The Wings are now in a 2-0 hole after their 2-1 loss Sunday afternoon 
at the hands of the San Jose Sharks. Detroit now heads home looking for answers on how to turn around their Western Conference Semifinal series against the Sharks who were able to take them out in five games last year.
So what has led to the early success for San Jose? Is it the play of Niemi whose looked better in this series against the Wings then he did in the first round against the Los Angeles Kings? Is it the San Jose defense whose been able to keep the opportunities for Detroit to a minimum? Or is it just San Jose being an overall better team than Detroit in these first two games?
Art Regner of FoxSportsDetroit.com points out that San Jose’s success could be attributed to insider information coming from former assistant and current Sharks head coach Todd McLellan who was on Mike Babcock’s coaching staff from 2005-2008.
It has been an ugly, ugly, ugly trip that the Wings have been on against the Sharks lately, and if you’re looking for blame, look no further than to San Jose coach Todd McLellan.
McLellan, a Red Wings assistant from 2005 through ’08, has transformed a fragile and tentative Sharks team into a battering ram of confidence against the Red Wings.In all phases of the game (except for goaltending), the Sharks have been better. They seem to anticipate the Wings’ every move. It’s as if they’ve been in Detroit’s team meetings.
And guess what? In a roundabout way, they have.
So does McLellan’s knowledge of the Detroit system play any factor in San Jose’s lead in this series?
Sure it does.
However, the Wings are too good of a team and Mike Babcock is too good of a coach to be stymied by a former assistant. I wouldn’t use this as an excuse and I’m sure the Wings wont either.
I expect a much better game from Detroit come Wednesday night.
Source: FoxSportsDetroit.com
