Sharks’ coach might adjust team’s lineup
Coach Todd McLellan had stern words about the Sharks’ shortcomings in their playoff-opening 2-0 loss to the Ducks, hinting he might change the lineup when the series resumes Sunday at HP Pavilion. He also said he might move Joe Thornton’s line away from Ryan Getzlaf’s line to free his top trio to be more active offensively.
“You can’t win having four or five guys missing in action, whether they’re 2 1/2 - to 3-minute players or 21 1/2 to-22-minute players,” McLellan said Friday after reviewing Thursday’s game.
“When you’re out there, you have to contribute, and I think we’ll be better in that area. We need everybody pulling.”
The Sharks’ 44% faceoff winning percentage was “unacceptable,” said McLellan, whose team was the NHL’s second-best in that area this season at 53.8%.
“We worked hard all year for it. We can point a finger at the centerman for not winning the draws, but they need some help sometimes. The wingers have to win the races to that loose ice, especially on the power play. I think we were three for 11.”
The Ducks certainly gave them enough power-play time: 12 minutes. The Sharks took 11 shots with a man advantage, but Ducks goaltender Jonas Hiller turned those away, along with 24 others.
Only one of those shots came from Thornton, San Jose’s leading scorer this season with 86 points, and one from Patrick Marleau, their top goal scorer with 38. It’s not oversimplifying matters to say both must be more involved for the Sharks to compete.
“Most of our offense this year has run between those two players, and if we’re going to move on they have to produce offensively,” he said.
Numbers game
Ducks defenseman Scott Niedermayer’s game-winning goal Thursday was his seventh in the playoffs, tying him with Bobby Orr, Denis Potvin and Larry Murphy for the most game-winners by a defenseman in postseason play. The career leaders are Detroit’s Nicklas Lidstrom with 10 followed by Paul Coffey and Scott Stevens, with eight each.
Thursday’s victory improved the Ducks’ record at HP Pavilion to 2-2 this season and 10-5-0 since Jan. 26, 2006.
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