Hmmm….hmmmmm….hmmmmmmmmmmm…….hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm…….

Another loss.

So many ways this can be broken down.  There’s really only two ways you can sum up this game:

1) As with the previous four games (previous to this game) in this series, all goals came off of the opponents mistakes
2) Nabokov can’t stop what he can’t see

As with all the previous games in the San Jose/Phoenix series, goals were scored as a result of breakdowns of their opponents play.

Here’s an example using San Jose’s second goal when Patrick Marleau scored on the Power Play. Keep an eye on Patrick Marleau as Jim Vandermeer moves farther and farther away from defending the goal. Marleau sees the mismatch and moves in for the kill:

Secondly, if you noted from the majority of the game, San Jose Sharks goaltender Evgeni Nabokov could see just about every shot on goal by the Coyotes. With a goaltender of Nabokov’s caliber, if he can see it…..he can stop it. The Coyotes figured this out by the second period. Since the Sharks are such a talented and disciplined team, the odds that the Coyotes would have caught San Jose napping in their defensive zone for four goals to win was the same as Jimi Hendrix rising from the grave and putting out a new album.

Things to take away from this game:

There’s only one thing to take away from this game and that’s mainly aimed at Scottie Upshall’s roughing penalty at 16:48 of the second period. In the video below you all remember the scrum between Patrick Marleau and Scottie Upshall:

Sure, both players should have gone into the box. However, that’s not the point here.

Marleau made a very craft veteran move by exploiting one of Upshall’s main weaknesses in that it’s easy for the opponents to get under his skin. As I’ve said before, Upshall needs to learn when it’s a good time to go after a player and when it’s not. Marleau clearly had the refs attention after he threw a punch Upshall’s way. Upshall pretty much walked right into a penalty.

In short, Upshall got owned.

This game wasn’t as bad as the score dictated. I also think that the fact that a few players that re-entered the lineup from injury may have been cleared to play. However, they may not have been 100% healthy or game ready.

Hi-lights from the game:

Dave Tippett’s post game presser:

Post game comments from Jason LaBarbera and Scottie Upshall:

Video Courtesy of PhoenixCoyotes.com

Game Summary

http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20092010/GS020688.HTM

Event Summary

http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20092010/ES020688.HTM

Play by Play

http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20092010/PL020688.HTM

Face off Stats:

http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20092010/FC020688.HTM