From: nlu@Xenon.Stanford.EDU (Nelson Lu)
Subject: Re: Sharks lose to Kings 11-4
Organization: Computer Science Department, Stanford University.
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1992 19:00:01 GMT

In article <5899@balrog.ctron.com> mattb@olympus.ctron.com (Matthew E. Brown) writes:

>Did you ever have one of those days?
>
>You know, when I see a goalie called shaky, I expect the write-up to say things
>like "beaten cleanly", "wrap-around while he was at the wrong post", "waved at
>the puck", "broke in off his pads", "five-hole caverns", etc. Maybe as a former
>goalie who has played on teams where the defensemen couldn't skate backwards, 
>I'm just being too sensitive. If these were the ones that scored, what were
>the other 38 shots like? Nelson, you mentioned rebounds, but none of the goals
>look like they were the direct result of rebounds. Maybe you were just so 
>disappointed in this showing in Irbe's first game that you didn't notice how
>little help he was getting.
>
>Don't get me wrong, Nelson, I'm not criticizing your account. It just doesn't
>sound like Irbe was the root of the problem.

Neither do I.  Irbe was not the root of the problem, but he was part of it.
Two of Donnelly's goals, for example, really should be stopped, and he wasn't
playing Robitaille right on Robitaille's first goal.  As for the rebounds, I
should have been more clear about them, I suppose...  On Donnelly's second
goal, for example, I think Irbe made the initial stop, but instead of poking
the puck to the corner, he left it right out in front for Donnelly to jab in.
Otherwise, you're right in that it was not the rebounds that caused the goals,
but Irbe wasn't playing the rebounds right.
>
>And what the hell is going through Kingston's mind? Is this guy trying to ruin
>Irbe the way he ruined Myllys? Any coach not on life support will pull a rookie
>goalie after 6 or 8 just to shame the donkeys playing in front of him, take a
>break, and try to change the momentum. I remember he left Jarmo in for a 
>couple of shellackings last year. What's his excuse?

Well, if he had taken Irbe out, maybe Irbe would have lost more confidence?
Irbe rebounded well last season following an 11-1 loss to Detroit.  Ironically,
it was right after he made 44 saves on Winnipeg (on 48 shots) that he was
sent down.  I still don't get that one.
>
>I have liked Irbe since I saw him years ago playing for a touring soviet
>junior team. It is really a bummer to see a game like this. When the Kings
>are getting the bounces, they are uncanny. (Refer back to Kings 8 Bruins 6
>earlier this year). They are a different team when playoff hockey is being
>played (re Bruins 6 Kings 4 in a later game). Why did Kingston start a rookie
>against them? Was he mailing in this game, and resting his regular guy so he
>wouldn't face a volley of rubber bullets? 

Well, I think he's trying to pad Hayward's stats so that he can try to get
something valuable for Hayward...
>
>>> Tonight's defensive pairings:
> 
>>> 		Jayson More		Rob Zettler
>>> 		Doug Wilson		Doug Zmolek
>>> 		Pat MacLeod		Neil Wilkinson
>
>These people should be ashamed.

Noticably absent was Sandis Ozolinsh, who leads the team with a +5.  (Ozolinsh
had a sore back.)

===============================================================================
"M. C. Hamrlik: Can't Touch This Lightning."
GO LOS ANGELES KINGS!  Luc Robitaille for Hart!
GO SAN JOSE SHARKS!  Sandis Ozolinsh for Calder!  Jeff Hackett for Vezina!
===============================================================================
Nelson Lu (claudius@leland.stanford.edu)
rec.sport.hockey contact for the San Jose Sharks
Newsgroups: rec.sport.hockey