Missing: Vladimir Tarasenko. If found, please put on a plane headed for San Jose in time for Wednesday’s Game 6 matchup between the Blues and Sharks.
Before going any further in this article, it’s important to make one point very clear. Tarasenko isn’t the only reason the Blues are on the brink of elimination. It takes a team effort to win and a team effort to lose. Game 5 saw the Blues miss many opportunities and completely sit back as the Sharks mounted a rally and an eventual win. Need proof? Consider how they played with the goalie pulled.
That being said, Tarasenko’s invisibility act has put the Blues in a pretty tough spot. He was huge against the Blackhawks (4 goals, 2 assists) and strong against the Stars (3 goals, 4 assists). Against the Sharks, he has zero points through five games while only having 12 shots on goal. Particularly troubling is the fact he had just four shots spread across Games 3, 4 and 5. This isn’t a case of a shooter needing to get on the right side of his shooting percentage. This is the case of a star not shooting at all, not getting into open space on the ice and not doing anything with the puck when it’s on his tape.
What’s causing Tarasenko to look so completely lost on the ice?
Should we give credit to the Sharks?
The Sharks have played Tarasenko extremely well. They have limited his time and space and they’ve been able to clog up his shooting and passing lanes. That being said, regardless of how well the Sharks have played, Tarasenko has to find space and do more with the puck when he is able to secure a moment or two of time. The Sharks have played well, but other teams have done just as good – if not better – when it comes to marking and defending. Tarasenko has shown he can burst through, but he may be running out of time in this series.
Is there an injury?
The way Tarasenko is moving around the ice, it almost looks like he is lacking confidence and shying away from areas where he might take a big hit. That could be an indication there’s a lingering injury no one is talking about. Don’t be surprised to hear of an injury should the Blues get bumped out of the third round. Aside from the usual bumps and hits, the only time Tarasenko looked pretty dinged up was after Brent Burns’ cheap punch to the ribs.
Are there distractions?
Tarasenko recently welcomed his first son to the world. That’s a pretty big distraction for any individual, let alone a hockey player who is being counted on in the Conference Finals. Should things not be going well at home and Tarasenko is aware of it, that could play a major factor in a player’s mental state.
Will he finally show up?
Game 6 is a now-or-never game for Tarasenko and the Blues. As one of the team’s leaders and the owner of a huge contract, Tarasenko is paid to shine in these moments. Will he reappear?
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