SAN JOSE – Perhaps the Sharks’ biggest strength in recent weeks – beyond getting outstanding individual performances from second-year center Macklin Celebrini and rookie goalie Yarsolav Askarov — has been their ability to get past a bad game.
The Sharks, regrettably, are in that position again going into Friday’s home matinee against the Vancouver Canucks, as they try to bounce back from their most lopsided loss of the season.
On their heels from the start, the Sharks were blasted 6-0 by the NHL-leading Colorado Avalanche in Denver on Wednesday night as they allowed two goals in the first period and three more in the second.
Nothing went right for the Sharks as Askarov, through no fault of his own, was pulled early in the second period after the fourth goal. San Jose also managed only a handful of quality scoring chances as it was shut out for the third time this season.
Now it’s a matter of correcting those issues – the lack of compete and physicality, along with some mental errors and defensive breakdowns – in time for their game against the Canucks, who are coming off a 5-4 win over the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday.
“To get better and to be a good team, you can’t dwell on the past,” Sharks forward Adam Gaudette said Thursday. “If you have an off night, the most important thing is the response the next game. You can’t let those losses stack up.”
The Sharks (11-10-3) haven’t, as after their last seven losses, they’ve responded with a win six times.
The most recent example came last weekend, when, after a 3-2 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Saturday, the Sharks responded the next day with a 3-1 victory over the Boston Bruins.
The Senators outcompeted the Sharks for most of the final two periods. But after what coach Ryan Warsofsky called an “honest” talk the next morning, the Sharks responded with a much better overall effort – combined with a tremendous performance from Askarov – to finish what was a four-game homestand on a positive note.
“You hope at some point it clicks, and you don’t have to have a response after a letdown, and you grow your team, and you grow your game,” Warsofsky said Thursday. “But for where we are as an organization, with the (youth) on our team, we’re probably going to have some nights where we maybe take a step forward, and a few games later, we take a little bit of a step back.
“We’ve got to, as coaches, challenge that and try to teach through that, demand more, and have an understanding of what it looks like when we have success. I think our group has responded pretty well for the most part this year.”
Much better than the previous few years, anyway. As the Sharks went 20-50-12 last season, they had five losing streaks of at least six games and responded to a loss with a win only 13 times.
This season, after a 0-4-2 start, the Sharks’ longest losing skid is two games, as they lost on the road to Calgary and Seattle on Nov. 13 and 15. That’s allowed the Sharks to stay near the playoff cutline, as they entered Thursday two points back of the second and final wild card spot in the Western Conference.
The Sharks will fly to Las Vegas right after Friday’s game to play the Golden Knights on Saturday.
“There’s just a better product on ice, and a bigger belief that we’re a good team in here,” Sharks winger Ryan Reaves said. “When you start believing that, those losses don’t mean as much. A loss is a loss, but you’ve got to move on, and good teams learn how to move on.”
CELEBRINI SITS
Celebrini was given a maintenance day on Thursday but will play Friday, said Warsofsky, adding that the Sharks’ leading scorer and No. 1 center isn’t dealing with anything specific.
“Just a lot of hockey for him,” Warsofsky said. “Just going through the wear of it all, just kind of dealing with bumps and bruises, and (Celebrini’s) no different.”
Celebrini had 20:47 in ice time on Wednesday and played late into the third period. Celebrini centered the Sharks’ top line with William Eklund and Will Smith and had three shots on net, 11 shot attempts, and won seven of 17 faceoffs. The Sharks’ power play created some scoring opportunities but still went 0-for-4.
SKINNER, MISA TIMELINES
Forwards Jeff Skinner and Michael Misa, both out with lower-body injuries, skated again on Thursday and could, if they continue to progress, join the Sharks for their next scheduled practice on Tuesday.
Skinner, 33, was injured in the first period of the Sharks’ game against the Calgary Flames on Nov. 13 as his right leg crashed hard into the boards while he was competing for a loose puck. Misa, 18, was injured during the Sharks’ morning skate on Nov. 5 before a road game against the Seattle Kraken.
“We’re rolling with 12 forwards, and it’s been a challenge to get through it, but it is what it is,” Warsofsky said. “We miss (Skinner) on the power play, and he can obviously create some offense. Misa is continuing to develop as a young center, so he gives us another option.”
Warsofsky said he wasn’t sure about the plan for Misa, whether he’ll join the Barracuda on a conditioning stint or be loaned to Team Canada for next month’s IIHF World Junior Championship in Minnesota. The Canadians are beginning their training camp in Niagara Falls, Ontario, on Dec. 12