Sign in Subscribe

Winning Play

Winning Play: Why it’s over

ST. LOUIS, Mo. — A day before Valentine’s Day, Peter DeBoer was asked if this was the deepest San Jose Sharks squad that he’s coached. Without hesitation, he swiped right: “For sure.” This was before Doug Wilson acquired yet another 50-point scorer at the Trade Deadline, Gustav Nyquist. Nyquist

Winning Play: Game 5’s most interesting shift

It’s not all the time that one shift encapsulates so many of my thoughts about a game. But the Vladimir Tarasenko penalty shot goal, and the shift leading up to it, was fascinating in many ways. It started with a smart Erik Karlsson (65) pinch (0:01) on Tarasenko

Winning Play: Another slow start

ST. LOUIS, Mo. — If you were surprised by the St. Louis Blues’ fourth line scoring Game 4’s opening goal, you haven’t been paying enough attention. For the San Jose Sharks, here’s yet another example of not starting the game on time: Logan Couture (39) got back to

Winning Play: The Other Karlsson

ST. LOUIS, Mo. — Forming a successful line isn’t just about putting your most-skilled players together. In March, I mused about who should slide next to Joe Thornton and Kevin Labanc on the San Jose Sharks’ third line. Marcus Sorensen, who is probably not among the team’s top-nine most-skilled

Winning Play: Weaponizing...Bortuzzo?

Before Game 1, a scout told me, of the St. Louis Blues, “Their D are very active in the offensive end.” That’s nothing ground-breaking. The San Jose Sharks, featuring Erik Karlsson and Brent Burns, are as active offensively as anybody in the league. But how St. Louis is activating

Winning Play: “It starts with the center.”

It’s easy to forget when you eviscerate a team 6-3, but the San Jose Sharks actually had their hands full against the St. Louis Blues to start Game 1. Craig Berube agreed: “I thought our first few shifts were good. Got in on the forecheck, got a couple opportunities.