Can the San Jose Sharks keep it going?<\/p>\n
While they fell 5-3 to the Dallas Stars on Thursday, it was striking how much more swagger that San Jose played with in that game, as opposed to the 4-1 loss at Dallas on Dec. 5.<\/p>\n
They played like a team that thought they were going to topple the Stars, overcoming three two-goal deficits before an empty netter sealed it for Dallas.<\/p>\n
Of course, a lot has transpired since that Dec. 5 tilt that began a five-game road trip. The Sharks ended that swing with two comeback victories at the Toronto Maple Leafs and Pittsburgh Penguins, then came home and trounced the Calgary Flames 6-3.<\/p>\n
The Penguins\u2019 comeback, of course, was the first time in franchise history that the team has come back from a four-goal third period deficit to win the game.<\/p>\n
Macklin Celebrini reflected on the differences between the Dallas contests, good measuring sticks for the Sharks, because the Stars are a no-doubt Stanley Cup contender.<\/p>\n
\u201cI mean, last time we played them, we were coming off a 7-1 loss, so there wasn\u2019t a lot of confidence in our group,\u201d he said, referencing the 7-1 loss to the Washington Capitals on Dec. 3. \u201cJust over the last couple games, we\u2019ve been playing better and playing more consistent and doing some really good things. So I think it\u2019s just going in that game, we had a lot of confidence and felt like we were able to kind of create a little bit more.\u201d<\/p>\n
This stretch of games, and riding that post-Penguins comeback high, could be key to the San Jose Sharks making the playoffs. They\u2019re obviously not going to go on a four-month hot streak just because of the Pens game, so they need to stack wins now, while they\u2019re still feeling themselves, to stave off an inevitable upcoming slump or two.<\/p>\n
Which brings us to the Seattle Kraken today. For the Sharks to make the post-season, they\u2019ll need to take care of opponents below them in the standings, like the Flames and Kraken, and hang with the best squads, like the Stars.<\/p>\n
San Jose Sharks (17-15-3)<\/p>\n
Yaroslav Askarov will start.<\/p>\n
Vincent Iorio is a last-minute replacement for Timothy Liljegren, who suffered an upper-body injury at morning skate.<\/p>\n
This will shake up defensive pairings, but also the power play, where Liljegren was on the second unit.<\/p>\n
Jeff Skinner and Sam Dickinson will re-enter the line-up:<\/p>\n
Graf-Celebrini-Chernyshov
Eklund-Wennberg-Toffoli
Skinner-Dellandrea-Gaudette
Goodrow-Ostapchuk-Reaves<\/p>\n
Orlov-Klingberg
Ferraro-Mukhamadullin
Dickinson-Iorio<\/p>\n
Askarov<\/p>\n
Warsofsky expanded on what he\u2019s looking for from Jeff Skinner<\/a>. Skinner spoke with San Jose Hockey Now about getting scratched on Thursday.<\/p>\n Warsofsky on what he wants to see from Jeff Skinner, who will get back in tonight: <\/p>\n “It comes (down) to the way we want to play with our structure and having good details and good habits. This is probably a little different situation than he’s been in in his career. But there’s\u2026<\/p>\n