Posts About "Ben Smith"
Will the Sharks Penalty Kill Bounce Back?
September 17th, 2015 When it comes to special teams, we have seen great playoff teams get away with having a bad power play (see the 2011 Stanley Cup winning Boston Bruins), but having a bad penalty kill is nearly impossible to get away with. Winning a Cup with a bad penalty kill is much more difficult than winning with a struggling power play. As for the...
Sharks Previews & Predictions: Ben Smith Holds Steady
August 19th, 2015 Previous Previews: Joe Thornton, Joe Pavelski, Joel Ward, Patrick Marleau, Logan Couture, Tomas Hertl, Chris Tierney, Matt Nieto, Tommy Wingels It is now time to look at the San Jose Sharks' fourth liners in our Previews & Predictions series, starting with center, Ben Smith. Smith was acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks at the...
Sharks' Projected 4th Line Far Superior To Last Year's
July 6th, 2015 Those of you who follow me on a regular basis are aware of my love affair for strong fourth lines. In this day and age, a strong fourth line is a prerequisite to getting deep in the playoffs. The ever popular narrative that teams' best players have to out-perform the opposing best players simply isn't true. In the salary cap era, elite...
Finally Finding the Sharks a Fourth Line
June 16th, 2015 The salary cap era in the NHL has brought tremendous parity to the league. Almost every team has some high-end skill. With the top-tier talent spread out, teams can't rely on just two forward lines and one great defensive pair to be successful. In recent years, the teams consistently making it deep in the playoffs have featured many...
USA Stymies Switzerland, Advances to Semifinals
May 15th, 2015 After winning Group B, the United States found themselves paired against a pesky Switzerland team in the quarterfinals of the World Hockey Championships. A hard-working Swiss team played a solid game against the United States, with the shot total favoring Todd Richards' men 24-22. First Period The United States fell behind early in the...
Ben Smith on Patrick Sharp: "One of My Favorite Guys"
March 6th, 2015 "One of my favorite guys" In an introductory interview with newest San Jose Shark forward Ben Smith, I asked the former Chicago Blackhawk forward who his favorite teammate was in Chicago. Without hesitation, the name Patrick Sharp immediately came to mind for the 26-year-old. "One of my favorite guys was Patrick Sharp. Mostly...