The San Jose Sharks are on a historic losing streak. It may not be the longest of all time, but it’s close. After 11 straight losses to start the season, how will they get the monkey off their back? Their next game is on Tuesday, Nov. 7, against the Philadelphia Flyers, who many expected to be near the bottom of the standings along with the Sharks. They had a decent start but have started to regress, ranked sixth in the Metropolitan Division. This is one of the most winnable games the Sharks will have in the near future, but what do they need to do to finally walk away with a win?
Sharks Must Play as a Team
Head coach David Quinn has repeatedly discussed in his post-game availabilities that the Sharks haven’t played as a team. They’ve played as a group of individuals and that does not work in the NHL. They need to care about each other, stand up for one another, and be a unit – which is more difficult after all the roster turnover in recent seasons.
With so many new players, growing pains were expected. Between the Timo Meier trade, the Erik Karlsson trade, and free agent signings, many new faces joined the organization in the last 12 months. However, losing 11 in a row and giving up 20 goals in two games is more than just growing pains.
Their play is unacceptable. The players and coaching staff all called the first 10-goal game embarrassing, yet they did it again just a few nights later. Playing as a team will be the biggest thing toward getting a win against the Flyers.
Sharks Must Take Advantage of Flyers Injuries
The Sharks have suffered injuries to key players early this season. Logan Couture has yet to make his season debut, Mikael Granlund just recently returned to the lineup, and Alexander Barabanov is sidelined with an injury (but underperformed when healthy).
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The Flyers are experiencing the same issue. Sean Couturier and Carter Hart are two of their key players, and both are listed as day-to-day. This gives the Sharks a weakened opponent that otherwise might be difficult to beat. Their goaltending behind Hart has been abysmal, and for the first time this season, the Sharks have a clear advantage.
Right now, the Sharks are the underdogs, and as a result, it’s important for them to find small advantages and capitalize on them. Hart and Couturier have made the trip to San Jose, so there’s a chance they’ll be in the lineup, but either way, they’re unlikely to be at their best.
Sharks Must Focus on Defense
After giving up 10 goals in consecutive games, the Sharks managed something that hadn’t happened since the 1960s. The last time a team gave up 10 goals in back-to-back games was the Boston Bruins in 1965.
Offense has been mostly non-existent for the Sharks to start the season and focusing on defense could make their scoring issues even worse. If they can keep it 0-0 or even 1-1 and force overtime, anything can happen. Playing 3-on-3 could favor the Sharks, given their lack of offensive depth, but for that to happen, they need to focus on the defensive side of the game, tonight and in the future.
Related: San Jose Sharks’ Winless Streak Has No Obvious End in Sight
Winning one game will not help the Sharks turn their fortunes around for the rest of the season, but it could open the floodgates. For now, though, one win is the goal. If they’re able to accomplish that, it’ll get rid of some of the pressure they’re feeling, and it could turn into multiple wins in a short amount of time.