SAN JOSE — The Sharks are going to get tested in a variety of ways over the next two-plus months as they go through what’s so far been their most challenging season in recent memory.
One of those ways might be how they stick together.
It was tested Saturday after a couple of questionable hits by Tampa Bay Lightning defensemen, including one that drew the ire of the normally level-headed Patrick Marleau.
After Marleau was unceremoniously dumped into the end boards by Erik Cernak with less than two minutes left in the third period at SAP Center, he got up, and skated toward the Lightning defenseman and gave him a stiff cross check to the lower back.
After the whistle, Marleau again confronted Cernak to let him know of his displeasure in no uncertain terms. A scrum quickly ensued, with Brent Burns also stepping in to get in Cernak’s face. The Lightning won 3-0, sending the Sharks to their fifth loss in six games.
The play was compounded with a questionable first period hit by Kevin Shattenkirk on Sharks center Joel Kellman, in nearly the same spot on the ice. Kellman was injured on the play, as he too fell awkwardly into the boards following the collision. Brayden Point also appeared to slew-foot Erik Karlsson on a play in the third period.
Sharks interim coach Bob Boughner was asked whether he was satisfied with the response of his team in a chippy game.
Marleau disrespected by Cernak. #SJSharks #GoBolts pic.twitter.com/pDssuCwZcq
— TEAL TOWN USA – A San Jose Sharks Podcast (@TEALTOWNUSA) February 2, 2020
“The game’s changed a little bit now,” Boughner said. “Of course you’d like to … I thought we did a decent job of being physical and hitting and finishing our hits too, and it’s a physical game. You don’t want any liberties taken on your players, or cheap shots.
“We do a good job of sticking up for ourselves and getting in there as a group of five. Not too overly concerned about our response to any of that.”
Boughner did not have a health update on Kellman, who played one more shift in the second period before he sat out the rest of the game. The Sharks have the day off Sunday and are scheduled to practice Monday before they leave to play Calgary on Tuesday and Edmonton on Thursday.
Sharks goalie Aaron Dell, asked about the play involving Kellman, said, “You’ve got to look after each other. It maybe could have been a penalty, I haven’t really seen the replay of it yet. It’s one of those plays that someone’s got to step in and look out for him.”
Cernak’s hit on Marleau evoked memories of MacKenzie Weegar’s hit on Evander Kane in a game between the Sharks and Florida Panthers on Dec. 8.
No penalty was called at the time, but the hit caught Kane’s shoulder and he said his head, as he went down on the ice. Later in the period, Kane went at Weegar, and the two dropped their gloves for a brief fight at the 4:16 mark of the second period.
“It’s just about sticking up for yourself,” Kane said then. “We need a little more of that. Guy hits me in the head and no call. You’ve got to protect yourself. Nobody else is going to protect you on the ice. Not the refs, not the other team.
“Sometimes, you’ve got to stick up for yourself.”
Other takeaways from Saturday.
1. A lack of finish: The Sharks were playing their first game without both Logan Couture and Tomas Hertl. They still managed to create a handful of quality scoring chances, particularly in the second period, but couldn’t beat Lightning goalie Curtis McElhinney, who finished with 30 saves.
“I had a couple Grade A chances cut couldn’t find the back of the net,” Sharks winger Timo Meier said.
The loss of Couture for at least the next few weeks and Hertl for the rest of the season obviously heightens the importance for the Sharks to play a tighter defensive game. But when they do get chances, they have to bury them.
The Sharks had four shots on goals with the man advantage as they went 0-for-3 on the power play. Boughner lamented some missed chances, as Burns and Kevin Labanc missed the net on quality looks.
“We’re getting the looks that we want, it’s just bearing down, and that’s the difference right now to give ourselves a chance,” Boughner said. “We’re not scoring a lot 5-on-5 so we need our power play to catch a little fire.
“It wasn’t for a lack of chances, it was more about executing.”
Here's Aaron Dell's save on Kucherov. Tampa out shot San Jose 13-2 in the first. This is one reason why it remains scoreless. #SJSharks | #GoBolts pic.twitter.com/J5tequcUoE
— TEAL TOWN USA – A San Jose Sharks Podcast (@TEALTOWNUSA) February 2, 2020
2. Dell gives the Sharks a chance: The Sharks could have been buried early as they had to kill three penalties in the first period.
But Dell allowed the Sharks a chance to find their legs, as he stopped 13 shots in the first 20 minutes, including two on the penalty kill and other quality stops on Victor Hedman and Brayden Point
“I’d like to see us have a better start tonight,” Boughner said. “We took a few penalties against a high skill team. But the penalty kill did their job and gave us chance, Deller gave us a chance. He was great all night. Just couldn’t find that goal.”
3. Vlasic honored: The Sharks honored defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic with a ceremony before Saturday’s game. Vlasic played his 1,000th game with the franchise Dec. 14 at home against the Canucks.
Joined by his wife, Martine, and one of their dogs on one end of the ice, Vlasic was given a silver stick by general manager Doug Wilson, a crystal award from the NHL, a Hydrofoil surfboard by his teammates and a 1.5 liter bottle of champagne by the Sharks’ trainers and medical staff.
Vlasic was also given a painting of himself in Sharks home and away jerseys, and the Team Canada jersey he wore at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.
“I’ve seen so many over the years, it’s pretty routine,” Vlasic said. “I’ve been through it, as one of the players watching it. It was my turn to go through it.”
