Wed., April 118:00 p.m.at NashvilleTSN Fri., April 138:00 p.m.at NashvilleTSN
Mon., April 16 10:00 p.m. at San Jose VERSUS, TSN
Wed., April 18 10:00 p.m. at San Jose VERSUS, TSN
*Fri., April 209:00 p.m.at NashvilleVERSUS (JIP), TSN
*Sun., April 22 10:00 p.m. at San Jose VERSUS (JIP), TSN
*Tue., April 24TBDat NashvilleVERSUS, TSN
We'll have individual GDTs, but all general discussion should go in this thread.
So let's hop to it!
We get Erat back, leaving only Sullivan out...who we really didn't have last year, either. We're a lot healthier this year, a lot bigger this year, and everyone is a year more experienced. I don't anticipate an easy series, but I can near guarantee that NEITHER team is going to dominate. It's somewhat amusing to see some(not all, for those of you reading and disagreeing) Sharks fans actually salivating over this matchup. I think they may be in for a surprise.
I concur man. If I had to say right now, I'm picking Nashville in 6. But should be a nice entertaining series. Glad we didn't matchup with Dallas. Won't have to worry about facing my 2nd team until another round.
We'll have individual GDTs, but all general discussion should go in this thread.
So let's hop to it!
We get Erat back, leaving only Sullivan out...who we really didn't have last year, either. We're a lot healthier this year, a lot bigger this year, and everyone is a year more experienced. I don't anticipate an easy series, but I can near guarantee that NEITHER team is going to dominate. It's somewhat amusing to see some(not all, for those of you reading and disagreeing) Sharks fans actually salivating over this matchup. I think they may be in for a surprise.
I like our matchups down the middle A LOT better than last year.
Arnott v. Thornton
Legwand v. Marleau
That's two players we were without, basically, in last years series. Combine that with the emergence of Weber as a defenseman, and we are much better positioned this year than last.
I think it'll come down to special teams. It seems like we've been the far superior team over the years even strength in our head-to-head matchups. But we really struggle when a lot of penalties are called.
The no. 1 PP unit in the league vs. one of the better PK units in the league. We actually have had a lot of success against the Sharks in the regular season....
The only thing that worries me is the physicality. If we want to go far, we need to win quickly.
Pretty even matchup 5 on 5. Sharks are 8th and NAS 5th in 5:5 For/Against Ratio but the Sharks have been really stepping it up 5:5 since the trade deadline.
Sharks #2 PP vs Preds #3 PK ..... I'd say thats even, though the Sharks have been less stellar in the past 10 games or so on the PP than previous.
Preds PP is 17th but the SJS PK is 15th and hasn't been as strong the past several games.
Shots/G, NAS 25th vs SJ 21st ..... nothing there.
Shots Against/G. Sharks 3rd vs NAS 24th.
F/O Win%, Sharks 11th and NAS 12th - nothing to talk about there either.
Goaltending stats slightly favor the Sharks. 2.38 GAA for SJS and 2.53 GAA for NAS
Both teams are better than last year. NAS is more healthy and bigger. Sharks are even bigger than last year. Both teams have a couple key players who will be playing nicked up. Both teams are a year more experienced and both addressed the problems that stopped them from going deep. Both made deadline trade deals that improved their teams. I have to ignore the W/L% because the Preds get a few more easy games than the SJS who have to play ANA and DAL 8 times each (LAK, PHO vs StL, CBJ, CHI).
IMO, the Sharks forwards are better than the D of NAS. The NAS forwards may be slightly better than the Sharks D. The goal situation is probably even. Special teams are also even.
The only real edge is in shots allowed which favors the Sharks, and the W-L record between the teams this year which also favors the Sharks. Add to that the SJS right now are playing their best hockey of the season and have the best road record in hockey, so that would in my mind minimize the home ice advantage.
My POV - respectfully - I look for a good series since there is a history now. Of course I see a fairly even statistical comparison slightly favoring the Sharks in 6 games. I'm certain most of you will differ, and I wish the winner good health in this series, and success through all the playoffs.
Pretty even matchup 5 on 5. Sharks are 8th and NAS 5th in 5:5 For/Against Ratio but the Sharks have been really stepping it up 5:5 since the trade deadline.
Sharks #2 PP vs Preds #3 PK ..... I'd say thats even, though the Sharks have been less stellar in the past 10 games or so on the PP than previous.
Preds PP is 17th but the SJS PK is 15th and hasn't been as strong the past several games.
Shots/G, NAS 25th vs SJ 21st ..... nothing there.
Shots Against/G. Sharks 3rd vs NAS 24th.
F/O Win%, Sharks 11th and NAS 12th - nothing to talk about there either.
Goaltending stats slightly favor the Sharks. 2.38 GAA for SJS and 2.53 GAA for NAS
Both teams are better than last year. NAS is more healthy and bigger. Sharks are even bigger than last year. Both teams have a couple key players who will be playing nicked up. Both teams are a year more experienced and both addressed the problems that stopped them from going deep. Both made deadline trade deals that improved their teams. I have to ignore the W/L% because the Preds get a few more easy games than the SJS who have to play ANA and DAL 8 times each (LAK, PHO vs StL, CBJ, CHI).
IMO, the Sharks forwards are better than the D of NAS. The NAS forwards may be slightly better than the Sharks D. The goal situation is probably even. Special teams are also even.
The only real edge is in shots allowed which favors the Sharks, and the W-L record between the teams this year which also favors the Sharks. Add to that the SJS right now are playing their best hockey of the season and have the best road record in hockey, so that would in my mind minimize the home ice advantage.
My POV - respectfully - I look for a good series since there is a history now. Of course I see a fairly even statistical comparison slightly favoring the Sharks in 6 games. I'm certain most of you will differ, and I wish the winner good health in this series, and success through all the playoffs.
good post, nice read and was good reading the head to head stats matchup. Just one correction, the preds won the season series 3-1.
Pretty even matchup 5 on 5. Sharks are 8th and NAS 5th in 5:5 For/Against Ratio but the Sharks have been really stepping it up 5:5 since the trade deadline.
Sharks #2 PP vs Preds #3 PK ..... I'd say thats even, though the Sharks have been less stellar in the past 10 games or so on the PP than previous.
Preds PP is 17th but the SJS PK is 15th and hasn't been as strong the past several games.
Shots/G, NAS 25th vs SJ 21st ..... nothing there.
Shots Against/G. Sharks 3rd vs NAS 24th.
F/O Win%, Sharks 11th and NAS 12th - nothing to talk about there either.
Goaltending stats slightly favor the Sharks. 2.38 GAA for SJS and 2.53 GAA for NAS
Both teams are better than last year. NAS is more healthy and bigger. Sharks are even bigger than last year. Both teams have a couple key players who will be playing nicked up. Both teams are a year more experienced and both addressed the problems that stopped them from going deep. Both made deadline trade deals that improved their teams. I have to ignore the W/L% because the Preds get a few more easy games than the SJS who have to play ANA and DAL 8 times each (LAK, PHO vs StL, CBJ, CHI).
IMO, the Sharks forwards are better than the D of NAS. The NAS forwards may be slightly better than the Sharks D. The goal situation is probably even. Special teams are also even.
The only real edge is in shots allowed which favors the Sharks, and the W-L record between the teams this year which also favors the Sharks. Add to that the SJS right now are playing their best hockey of the season and have the best road record in hockey, so that would in my mind minimize the home ice advantage.
My POV - respectfully - I look for a good series since there is a history now. Of course I see a fairly even statistical comparison slightly favoring the Sharks in 6 games. I'm certain most of you will differ, and I wish the winner good health in this series, and success through all the playoffs.
I'm expecting us all to step it up a few notches for the playoffs. Lay off the homer **** when representing our team on these boards and show some class.
That and I can't wait to see irisheye's GDT's, should be a doozie.
Sharks fan here. This should be one of the best 1st round matchups. Both teams have speed and skill. I'm expecting a lot of end to end action. Don't have any predicitions, just looking forward to some good hockey.
Tough matchup for us. Lets hope the team finds their "on" switch, they've been looking for it for a while now.
The preds are "on". You guys took out a desperate Avs team that has been one of the hottest teams in the league over the past month and a half, and you had nothing to play for today, really.
1) Vokoun - just dont know what how he will play. He drives me crazy when he dives from his net for a poke check, misses, and give the opposition an empty netter. He has done that 3 times or so this year But he is also capable of standing on his head, just haven't seen that in while.
2) Our D-men and the little playoff experience they have. We won't see Vishnevski I guess, Trotz just doesnt trust him.
3) Our PP, it just hasn't been good most of the year. Average at best.
4) Trotz getting outcoached
5) Taking too many penalties (and hopefully the officiating will not be questioned)
The only problem I have with the post dissecting the two teams is the roster comparison.
I would say on offense, the Sharks gel better as a team, but you will have a hard time convincing me that we are not at least equal to the talent they are icing.
On defense, it is a clear edge in our favor. Even with the addition of Rivet, the Sharks defense is extremely green. The one thing working in their favor is that the Sharks play a tight collapsing system that minimizes the mistakes they can make.
Obviously the starkest difference between last year and this year is the matchup down the middle. Forsberg-Arnott-Legwand-Nichol should make a huge difference for us (as opposed to Legwand-Johnson-Sillinger-Perrault).
It seems somewhat appropriate that in the first round we are facing the team that prompted such drastic changes to our lineup in the offseason.
The preds are "on". You guys took out a desperate Avs team that has been one of the hottest teams in the league over the past month and a half, and you had nothing to play for today, really.
It should be a good series.
Doesn't change the fact that we've been really bad for over a month now.
Wow, Stranger, you're being uncharacteristically Gnashvillian about this, I'm not used to that from you
Well, I'm not saying the owner is making the team tank on purpose so he can move them to Kansas City.
But I am a bit negative, yes. Part of it is the fact that if I say we'll do well, well then the opposite will happen. And the other part of it is me trying to be realistic. We haven't been playing that well.
Not that I would be upset if the Predators prove me wrong
I love how your team has improved from last year. Not just with the aquisitions of Forsberg, Arnott, Dumont, but also with the coming of age of your young Defense and other players like Legwand, Radulov, etc.
The real advantage of having Forsberg is not so much that he'll score a lot of points. Its that he'll pre-occupy Hannan--our best shut-down guy, thus freeing up solid playoff performers like Arnott and Dumont to attack the rest of our blueliners. The Preds will win the series if they take advantage of that.
I believe the goaltending is a wash. Voukoun isn't the same, but so isn't Nabby. We both have solid back-ups if any of them falter.
I don't need to reiterate how evenly matched up we are statiscally, and I rarely use that as an indicator to how a series will play out since the preparation to play an opponent for posibly 7 straight games is different than playing a regular season game. Its about watching the quality of play of recent history. (i.e. post-trade deadline play)
I believe this series will come down to health and I feel the Sharks are coming in as the healthier team and will prevail to the second round. If it weren't for that, I'd be a toss-up--what a perfect 4 vs. 5 series should be.
But he is also capable of standing on his head, just haven't seen that in while.
hehe
