SAN JOSE – The San Jose Sharks would possibly get top-line ahead Alexander Barabanov again from injured reserve Tuesday once they open a four-game highway journey towards the New York Islanders.
Sharks coach David Quinn will take any assist he can get, particularly after seeing his crew rating simply six targets in 4 video games thus far this season. However he additionally doesn’t wish to let everybody else off the hook for what’s been one of many worst begins in franchise historical past.
“As a lot because it’s going to be nice to have him, the 22 guys we have now right here, they’ve acquired to look within the mirror and simply be a bit bit higher,” Quinn mentioned of Barabanov after the Sharks’ 5-2 loss to the rebuilding Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday. “They don’t have to consider anything.
“I do know they’ll try this. I've a variety of religion in them, and I think about our management group and our captains that can get this proper.”
However do the Sharks’ gamers have sufficient religion in themselves proper now?
Their confidence has been shaken after they’ve blown a lead in every of their final three video games to fall to 0-4-0 for simply the third time in 31 seasons. Of their 4 straight losses, they’ve been outscored 9-1 within the second interval, as strong begins gave approach to dangerous puck administration and questionable defensive efforts.
Saturday, a 2-0 Sharks lead after 20 minutes was a 3-2 deficit after 40. The Blackhawks within the second interval scored rapidly after they killed a San Jose energy play, and added two others whereas shorthanded, because of some keystone cops-like protection by the Sharks round their very own internet.
“Our second intervals haven’t been good because the first sport in Prague. I feel that’s fairly apparent,” mentioned Sharks defensemen Erik Karlsson, who had a aim and an help Saturday however was additionally on the ice for the 2 shorthanded targets.
“We now have extra character on this room than we present on the ice, and it’s unlucky. I feel at present’s sport harm a bit bit greater than the opposite three possibly, and it’s going to be as much as us how we reply to this, and what we do about it.
“Win or lose on Tuesday, over the course of 60 minutes, our effort must be lots higher.”
The Sharks’ prime two traces thus far have mixed for simply three targets and none within the final two video games.
Timo Meier, desperately wanted to be an offensive catalyst, has only one help and continues to be with no aim regardless of 19 pictures on internet. Meier had a plus/minus ranking of -3 on Saturday in 17:43 of ice time, his lowest whole of the season. Tomas Hertl has been held with no level since he scored the Sharks’ first aim of the season.
Third-line forwards Nick Bonino, Oskar Lindblom and Matt Nieto have mixed for one help.
Maybe the most important problem on offense for Quinn, although, has been the efficiency of the facility play, which is 1-for-16 by means of 4 video games.
A case may be made that if the Sharks had scored one other power-play aim of their second sport towards Nashville, and simply as soon as with the person benefit towards Carolina and Chicago, they may simply have three wins proper now.
As an alternative, they’ve matched the winless begins of the 2019-2020 and 1993-1994 Sharks groups by means of 4 video games. The 1993-1994 crew started the 12 months 0-8-1.
Quinn favored how the Sharks’ energy play seemed within the preseason however that it’s been far too free the final two video games.
“I feel it’s a bit bit possibly immaturity,” Quinn mentioned. “Perhaps they wish to rating so badly, they only don’t make the easy performs and are possibly not consumed with the method and the fundamentals of what a profitable energy play does.
“We’ve acquired to get again to doing the issues we have been doing early on. We felt good concerning the path of our energy play by means of coaching camp and thru the exhibition season, and as soon as the common season began, particularly in these final two video games, we’ve actually value ourselves.”
Perhaps Barabanov will help on all fronts. Quinn mentioned he’ll take a look at making adjustments to the highest line and if Barabanov returns to that position, that provides the Sharks teaching workers one other chess piece to maneuver round and maybe assist slot different forwards into correct positions.
The Sharks will take something they will get proper now.
“They must play higher. All of us watched it, they usually all understand it, they’ve acquired to play higher,” Quinn mentioned of his prime gamers. “And they'll. These guys are high-end gamers, and it’s early within the season, and we are able to’t let tonight get in the way in which of Tuesday.
“You’ve acquired to stay to it. You'll be able to’t abandon what it is advisable to do to achieve success, and I’ve acquired a variety of religion in our crew.”