Boughner feels Sharks’ power forward is finding his ‘sweet spot’
SAN JOSE >> San Jose Sharks interim coach Bob Boughner feels Timo Meier has been as physical in the last three or four weeks as he has all season.
With that, Meier has seen his offensive numbers pick up as well.
Meier has two goals and three assists in his last four games and going into Monday’s home date with the Calgary Flames, now leads the Sharks with 11 points in 14 games since the start of January.
From Boughner’s perspective, it’s starts with Meier using his 6- foot, 210-pound frame to greater effect, playing more on the inside to create traffic in front of the opposing net and generate scoring opportunities.
“He’s finishing a lot of hits,” Boughner said. “I think he’s found that sweet spot of where he’s got to be. Now he’s getting paid off for it offensively, so it’s an easy sell that way.”
Meier had two goals and an assist in the Sharks’ 6-3 win over Edmonton on Thursday.
His first goal came after he stationed himself in front of the Oilers’ net and redirected Brent Burns’ point shot past goalie Mikko Koskinen.
Meier’s second goal came on a snap shot from near the faceoff dot, but his third point of the game was an textbook example of what Boughner wants from his 23-year- old power forward.
Meier collected the puck along the wall inside the Oilers zone, sent it around the boards and behind the net to Joe Thornton. Meier then darted toward the crease — beating Leon Draisaitl to the front of the net — and took the pass back from Thornton. Meier’s shot went off Kevin Labanc to give the Sharks a 6-3 lead with 7:41 to go in the third period.
“As a team, we have to do a better job of that, get to their crease, stop in front, find some ugly goals in front of the opponent’s net,” Meier said. “That’s where most of the goals are scored in the NHL, so you’ve got to be winning to pay the price to go there.”
Meier’s not quite having the season he envisioned after he signed a four-year, $24 million contract extension last summer. Neither are the Sharks, for that matter, with a 24-27- 4 record.
Still, with 18 goals in 55 games so far, Meier’s only two goals behind the pace he had in 2018-19 when he finished with a careerhigh 30. If Meier can stick with this more direct style of play, he could match last season’s goal total and reestablish a foundation for how he has to go about his business going forward.
“That’s the one thing we try and hammer ( home) with him all the time, and constantly watching video of when he does it and when he doesn’t, and what kind of player he has to be to have success,” Boughner said. “Inside, he’s paying more attention, he’s protecting pucks, not throwing pucks away as much. His details defensively are a lot better right now, too.”
“I always measure myself on team success,” Meier said. “So far, it’s been disappointing, but there’s still a lot of games left, For me, it’s focusing on the team success. I know everything else is coming when we work as a team.
“I’m trying to go out there and think team-first and do whatever I can to help the team be successful, and then automatically, you’re getting your goals and your points.”
• It appears the Sharks will be keeping the same forward lines and defense pairs for Monday’s game as they had for their road wins over Calgary and Edmonton.
Besides Meier playing with Thornton and Labanc, Patrick Marleau has been playing with Evander Kane and Barclay Goodrow to round out the Sharks’ top six forward group without both Logan Couture and Tomas Hertl.
“The reason we put Patty up with Kane and Goodrow is we sort of needed that shutdown line and Patty’s very responsible, and they’ve had some chemistry,” Boughner said. “And the young guys have done the job on the third and fourth ( lines). Right now, anyways, I think the combinations are working.”
• Center Joel Kellman practiced with the Sharks for the first time since he was injured Feb. 1. He is eligible to come off injured reserve but is not expected to play against the Flames. Boughner said Kellman will likely be available when the Sharks visit Winnipeg and Minnesota on Feb. 14 and 15, respectively.
Kellman could be activated for Monday’s game and just be a scratch if he is deemed ready to play by the Sharks’ medical staff. Otherwise the Sharks will recalled a forward from the Barracuda.