After absorbing their worst defeat of the year, the San Jose Sharks will be looking for a response Saturday against the Florida Panthers.
The Sharks reverted to some bad habits during their 8-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday, as they strayed from their identity and were generally outworked from start to finish. The seven-goal loss was the Sharks’ most lopsided of the season, unceremoniously ending a three-game winning streak.
While the Sharks have been playing better hockey lately, the loss in Tampa offered a blunt reminder that they can still get embarrassed when their details and competitive level are not where they need to be, particularly against playoff-caliber teams.
“Break out pucks, defend hard, box out, you name it,” Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky told reporters when asked about the defense’s shortcomings. “What a defenseman’s responsibilities are, we could have done a lot better.”
The forward group wasn’t let off the hook, either.
“Didn’t pay a price,” Warsofsky said. “You watch (the Lightning), they’re blocking shots. (Mikey) Eyssimont), (Luke) Glendining (when it’s) 8-1. And that’s the price to pay to win games in this league and that’s what we’ve got to learn.”
The Sharks have done a fairly good job this season of responding after blowout defeats.
After an 8-3 road loss to the Winnipeg Jets on Oct. 18, they returned home and played a much more competitive game two days later against the Colorado Avalanche in a 4-1 loss. Two days after getting blown out 7-3 by the Vegas Golden Knights on Oct. 26, the Sharks erased a three-goal deficit in the final five minutes of the third period against the Utah Hockey Club and won 5-4 in overtime.
Now the Sharks face the reigning Stanley Cup champion Panthers, who, before Friday, were the third-highest scoring team in the NHL at 3.78 goals per game. Florida entered Friday tied for first place in the Atlantic Division with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
“I’m not deflated. It’s an 82-game season,” Sharks defenseman Mario Ferraro said after Thursday’s loss. “We’ve got another game in a couple of days and another opportunity to play a really good hockey team and surprise them. So it’s not deflating, but it’s definitely not something that’s acceptable, so we’ve got to be better.”
The Sharks have lost 10 straight games to the Panthers, with their last victory in South Florida coming on Dec.1, 2017.
The Sharks might have to face the Panthers without rookie forward Will Smith, who did not practice Friday. Warsofsky told San Jose Hockey Now that Smith is day-to-day with an upper-body injury, although it remained unclear when the 19-year-old was injured. Against the Lightning, Smith played late into the third period and finished with 15:50 in ice time.
Smith has 11 points in 23 games this season and has recently been playing on a line with Mikael Granlund and Klim Kostin.
Regardless of who plays against the Panthers, the Sharks still need to prove that they can consistently produce a strong performance against quality opponents.
“We’ll obviously take a look at everything and talk within the group and figure it out,” Sharks winger Luke Kunin said, “so it doesn’t happen again.”
GOODROW RETURNS: Forward Barclay Goodrow, who has been on injured reserve since Nov. 28 with an upper-body ailment, skated Friday, per San Jose Hockey Now. Goodrow was injured by a high hit from Ridly Greig in the Sharks’ Nov. 27 game against the Ottawa Senators. He is questionable to play against the Panthers.
TEDDY BEAR TOSS: The San Jose Barracuda are hosting its annual Teddy Bear Toss at Tech CU Arena on Saturday when it plays the Coachella Valley Firebirds at 6 p.m. Fans are urged to bring stuffed animals to the game and throw them on the ice after the Barracuda scores its first goal.
The Barracuda will then distribute some of the stuffed animals to children at local Kaiser Permanente hospitals, as well as other kids who might not get a gift during this time of year.
The AHL franchise is also joining forces with San Jose-based Working Partnerships USA, which, per the team, helps to tackle “the root causes of inequality and poverty by leading collaborative campaigns for quality jobs, healthy communities, equitable growth, and a vibrant democracy.”
For Saturday’s game, the Barracuda will also wear specialty jerseys that will be auctioned off after the game, with part of the proceeds going to Working Partnerships. The team is also giving away Barracuda stockings to the first 1,500 fans in the building.
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