After getting off to a 7-0 start the Sharks have gone ice cold and have now lost 7 in a row (0-4-3). They haven't been able to score if their lives depended on it. Todd has juggled the lines but it hasn't worked. The Sharks have scored a grand total of 8 goals in their last 7 games, which works out to be a miserable 1.1 goals per game. Not to mention 3 of those 8 goals came in a fluky first period in game against the Hawks. So in their last 20 periods of hockey the Sharks have scored a grand total of 5 goals. The Powerplay has been anemic as well tallying just 2 goals in their 42 tries. Last time I checked a mere 4% on the powerplay isn't gonna get it done.
Meanwhile the Sharks haven't really had any problems in net or in the defensive end. During this skid, Niemi has twice surrendered 0 goals in regulation and end up on the losing end of of 1-0 games, 1 of them coming in a shootout. Niemi has a 1.98 gaa in the 5 games he has been in net during the Sharks skid. He also has a .927 save % and a shutout, in a game he lost in the shootout. On the Season Niemi has a 1.94 gaa and a .930 save %.. In 9 career starts against the Blues, Niemi has a 2.59 gaa and a .917 save %.
Under the Sharks new assistant coach Larry Robinson, the Sharks are playing much better defensively and have improved their penalty kill tremendously. The Sharks find themselves ranked 6th on the PK. This will be a good test for them facing the #1 ranked Blues power play.
The Blues will be starting rookie goalie Jake Allen in this contest and I really don't think it matters if he got the nod or Halak. Allen will be making his 4th straight start and has been looking better in each game. Thanks to the lovely NHL Center Ice, I have gotten to watch this kid play in his last 2 outings and I think he is the real deal. He is only 23 years old but looks very poised in net. He has a bright future in this league. In his last 3 outings, all of them being wins, the rookie went into Detroit and beat the Wings, then went into Calgary and beat the Flames, and finally he stoned all 3 shooters he faced in a shootout win in Vancouver. To go on the road and win in 3 tough buildings, is pretty darn impressive.
Beyond their recent struggles to score, the Sharks have have had a hard time scoring against the Ken Hitchock led St. Louis Blues. Whose defensively style of play really bothers the Sharks. In the last 8 meetings between the Sharks and Blues since Ken Hitchcock became coach the Sharks have scored a total of 9 goals, which works out to be 1.1 per game, they have also been shutout 3 times in those 8 games and haven't surpassed the 3 mark in any of them. Taking into consideration how offensively anemic the Sharks currently are, and how much they struggled to score against the Blues, I am hard pressed to think they somehow snap out of it on Tuesday night. The Blues on the other hand in those 8 games have tallied 21 times, which works out to be 2.6 goals per game average, they have also only scored more then 3, 1 time in that span.
Some other notables
The Under is 6-1-1 in the last 8 Meetings
The Under is 13-2-1 in the last 16 Meetings in St. Louis
The Blues were also grounded in Vancouver for extended period of time. I am not gonna play into that too much, if anything I think it might help the under with some tired legs and the offensive game hurting a bit.
If you asking why not take the Blues, well I am a Sharks fan so I can't/refuse to bet against my team.
This game has a 2-1 type of look and feel to it, I am hoping my Sharks surprise me with a much needed win, one thing is for sure, I would be absolutely STUNNED if this game went over the total.
Biggest play of the season for me... Under 5.5 for $1,000