The NHL is back, and we are well underway in the new season, with many teams having played as many as 25 games. The San Jose Sharks have had some very good results this season, but it has been a mixed one overall, having lost almost as many games as they have won.
The Sharks actually kicked off the regular season in terrific form, following a preseason that saw them win half of their games and lose the remaining three. Their first game saw them host the Winnipeg Jets, who currently sit third in the Central Division of the Western Conference. It was a closely fought affair that would end in a 4-3 victory for the San Jose team.
Their next three games would then all come up against Atlantic Division sides from the Eastern Conference. The first followed their opening day victory against the Jets with a 5-0 thrashing of the Montreal Canadiens, before a low scoring game that they narrowly won 1-2 away to the Ottawa Senators. It was the kind of form that saw them make the Western Conference finals back in 2016. The big shock came in their next game though.
They travelled away to the Toronto Maple Leafs, a team who currently sit second in the Atlantic Division, but who didn’t get off to the best start to their 2021 campaign. In fact, some of the top betting sites were offering odds to suggest that the Leafs are one of the favorites this season to make the playoffs. But despite the odds being stacked against them, the Sharks turned out an impressive display, beating them 3-5 to give them a 4-0 record for the season so far.
It was the kind of form that saw NHL odds favoring them to make the playoffs. They started the season at +7000, making them highly unlikely with bettors to make the playoffs before a puck dropped. But following that open run of games with an impressive win over the Maple Leafs, their odds dropped to +3250, which still is an outside chance, but is much better than the +9120 they sit at now following the games that came next.
That’s because their winning run and impressive form against teams from the Eastern Conference ended there. It began with a closely fought contest against the Boston Bruins that would ultimately end in a 4-3 loss, however, they did show a lot of character having at one point in the game been down by three points. But the comeback didn’t quite come to completion. Still, it was a solid performance the team can be proud of.
Their next two games? Not so much. Their game against the Bruins was followed by another loss to the Central Division’s Nashville Predators, who skated out as 3-1 winners against the Sharks. Much of that was due to an excellent defensive display from the Predators, who managed to prevent the Sharks from registering a single point until the final third of the game.
Their next loss will be one of their more embarrassing though, as the team they beat weeks before 5-0, came back with a thirst for revenge. And once again the offensive players of the Sharks struggled massively, unable to register a single point, whilst also conceding four to the Canadiens. It will no doubt have been one of the low points of the season.
They did get back to winning ways following that though, as a Sharks team that has been heavily affected by COVID issues, managed to claim a second victory of the season over the Jets. It was another closely fought contest though, as the Sharks went one up in the second period, thanks to a fabulous strike from Tomáš Hertl. But the Jets pulled it back to one apiece, forcing overtime. However, some great play by the Sharks saw Timo Meier slot the puck into the back of the net to take the game 2-1.
The Sharks would then make it back-to-back wins in bizarre circumstances, as the COVID issues that plagued them in the previous game still hindered the roster. They were missing seven players and even coach Bob Boughner due to NHL COVID-19 protocols. But even with the heavy losses, the Sharks managed to take down the Atlantic Divison’s Buffalo Sabres in a 5-3 victory that would see Hertl on the score sheet once more, with two more goals to his name.
Sadly, the Sharks couldn’t put together another winning ways with a depleted team, as they suffered a 3-5 defeat hosting the Central Division’s St. Louis Blues. This was then followed up with another loss to the Metropolitan Divisions New Jersey Devils, albeit it going to overtime and a shootout to decide the winner. It was all level at 2-2 by the end of the third period, but the Sharks could claim the win, and fell to a 2-3 loss as the Devils won their shootout 1-2.
Up next for the Sharks was a trip to the Pacific Division’s Calgary Flames, who were having a decent season themselves. They had played the same number of games as the Sharks so far, albeit with one win more, and 3 out of their four losses this season have all been right at the death, each time narrowly losing out in overtime. But it wasn’t as close as the stats would’ve suggested, and the Sharks dominated, winning the game 4-1.
Sadly, since then, they once again faced two back-to-back defeats. Firstly to the Winnipeg Jets who the Sharks had already beaten this season. Then being thrashed 6-2 against the Colorado Avalanche.
The good news following that though was that the missing players and coach would all be back soon enough, and if the Sharks could capture that early season form that saw them win four on the bounce, they were well on track to make the playoffs. They managed a rocky period quite well considering how big an impact the COVID-19 protocols have impacted them, although they will rue some of the missed chances they’ve had to turn losses into wins this season.
They did pick themselves up following that last loss, beating the Minnesota Wilds 1-4, but sadly it wasn’t to be a moment where they recaptured their early season form. They followed that up with a 4-1 loss to the St. Louis Blues and a 4-0 loss to the Washington Capitals. Taking their record to 8-8 for the season.
They did turn things around though, with two back to back wins, with a surprise 2-1 overtime win against the Carolina Hurricanes, when Alexander Barabanov scored at the death. They then beat the Ottawa Senators 6-3, and it looked like the Sharks were back on top form. But despite a surprise win earlier in the season, they couldn’t make it three wins from three when they played the Maple Leafs again, losing 4-1.
Their next six games would see them win four, and lose two, leaving them at 14-11, and 4th in the Pacific Division. Whilst the playoffs aren’t impossible to reach, it is going to be a tough ask. But if they do make it form goes out the window, it all starts fresh. But there are plenty of games before the postseason starts, and up next for the Sharks are the Minnesota Wild, who they have a good record against so far. It all just depends which Sharks team turns up. The one who beat the Maple Leafs early on and stunned the Hurricanes in overtime. Or the team who has lacked any real fight at many times this season.
You must be logged in to post a comment.