SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 22: San Jose Sharks’ Noah Gregor (73) shoot for a purpose towards Tampa Bay Lightning’s Brian Elliott (1) within the third interval on the SAP Heart in San Jose, Calif., on Saturday, Jan. 22, 2022. (Shae Hammond/Bay Space Information Group)
SAN JOSE – How a lot pushback does this Sharks staff have?
Greater than that they had Saturday night time towards the Tampa Bay Lightning?
It gained’t take lengthy to seek out out.
The Sharks have been clobbered 7-1 by the Lightning at SAP Heart, sleepwalking by means of a lot of the first interval en path to their most lopsided lack of the season. The Sharks gave up 4 targets within the first 13 minutes and solely provided an occasional response, as they misplaced for the fourth time within the final 5 video games.
“That staff exposes you while you don’t compete. That’s it. Easy as that,” Sharks winger Andrew Cogliano stated of the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Lightning.
“They'll beat you while you compete at your highest stage. However while you don’t compete, and also you’re not even near their stage, it will get embarrassing actual quick.”
Whereas the Lightning seems absolutely able to successful a 3rd straight Cup, the Sharks look like light-years away. A number of of their greatest gamers are over 30 years outdated, their high centerman is likely to be traded or depart as a free agent, and their high prospects want time to mature earlier than they’re able to be impactful NHL gamers.
That’s the large image. Within the meantime, the Sharks may have no probability of beating the NHL’s greatest groups or remaining within the combine for a playoff spot in the event that they’re not prepared to defend exhausting or match their opponent’s work ethic.
“Clearly, we thought we have been near their stage,” Cogliano stated, “and it proves that we’re not even shut.”
This subsequent week earlier than the NHL all-star break might assist set the tone for a way the remainder of the season will unfold.
The Sharks open a four-game highway journey Wednesday towards the Washington Capitals, adopted by video games towards the Florida Panthers and Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. The Sharks end the journey on Feb. 1 towards this identical Lightning staff.
Florida and Tampa Bay entered Sunday tied atop the NHL’s general standings with 61 factors every, Carolina was fifth with 56 and Washington was tied for sixth with 55.
That is as powerful a highway journey as there may be within the NHL proper now.
“You have a look at our highway journey, Washington and Florida, Tampa, Carolina, it doesn’t get any simpler,” Sharks coach Bob Boughner stated after Saturday’s recreation. “If something, you higher take into consideration that one tonight and take into consideration what you'll want to do to compete towards the most effective groups.
“We’ve been good all 12 months. I’m not difficult this staff’s will or their ardour or their urgency. It was a type of nights the place we have been out-competed and it was males amongst boys, so simple as that.”
The Sharks (21-19-2) have 44 factors, are in fourth place within the Pacific Division, and have a tenuous grip on the Western Convention’s second wild-card spot.
Each the Calgary Flames and Dallas Stars are two factors again, with the Flames holding six video games in hand and the Stars having 4. The Edmonton Oilers and Winnipeg Jets are 4 factors again and may also overtake the Sharks with the variety of video games in hand that they've.
The Sharks may give themselves an emotional carry going into the second half of the season with some impressed performances towards a few of the NHL’s greatest groups. Or they'll fall out of a playoff spot altogether and spend the remainder of the season making an attempt to catch again up.
“It must be an enormous wake-up name for our staff that’s performed exhausting and battled by means of issues all season, however nobody actually cares,” Cogliano stated. “Nobody cares within the standings, and different groups are preventing for a similar place. They need us to lose and it’s on us to play exhausting and win video games and be shut in video games towards good groups.”
It seems the Sharks will get forwards Rudolfs Balcers and Jonah Gadjovich again for Wednesday’s recreation in D.C., however the availability of Erik Karlsson is extra in query. Karlsson missed Saturday’s recreation and is, for now, thought of day-to-day with an upper-body harm. Boughner, although, stated the two-time Norris Trophy-winning defenseman and the Sharks’ medical staff have been going to be discussing their choices.
If Karlsson has to overlook extra time, different gamers should fill the void. The Sharks’ protection was putrid towards the Lightning and should play a a lot tougher and tighter type towards the Capitals and different upcoming opponents.
“You possibly can’t have any success when you can’t match the compete, and that’s essentially the most discouraging factor for me,” Boughner stated. “We will at all times kind out the X’s and O’s, errors and private errors, however while you’re not able to play exhausting and do the other, play comfortable, that’s the difficulty.
“We’ve bought to be taught from it and put it behind us and prepare for the primary recreation of an necessary highway journey.”