GAME DAY: Ottawa Senators @ San Jose Sharks - 10:30pm ET - Tue. Dec. 1st, 2009: Sharks win 5-2 PLUS postgame thoughts

Picard gave it up right in the high slot, but Elliott NEEDS to stop that 4th one from going in. That's what separates the great from the good goalies. He was good throughout the night though, no question, Elliott did very well, but that 4th goal was a mental killer.

Then we hit posts, cross-bars, had mad scrambles around the net, but typically, they didn't go in.

Add to that that Thornton, Heatley and Marleau are absolutely ridiculous together and that Dany Boyle makes me sad (that he's not a Senator) and I'd say we competed decently against the best team in the league.

It's hard to find too many positives. Michalek and Karlsson were both very good. Kovalev had his moments, but it was pretty evident on most of his 'keep aways' that he wasn't gonna actually score. Fisher was a non factor unfortunately. Volchenkov was really, really rusty.

Against LA we should be a little tighter hopefully.

We gave a good effort but it was so obvious at how SJ on a much higher level than we are.

They capitalised on their chances far more than we did. We had what ... 4 power plays in the 3rd ? We should have made them pay at that point, instead we spent a good chunk of PP in our own end.

If we weren't down 2-0 early and Elliott didn't let some softies in, we could have won. To me it says we're good not great. We SHOULD be better based on the talent we send on the ice.

Hoags wrote:We gave a good effort but it was so obvious at how SJ on a much higher level than we are.

They capitalised on their chances far more than we did. We had what ... 4 power plays in the 3rd ? We should have made them pay at that point, instead we spent a good chunk of PP in our own end.

If we weren't down 2-0 early and Elliott didn't let some softies in, we could have won. To me it says we're good not great. We SHOULD be better based on the talent we send on the ice.

I only really noticed one softie on Elliott - am I wrong? In any event, we NEED to follow this game up with a well played win tomorrow night.

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

shabbs wrote:And so much for those who called for an uninspired game from Heatley... he stepped it up.

I didn't watch the game but according to some in here those first two goals shouldn't have gone in on Elliott and therefore Heatley would have had 0 assists to go along with his 0 goals.

How was Heatley playing inspired hockey? I'm not being sarcastic I'm actually asking. I can admit when I'm wrong I'm not N4L

He was really moving on the ice. He had a tonne of shots, was throwing his weight around, killed penalties and was creative offensively.

That's not to say that's how he always shows up for the SJ Sharks.

SpezDispenser wrote:
I only really noticed one softie on Elliott - am I wrong? In any event, we NEED to follow this game up with a well played win tomorrow night.

Yeah he had at least one that (as Clouston put it) he'd like to have back.

Against a team like the Sharks, one bad goal will pretty much do it though, Leclaire let a softie in before as well and the fans had their pitchforks out.

All I can say is: thank goodness we don't have to hear about that creep Heatley again. Or at least not often, and not for a while hopefully. It makes me cringe to even hear his name.

SpezDispenser wrote:All I can say is: thank goodness we don't have to hear about that creep Heatley again. Or at least not often, and not for a while hopefully. It makes me cringe to even hear his name.

Yeah, our next chance at meeting him this season is in the SCF. Good thing they suck in the post season.

Cap'n Clutch wrote:We're now 1-1-1 without Neil. As SSF used to say: Chris Neil = Win.

You think I just make this stuff up?

SeawaySensFan wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:We're now 1-1-1 without Neil. As SSF used to say: Chris Neil = Win.

You think I just make this stuff up?

I would never say that.

SSF: "Scoring more goals than the opposition = WIN!"

shabbs wrote:SSF: "Scoring more goals than the opposition = WIN!"

Most of the time.

Nice to see Michalek score two of his nicest goals of the year last night.

SeawaySensFan wrote:Most of the time.

Nice to see Michalek score two of his nicest goals of the year last night.

Was it ever cool to see him play that well last night. He's so awesome.

How lopsided does this trade look if Michalek can come close to Heatley's goal production on a less stacked team?

SpezDispenser wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:Most of the time.

Nice to see Michalek score two of his nicest goals of the year last night.

Was it ever cool to see him play that well last night. He's so awesome.

I think some people tend to think that his development is done. Kind of a "you know what you're gonna get" assessment. I beg to differ, this guy is still finding his game.

I guess he's so big and so "weathered" looking that we forget he's only 24!!!!

SeawaySensFan wrote:I think some people tend to think that his development is done. Kind of a "you know what you're gonna get" assessment. I beg to differ, this guy is still finding his game.

I guess he's so big and so "weathered" looking that we forget he's only 24!!!!

Yeah man, I was saying that the other day to Mel. He's 24...still lots of time to develop - and he's already an amazingly good hockey player. Very exciting!!!

9mm shoots like the big guns.

SpezDispenser wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:I think some people tend to think that his development is done. Kind of a "you know what you're gonna get" assessment. I beg to differ, this guy is still finding his game.

I guess he's so big and so "weathered" looking that we forget he's only 24!!!!

Yeah man, I was saying that the other day to Mel. He's 24...still lots of time to develop - and he's already an amazingly good hockey player. Very exciting!!!

I HIM! He's the shizzat!!

He does look older than 24 for sure, I keep forgetting how young he is.

Michalek looks like a fisherman to me. If he wasn't a hockey player he wouldn't look out of place selling shrimp and fish by a harbor somewhere.