Well, Nichol has been one of better players the past few games, and he has been creating some chances, so why not? Plus, adding Setoguchi’s speed to Marleau might help the second line click a bit more, so it’s not just the Marleau show.

And Murray needs to come back ASAP. Stupid flu.

It seems to me that alternate line combos get rolled more often that the advertised line combos.

If this will have us scoring, works for me. Yesterday’s game still has me grumbling.

Whatever works, i guess. Nichol isn’t really a 1st line player, but McGinn isn’t really a 2nd line player at this point either, and Nichol has been playing well. If it promotes more scoring, cool with me. I’d much rather experiment with the lines against the Islanders than the Rangers…

He was the only other player besides Nabokov last night who looked like he cared to play. I don’t know if I’d go as far as put him on the top line because that means he’ll have to play wing at the expense of demoting Seto, who has been playing well, or at the expense of demoting Thornton, which we all know is an absurd idea, but I’d gladly see Clowe pay his dues on 3rd/4th line and Nichol get a deserved promotion.

What could it hurt? It either works, or it doesn’t. It’s not like the first line has been non stop effective. Anyway, I’m not going to grumble about potentially getting some more (read as someone other that Patty) scoring power on the second line. Seto and Patty have skated on the same line before, and they’re both very familiar with Clowe. Why not?

This also could give Joe and Heatley more of a chance to figure out how the other works. I have no problem with this, should the lines come out this way tomorrow.

I am disturbed by McLellan’s ease of tossing the lines back and forth at will like he did last night when Heatley would show up alongside Ferreiro or Thornton next to Marleau. I think RW’s experience shows that Sharks don’t take that too well.

The reason? When Thornton gets inevitably dumped out of the face off circle, there will be someone on the ice that can still win a face off! I havent seen Seto or Heater’s numbers, but I cant imagine they are too hot.

Non sequitur: Am I the only one who winces every time they hear “Fairy-O” on the broadcast? Learn to read, guys! I’m a fan of Benn’s now, just because of that. Though Fairy-Os could be an awesome cereal.

/ferrieroreference

preseason game against the yotes, I’ve been watching him closely on his shifts.

Dude is fucking good. He’s always working hard, always playing the body, but he’s got the hands and hockey IQ for nice passes and even better pass blocks.

That said, the first line looked good when it looked good, and the bottom lines didn’t so much. I think we need Nichol down low more than up high.

I don’t really think the forward lines are the problem. The Sharks have been coming out flat in just about every 1st period. Some time’s they figure out how to skate, and then they look good. When we don’t pick it up, we look like the Sharks of Thursday (tons of penalties and 2 five on threes- again, in the 1st period, and we just could not get it going). When the Sharks hussle 100% as a team, they can get on track, they play quick and they can open up the holes and the space for the finesse players to do they’re thing. If we come slow, we’ll never get out passing going and without speed or passing, we’re going nowhere.

They better come out flying, take a chance or two if that’s what takes the team to get up. I watched the Isles/Sabres game yesterday and this team doesn’t look have bad going forward. Defense is still fairly soft, but they work hard and are starting to accumulate some quality skaters.