Game 4

[liralen]

Having the forwards hang back and help the defense out with the short passes through the neutral zone really helped counter the Shark's neutral zone floor checking. The Sharks fought just as hard in the middle and the early part of the transition, but this time the Aves played it steady and the extra support really, really helped keep the pressure to a point where it could be handled.

Given that this solidified the defense, made fewer passes hard to get out of their zone and easy to turn back, and it pulled the Shark's defense forward to try and help their forwards a bit, it seemed. So it made the Ave's breakaways that much more effective when they could be mounted.

If I ever need to be reminded that home advantage includes the calls, seeing someone break a stick over Kasperitus' arm when he didn't even have the puck and have no call happen is all I needed. It really is part of the game, but sometimes I still get mad at it.

Forsberg's pass to Blake was just *so* sweet. Both John and I were laughing at the 'soccer style' pass, where the back player just punts it over the defense while the forward person is just streaking for it. It was sweet to see. It was also very sweet seeing the one goal that the Sharks did get in the first two periods was a power play goal. It meant that the Aves' defense was up to the task. Though they always seem to play much better with their backs up against the wall, there's always the memory of the fall just before...

It was interesting, too, seeing how much emphasis the media made of Roy losing the one goal in game 3 to being out of the crease, when he does it all the time; and, from what I've seen, he starts more good breakaways, rushes, and does a great job, most of the time, of turning the flow of the game by playing the puck. His aggressive ability to play the puck even outside of his goal is cause for some to have heart attacks, but it results in more goals for his team than goals against him in the long run. And Roy is nothing less than a good odds player. But people seem to only remember when he gets one against him. There were nearly a dozen attacks last night and two goals that happened, in part, because Roy was out and getting the puck to someone that could get it moving and out of his zone.

I am also very glad of super Joe.

That third goal did take the wind out of the Shark's sails. In game 1, when the Aves were so far behind, they still rallied and got it really close before their fatigue just set it. It was interesting to see the difference.

Comments

[agrimony.livejournal.com]

The longer a series goes, the more the little things make a huge difference in the outcome. The more tired the players get, the harder it is to rally and pull a victory (or even a not-so-badly-losing) out in the face of defeat. The crowd's involvement means a lot, as well.

[liralen.livejournal.com]

Hm... the Avalanche is pretty much known for pulling out nearly impossible games when they're backs are to the wall, especially late in a series. In fact, last year, they took a bunch of their playoff series all the way to the last game and gutted them out.

Even with as much noise as the commentators make about it, that crowd involvement cannot have *that* huge an effect on professional player action. Otherwise, how could a professional athlete even play in an 'enemy' venue? It's certainly more fun when the crowd is behind you, but Blake does great against L.A. and they're boo'ing him every second he has the puck in their arena because he used to play for them. Plus the Aves come under a whole lot of critical fire from their own home fans and reporters, mostly because everyone has such huge expectations of them every year. They're the ones I find pretty amusing when they criticize everyone for trying the things that really have helped them win. I wouldn't think that the Sharks would let their crowd's involvement or not affect them a lot, but I don't know them that well.

It's just interesting, for me, to see the contrasts

[agrimony.livejournal.com]

Well, mostly I mean that the later it is in the series, the more impact either jubilant crowd support or dead silence from your fans can have on your game, even if you are a professional. :) Not, enough, I think to completely throw a game if you wouldn't have anyway, or to spontaneously win one if you didn't have a chance, but I think it can nudge an upwards spiral or a downward slide.

[liralen.livejournal.com]

Yeah! Okay, that makes a whole lot of sense to me, too.

[mallen.livejournal.com]

Hindsight, but it would've been better for Hannan to take a tripping minor than let Blake skate in (yet again). I have faith that some day, some how, the Sharks will figure out how to play defense against Blake.

[liralen.livejournal.com]

Yeah. That would have been a great defensive play! Though that early in the game, it would have been a harder decision to make, I think, than it looks now. Plus, given how they'd won the previous game and the momentum of expectation, they couldn't have known that the single goal would have made enough of a difference... maybe. I don't know.

I even think that the Sharks may learn how to defend Blake in this series. Even the next game, as they've gradually been getting better at covering him close, and swapping the coverage when he does go forward. But if they are paying more attention to him, there are so many other guys that can slip by with that much less attention... which does make it hard