DENVER \u2014 So the San Jose Sharks aren\u2019t the Colorado Avalanche yet.<\/p>\n
That much was clear, after the Stanley Cup contenders dominated the young upstarts wire to wire 6-0.<\/p>\n
But for the first time in a half-decade, led by the likes of Macklin Celebrini and Yaroslav Askarov and company, it feels like the Sharks, out of the playoffs since 2019, are going to get to where the Avs are.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt took them however many years to get there,\u201d Celebrini said. \u201cI think it just takes some time.\u201d<\/p>\n
Of course, it takes many steps from the literal cellar last year to Cup contender. But what\u2019s the next tangible step for San Jose?<\/p>\n
19-year-old Sam Dickinson was on the same page with his head coach.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust seeing how hard they compete, line one through four, all 60, it seems like they\u2019re always pulling their weight, doing their job,\u201d Dickinson said. \u201cAnd I think that\u2019s the key to a lot of really good teams is having everybody on the team going every single night.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Sharks, like many a young and talented squad, lack consistency.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs a team, having more of an understanding of how we need to play against top teams,\u201d Ryan Warsofsky said. \u201cEvery night, it\u2019s a challenge in this league. And you got to go out there and you got to play the right way. You got to compete. You got to be mentally engaged, and again, just starting the game on time.\u201d<\/p>\n
So far this season, San Jose has done all this some of the time, and goaltenders Askarov and Alex Nedeljkovic have papered over the rest of it. They may have a winning 11-10-3 record, but that\u2019s not a winning formula.<\/p>\n
They were a step behind from the drop of the puck tonight.<\/p>\n
Good thing, the Sharks know it.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think we just came out tonight and got a little too into the mindset of maybe he\u2019s just gonna win us another game again,\u201d Dickinson said of Askarov, the best goalie in the NHL in the month of November, before tonight. \u201cIt\u2019s just not how it works.\u201d<\/p>\n
Macklin Celebrini<\/p>\n
Celebrini, on what it means to be an \u201ceveryday\u2019er\u201d:<\/p>\n
Show up every day, compete, do everything you can to win.<\/p>\n
Celebrini, on next, immediate step for Sharks to get closer to Avs\u2019 level:<\/p>\n
It took them however many years to get there. Obviously, they\u2019re the best team in the league, and they have one regulation loss this year, so I think it just takes some time.<\/p>\n
Celebrini, on anything that he learned from tonight:<\/p>\n
We got waxed. They\u2019re a great hockey team.<\/p>\n
Sam Dickinson<\/p>\n
Dickinson, on San Jose Sharks\u2019 slow start:<\/p>\n
Just didn\u2019t really come prepared. I mean, that\u2019s the best team in the league, and that\u2019s where we want to be. So just shows how much work we\u2019ve got to do and put into it to get to that level.<\/p>\n
Dickinson, on next step for Sharks to get closer to Avs\u2019 level:<\/p>\n
Just seeing how hard they compete, line one through four, all 60, it seems like they\u2019re always pulling their weight, doing their job. And I think that\u2019s the key to a lot of really good teams is having everybody on the team going every single night. It just seems like that\u2019s what they get every night.<\/p>\n
Dickinson feels “terrible” for Askarov: “He’s won us a lot of games. I think we just came out tonight & got a little too into the mindset of maybe he’s just gonna win us another game again. It’s just not how it works. Hung him out to dry, feel terrible for him.”<\/p>\n