Sharks Notebook, 217: news from morning skate

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Feb. 17, 2011

BRAZIL ARCHIVE
SHARKS NEWSSHARKS VIDEO
Brodie Brazil
CSNCalifornia.com

San Joses line combinations for the morning skate:

SetoguchiThorntonMarleau
CloweCoutureWellwood
MitchellPavelskiHeatley
MayersNicholEager

BoyleMurray
WallinVlasic
DemersHuskins

NiemiHutton

Sharks have gone 0 for their last 11 on the power play. Head Coach Todd McLellan addressed some of the reasons, including too many stationary players, not competing hard enough to get pucks back after establishing the zone, and the lack of faceoff wins in the offensive zone.

During the 5-2 road trip, Shark players agree that defense won them most of the contests. Patrick Marleau: Any way you can win games. In the past, and hopefully in the future our defense has led us to more goals and thats what were looking for. Everybody looks at scoring, but were only able to score if we play great defense. Were starting to get back to that, and winning games because of it

RELATED: Patrick Marleau stats

Douglas Murray blocked a franchise record 7 shots in two separate occasions on the trip. He says it wasnt an emphasis of his: Its more about the right opportunities. I probably block a lot more shots this year because Niemi likes it to be played a little different than Nabokov liked it, so its a little bit of an adjustment due to the goalie Im playing in front of.

Bruce Boudreau was asked what he thinks about Joe Thornton, Dany Heatley and Patrick Marleau: That Id like them on my team theyre the straws that stirs the stick. On their reduction in points this season: Offensive numbers are down everywhere. Were going to be lucky in this league to have a 100-point scorer this year.

Alex Ovechkin is obviously the big name draw here tonight. Last night his Capitals beat Anaheim in a see-saw 7-6 final. But the last time they faced the Sharks, less than 2 weeks ago, Washington was shutout. We have too much skill up front, and we have to use it. Weve been playing a defensive style, but if we have a chance to play offense, we have to use it., Ovechkin told us.

WATCH: Alex Ovechkin's top 5 plays of the week

Last year at this point (through 58 games), Ovechkin had 39 goals, this year hes at 22. Coach Boudreau referenced the lack of Power Play goals for Alex as the difference, and he is absolutely correct. From 2005-2010, he led the league in that category with 91 across a 5 year span. This season, hes got 3 goals on the man-advantage.

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