The Vancouver Canucks delivered the San Jose Sharks their most recent 7-4 loss on Saturday before heading into the holiday break.
San Jose sits at 8th in the Pacific Division with a 9-22-3 record. Following their first road win against the Detroit Red Wings, the Sharks are 2-5-1 in their last eight games. The team’s skid comes after several impressive multi-goal comebacks and the appearance of offensive life.
In four of the last five losses, the Sharks were outshot. Tuesday’s 4-1 loss to the Kings saw the Sharks outshot more than double at 39-16.
The Sharks’ last good defensive show came in their 1-0 loss to the Arizona Coyotes. Since then the team has given up six, four, five, and seven goals: 22 in their last four games.
Between loose play, turnovers, and fatigue, the holiday break comes at a good time for the Sharks. December also had much travel with eight road games and two more to come in Los Angeles and Colorado.
In three of the Sharks’ last five games, goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood started, and his save percentage now sits at .76 percent.
“You can’t blame him [Blackwood] on any of them,” head coach David Quinn said following the loss to the Canucks.
Three of the seven goals went in off deflections in Saturday’s game. The team will look to tighten up their defensive play around the net.
“It’s too easy to stand in front of our net right now. We’re going to change that and it’s gonna get fixed,” Quinn said.
Following the Canucks loss defenseman Mario Ferraro said, “Managing the puck are our mistakes. A lot of our issues were happening in the neutral zone, or maybe sometimes the offensive zone. They capitalized on our turnovers.”
Ferraro had a career-high three assists in the loss and logged 27:43 minutes of ice time.
“I love everything about his game,” Quinn said about Ferraro on Saturday. “I think he’s playing with such poise and confidence. This is the best hockey he’s played since I’ve been here, over the last five-six weeks.”
Team Teal will return to play on Dec. 27 against the Los Angeles Kings for a one-game road trip. The last home game before the new year will be against the Edmonton Oilers on Dec. 28.
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Featured image courtesy of San Jose Sharks on NHL.com
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