Sharks slide continues

SAN JOSE, Calif. – The San Jose Sharks have lost six straight games for the first time this year and have relinquished the top spot in the Pacific Division. With yesterday’s loss to the Oilers, San Jose falls to fourth place in the Western Conference. While the Sharks look like a fish out of water, the Phoenix Coyotes are red hot winning their ninth game in a row, leapfrogging San Jose to claim top honors in the Pacific division. The Coyotes are showing that they are playoff ready; winning the last three games in a shootout.

The San Jose Sharks sent eight players to the Olympic tournament this year. That is more than any team in the league. Those that were picked to represent their country at the games are key contributors with their NHL clubs and play a lot of minutes. With a compacted season this year, due to the February tournament, these players have been playing more games in fewer nights than they are used to. It could very well be that the Sharks from San Jose are experiencing the Olympic hangover, or the Vanover as it is being called because the games were held in Vancouver. History is not on their side. In 2006 the Detroit Red Wings sent more players to the games than any other NHL club and they were upset in the first round by the Edmonton Oilers. The problem here in the Bay area is that this team is not rich with history, nor has it won four Stanley Cups in the last 13 years and the Sharks have become known as underachievers when it comes to the post season; so Olympic year or not, fans here are not looking for excuses. The burger-line which consists of Joe Thornton, Dany Heatley and Patrick Marleau have been non-existent as of late and the next up and comer Devin Setoguchi, who is a fan favorite, has recently been compared to Jonathan Cheechoo. Cheechoo scored 56 goals in the 2005-06 season and since then, has seen his numbers decline on a rapid pace. He now plays in Binghamton of the American Hockey League which is the farm team for the Ottawa Senators. Setoguchi has too much upside to give up on yet, but has been given plenty of opportunities to break out of his goalless drought. To try and increase the team’s offensive output Coach MacLellan has been mixing his lines and Setoguchi has played on the top line with Thornton and Heatley on many nights. His chances are there, but he is just not able to pull the trigger.It appears that on most nights, the Sharks are trying to do too much. Lately they have been caught flat-footed and are not moving their feet. The five athletes that played in the gold medal game have had sub-par performances since they have returned and the rest of the squad has been left trying to pick up the slack. Teams that are successful in the playoffs have to rely on good goaltending. Okay, success is one thing, but to win it all, the net minder has to be better than good, he has to be lights out. In the past 20 years, some of the names of goalies who have their names engraved on the Stanley Cup: Martin Brodeur (3 times), Mike Richter, Patrick Roy (4 times), Ed Belfour, Dominik Hasek, Marc Andre Fleury and Cam Ward. Since 1986, eight goaltenders have been named the winner of the Conn Smythe award. This is awarded to the playoffs most valuable player. If the lockout year of 2004-05 is included, then that is one third. Every three years, the most important player in the post season is a goalie. While Sharks net minder Evgeni Nabakov has been fairly consistent during the regular season, his playoff stats are nothing to write home about. Since the 1999-2000 season, Nabakov has taken his team past the second round only once compiling a record of 32 wins and 31 losses in that span. At 35 years of age, long seasons and compacted schedules doesn’t sound like a recipe for success down the stretch. Unless the Sharks goaltender regains his early season form, the turning point in his season will be a 7-3 drubbing at the Olympics where Nabakov let in six goals on 23 shots less than five minutes into the second period against Canada. Coach MacLellan is in a tough position. Number 20 for the Sharks is one of those goalies who claims he must play a lot to stay sharp, however in past years Nabokov has looked fatigued in the playoffs.It appears these top level goal keepers suffer from mental fatigue, the body says go, but the mind can’t always keep up. Mental toughness is the key to any pro athletes’ success, but goalies in the NHL are on a level all by themselves. They can claim this spot for a number of reasons. They are up against starting pitchers in baseball and quarterbacks in football. The reason goalies get a mental toughness award is easy; pitchers and quarterbacks are only on the field for half of the time (give or take.) Goaltenders are on the ice for the whole game, there is no mental break where you get coaching in between half innings or when the defense is on the field. Pitchers play every fifth game and quarterbacks go once a week. Hockey is the fastest team sport on earth and NHL goalie’s minds must be going quicker than the puck if they want to keep the other team off the scoreboard. In addition, the puck moves over 100 mph. “The frustration level is growing as the days go on,” Sharks coach Todd McLellan said. I’m tired of hearing in our locker room and around the team that adversity is good for us and will pay off in the end. “It’s not going to, unless we dig ourselves out of it. There is something missing right now, and we have to figure what it is pretty darn quick.” From a coaches point of view this has been a tough time. His job is to get his team back on track. If the Sharks do not regain form, the coaching staff is to blame. Last year San Jose won top spot in the NHL but was upset in the first round against the Anaheim Ducks. Many people believe (and I am one of them) that this team would be better off coming in to the playoffs under the radar. The adversity they are experiencing now is similar to what they faced in the first round last year. Better to face now during the regular season than in the post season. The keys for Sharks success is to rest key players, in particular Nabokov. Get back to basics and keep things simple. They must block out the pressure from the media and the fans and have some fun. Hockey is most enjoyable when it is fun. It is no coincidence that teams play to the best of their abilities when they are having the most fun. Keep your sticks on the ice, Cam Gore Contact the writer at Cam.Gore@prohockeynews.com   Contact the photographer at Jack.Lima@prohockeynews.com