If you'd have told them there would be nine goals scored, most people would have bet on a 6-3 or 7-2 victory for the San Jose Sharks. However, most people don't realize how good the Los Angeles Kings are, even with unproven backup Erik Ersberg between the pipes. Despite the long odds most were giving them, the visiting team played a strong game Wednesday night, blowing a two-goal lead before Dustin Brown iced the 5-4 victory 1:16 into overtime.
I'm not sure who was picking the three stars, but it's an absolute traveshamockery that Brown wasn't among them. He scored the game-winning goal and added an assist, registered four shots and four hits, and didn't take any of his 26 shifts off. However, he also drew four of the Sharks' five penalties on Wednesday night, getting under the opposition's skin with physical play and a non-stop motor. Brown might fly under the radar a little, but he provided the perfect example of a captain taking over the game and willing his team to victory.
Ersberg was the big question mark coming into the game, but he outplayed Evgeni Nabokov. Despite allowing a couple bad goals during his third start of the season, you have to give Ersberg credit for staring down the San Jose snipers and coming out on top. He came up with a few huge saves down the stretch, and absolutely robbed Dany Heatley on a bang-bang play in the first period. Nabokov had a rough outing, and the hockey gods are ensuring he's not getting timely saves, victories, or sympathy since calling out Marc-Edouard Vlasic last week.
However, looking at San Jose's defensive woes and special teams struggles during their current three-game skid, you have to put the bulk of the blame on head coach Todd McLellan. The Sharks have been sloppy on breakouts and clumsy entering the offensive zone lately. I would have counted the number of offsides the Sharks had against the Kings, but I would have had to take off my socks... and I would also need seven feet. Watching the Kings, you could tell they're a well-coached team that trusts the system, cycling the puck and controlling the tempo. San Jose was scrambling most of the night, and either McLellan's players are failing to execute or his system is simply flawed.
The big problem with McLellan is that he relies on his top line too much and can't coach defense, opting for a track meet every night. That's not a bad strategy against non-playoff teams, but we've seen how effective it is against the Blackhawks, Flames and Kings. I'm not sure McLellan has the defensive personnel to compete with the best teams in the Western Conference, but he'll have to make some adjustments or else we can all look forward to another short playoff run in San Jose. Plus, if Nabokov hadn't played so well through the first 31 games the Sharks might not even be in a playoff spot right now.
Bottom line is that both the Sharks and Kings both have 19 wins and 13 losses this season after 32 games. Ask yourself which team has better top-end talent, depth, defense, special teams and goaltending. The answers to those questions should help you understand which coach is better, Murray or McLellan. One is effective and experienced, getting the most out of his players while addressing his team's flaws. The other is simply relying on his most talented players to carry the mail and hoping they don't wilt under huge minutes and massive expectations... again.
Three Studs
3. Scott Nichol - People love Nichol because he's the only Sharks player who consistently initiates contact, shifting the momentum with a big hit or hustle play. Unfortunately he's smaller than Urkel and handles the puck like a flaming watermelon, but he had five hits and two blocked shots, earning his regular spot on the studs list more for what his teammates not only because of the things he does, but also what his teammates fail to do by comparison.
2. Joe Thornton - Just another night at the office for Jumbo, adding two assists to his league-leading total and seeing big minutes on the power play. He went to the net a couple times and was dangerous with the puck all night long, shaking off Kings defenders and making some nifty plays along the boards. He struggled in the faceoff circle, going 7-for-18, but put in a solid effort at both ends of the ice.
1. Patrick Marleau - His speed has been neutralized a little playing on the top line, but Marleau keeps producing wherever he lines up. He had a power play goal off a scramble in the slot late in the first period, and had another disallowed in the third period thanks to a quick whistle. Marleau led the Sharks in shots (6) and shot attempts (12), snapping his mini slump with a strong game.
Three Duds
3. Torrey Mitchell - He's only played six games since returning from injury, but it's clear that Mitchell isn't an NHL player any more. He doesn't have the speed that made him effective as a rookie, and a lack of strength keeps him from winning battles in the corner and along the wall. As if his play wasn't poor enough, Mitchell took two tripping penalties despite playing only six minutes. Those calls are either the result of laziness, which is unlikely, or frustration at being unable to keep up at the NHL level.
2. Kent Huskins - When you saw the loose puck you got nervous. When you saw that Huskins was the only defender back you got anxious. When Brown ended the game with that wrist shot you got upset. Huskins shouldn't be on the ice during a power play or overtime, and his dismal play is finally showing up on his stat line (-8 in his last nine games) after he dodged bullets early in the season.
1. Evgeni Nabokov - I'll give him a pass on the Kings' power play tallies (the screened shot by Purcell and Kopitar's backdoor goal) but Nabokov should have read Stoll's deflection, he was beaten cleanly on Doughty's blast, and Brown's OT winner was weaker than a case of O'Doul's. Maybe Huskins should have blocked it, and Boyle definitely shouldn't have been coasting back into his own zone, but Nabokov has to stop Brown there.
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