How The San Jose Sharks Blew A 3-0 Series Lead
So it’s time to bring up the age old question: why did the San Jose Sharks blow a 3-0 series lead and lose a playoff series to the Los Angeles Kings? Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
This won’t be a very long article because 1) I am not over it yet and don’t feel like talking about it and 2) There really is not that much to say.
So it’s time to bring up the age old question: why did the San Jose Sharks blow a 3-0 series lead and lose a playoff series to the Los Angeles Kings?
There are really only two reasons behind it.
1. Top Players
The Kings top players were garbage in Games 1-3 and were dominant in 4-7.
The Sharks top players were the exact opposite. Joe Thornton, Joe Pavelski, Patrick Marleau, Logan Couture, and Brent Burns were basically invisible the final few games of the series. And yes, I know Pavelski had 11 shots last night, but that doesn’t tell the full story. He missed passes, fanned on opportunities, and lost his men defensively a few times.
But the worst of all was Logan Couture. People rave on him about how he’s supposed to be a top player in the franchise and a future captain of the team. He was practically invisible the entire series. He had one goal in Game 2 which made it 6-2, and really wasn’t necessary at all. When it came down to clutch time he wasn’t there.
Now, he’s still an incredible hockey player, and a bright star in the franchise. But that series was something he’d like to forget.
2. Coaching
Since they lost last night, I’ve been going back and forth on whether Todd McLellan should be fired or not. On one hand, he’s not the one out there on the ice watching his star players perform poorly. On the other hand, he continuously changes lines if things don’t work for one simple game.
Remember Game 2 when the Sharks scored seven straight after moving Pavelski down to third line center? Well in Game 3, that wasn’t working at first, so he immediately changed it. I don’t think McLellan is the problem. But I think he’s going to get fired.
The one thing everyone has to remember is that there is no reason to blow up the team. This team was one of the deepest in San Jose Sharks history. Think about who is likely coming back next year. All of the top guys, Matt Nieto and Tomas Hertl are getting better and more experienced, and so are the young defensemen. I think the Sharks could win a Stanley Cup under McLellan. But remember what happened after they fired Ron Wilson in 2008? The next year, they were the best in the NHL. Simple changes like that can make a huge difference.
Well Sharks fans, it’s been real, it’s been fun, but it has not been real fun. At least not the playoffs anyway. Happy offseason. It’s time for stuff like the draft and free agency!
That’s always a fun time.