pain. You can will yourself through pain with treatment and meds. His body can’t make the moves he wants to now, the muscles simply won’t allow it while they’re injured. He’s doing what he can, but it’s just not enough.

 

[LA Shark]

Oh my god. I did not even see this.



What the **** is Erik Karlsson doing there? He should not be playing.

Sorenson was absolutely pathetic on this play too. Dillon could have picked up Stasny, Sorenson on Stone, and EK could have picked up Patches on the far side. Instead Dillon went with Stasny while Sorenson and EK decided they would just watch.

I know EK isn't 100%, but that looked like more than just he couldn't do anything due to injury to me. He genuinely looked disengaged. Him and Sorenson both. EK played the rest of the game and skated a lot harder than that. It was really like EK and Sorenson just fell asleep on the play and did nothing to get back into the play. Unfortunately that's been happening pretty much every game to start periods.

 

[DG93]

Oh my god. I did not even see this.



What the **** is Erik Karlsson doing there? He should not be playing.

Yeah, he's back to Boston-game level. Pretty good chance that PDB running him into the ground in games 1 and 2 lead to a re-injury...

 

[Friday]

Wow. Just sit EK, thats a joke

 

[Crazy Joe Divola]

Oh my god. I did not even see this.



What the **** is Erik Karlsson doing there? He should not be playing.

Dillon and Sorensen both went to the skater on the left leaving the guy in the middle with a clear lane straight to Jones. EK was on the 3rd skater to his right and got caught in between trying to go to that guy on his left while also trying to mind the guy to his right and not let a pass through.

That whole thing is on Dillon for passing off the middle attacker to Sorensen who was already behind him and not able to keep up let alone catch him thus giving him a clear run right to Jones.

 

[WTFetus]

Yeah we've seen Karlsson skate harder than that during parts of yesterday's game and Game 2. His mistakes don't look physical. They look like mental mistakes or him just being disinterested.

 

[Crazy Joe Divola]

Yeah we've seen Karlsson skate harder than that during parts of yesterday's game and Game 2. His mistakes don't look physical. They look like mental mistakes or him just being disinterested.

Not to sound like a ball hanger but he probably wasn’t anticipating Dillon and Sorensen turning the 2 on 2 on their side into a 1 on 0 behind him.

 

[LA Shark]

Not to sound like a ball hanger but he probably wasn’t anticipating Dillon and Sorensen turning the 2 on 2 on their side into a 1 on 0 behind him.

True, doesn't excuse the effort he made however. He was either injured and couldn't do anything else, disinterested, or just fell asleep. But regardless of Dillon and Sorenson's awful play, EK's effort on that play was unacceptable.

 

[Negatively Positive]

Yeah we've seen Karlsson skate harder than that during parts of yesterday's game and Game 2. His mistakes don't look physical. They look like mental mistakes or him just being disinterested.

This is Campbell all over again. Hell Soupy seemed more interested at this point. Some players seem checked out/disinterested and others are trying too hard and doing stupid shit. It's just a mess.

 

[Crazy Joe Divola]

True, doesn't excuse the effort he made however. He was either injured and couldn't do anything else, disinterested, or just fell asleep. But regardless of Dillon and Sorenson's awful play, EK's effort on that play was unacceptable.

At that point it’s clear he isn’t going to be able to close on the middle attacker, even skating well, and even if he did he would be leaving the right side attacker all alone to do the exact same thing to Jones if Stone just drops the puck back to him once Karlsson leaves him. He took the pass lane and left it to Jones to make a big save. Didn’t work out but was about the only play to be made once the whole left side broke down. Someone was getting a breakaway shot on net at that point, Stone or whoever was to Karlsson’s right.

 

[Lebanezer]

This is a great breakdown of the constant breakdowns for the Sharks. It also rightly places blame on many, many different players.

 

[Alaskanice]

This is a great breakdown of the constant breakdowns for the Sharks. It also rightly places blame on many, many different players.

You’re correct, this is a great breakdown. Maybe it’ll open some eyes here. The term “clust******” seems appropriate.

 

[LeeIFBB]

Many different players with one player consistently appearing.

 

[Lebanezer]

Many different players with one player consistently appearing.

But _____ isn’t a player. (Select one)

A.) Peter Deboer
B.) Mike Potenza
C.) Brodie Brazil
D.) Hasso Plattner
E.) Doug Wilson
F.) Johan Hedberg
G.) Steve Spott

 

[TomasHertlsRooster]

Many different players with one player consistently appearing.

I actually don’t know if you’re subtweeting Martin Jones or Erik Karlsson here.

 

[Mafoofoo]

This is Campbell all over again. Hell Soupy seemed more interested at this point. Some players seem checked out/disinterested and others are trying too hard and doing stupid ****. It's just a mess.

If he's gonna Campbell us I say f*** him and play him 45-50 minutes a game and get our money's worth before he dips.

 

[LA Shark]

I actually don’t know if you’re subtweeting Martin Jones or Erik Karlsson here.

Or Couture

 

[NWSharkie]

Lol if we keep going on blaming EK for the defense being garbage, it's not gonna matter if we want him to sign or not. Gackle will tell him we think he sucks and he'll go on his own

Maybe we get the Goalie Lama to get into Joner's fivehole?

 

[hohosaregood]

If Karlsson can't skate backwards right now, we should just play him as a forward while he's recovering.

 

[exchequer]

Oh my god. I did not even see this.

What the **** is Erik Karlsson doing there? He should not be playing.

I know - one is not supposed to blame the goalie but is there another way to say "Fleury would have stopped that" without making it sound like the other team's goalie is a god?

 

[TomasHertlsRooster]

I know - one is not supposed to blame the goalie but is there another way to say "Fleury would have stopped that" without making it sound like the other team's goalie is a god?

Fleury’s save percentage in this series is below .900. He’s allowed at least 3 goals in every game this series. He wouldn’t do any better in Jones’ place.

 

[LA Shark]

Fleury’s save percentage in this series is below .900. He’s allowed at least 3 goals in every game this series. He wouldn’t do any better in Jones’ place.

Jones has absolutely been left out to dry this series. But Fluery almost certainly stops 2 of Vegas' first 3 goals in game 2.