- Sharks continue to outperform their shot attempt differential with their scoring chance differential and it all comes down to largely relegating opponents to the outside and blocking their shots from those areas. San Jose blocked 37.7% of Minnesota’s 5v5 shot attempts in this game while the Wild blocked just 21.4% of the Sharks’.
- Expecting the scoring on a nightly basis is unrealistic but, at least in terms of driving play and creating chances, this is the type of performance you’d love to see from the top line every night while they’re being used in their current role. Once again, Thornton, Havlat and Burns were shielded from the opposition’s top line and started a greater proportion of their shifts in the offensive zone than all but the fourth line. Unlike some of their previous outings, however, they completely crushed those minutes.
- Also atypical, but for less pleasant reasons, was the Couture line who drew the toughest assignment and were dominated by Mikko Koivu and Zach Parise. I commend McLellan for trusting the process, though; hard-matching Couture against opposing top lines, even if he loses that matchup, still opens up room for the Thornton and Pavelski lines and Jumbo capitalized.
- His numbers weren’t spectacular or anything but T.J. Galiardi continues to impress. Which, really, shouldn’t be all that surprising; he was chained to the press box or saddled with Handzus as a center for the entire duration of his struggles this season. Playing with Pavelski puts him in pretty different circumstances to say the least.
- Another solid outing for the Stuart/Tennyson pairing in easy minutes. Especially if paired with Stuart, I’m not at all convinced Scott Hannan can do what Tennyson is doing right now. Still solid depth to have if another injury strikes, but hopefully Tennyson stays in the lineup until Demers returns.
- A fourth line that immensely struggled earlier in the season has now put together two pretty okay games, so that’s encouraging. Presumably Torres will play on the third line, bumping Sheppard down to the fourth but Adam Burish had a decent run in that spot while it lasted this time around. Good job, Adam. Have some cheese curds./
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