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SAN JOSE — Enter Evander Kane. Exit Joe Pavelski.
After making due without Kane and Erik Karlsson for seven games, the Sharks will now need to figure out a way to make ends meet without a two-time Norris Trophy winner and their captain. Joe Pavelski missed just his second game in eight years on Monday, sitting out the Sharks game against the Vegas Golden Knights at SAP Center with a lower-body injury.
Pavelski appeared to suffer the injury in the first period of the Sharks loss to the Nashville Predators on Saturday, falling awkwardly on his right leg after he took a hit into the boards. Though he left the game for a chunk of the opening frame, he returned for the second and third periods. Still, he missed his first game because of injury since Jan. 11, 2011 on Monday. Pavelski had suited up for 649 of the Sharks previous 650 games, skipping the team’s season finale on April 8, 2017 to rest up for the playoffs.
Sharks coach Pete DeBoer labeled Pavelski’s injury as “a little longer than day to day,” which suggests that he’ll miss both of the team’s games in Southern California this week.
Here’s what we learned in the Sharks 7-3 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights:
1. Logan Couture is concerned. You should be, as well.
The thought at the forefront of Sharks fans’ minds after Monday’s loss: we could be on the golf course as early as May 1.
By completing their homestand with a winless record, the Sharks failed to clinch a playoff spot for a third straight game on Monday. As a result, the Sharks remain a single point behind the Calgary Flames for first place in the Western Conference standings, meaning they’d draw the third place Golden Knights in an opening-round series if the playoffs started today.
If Monday’s game served as a playoff preview, it’s probably a series that Sharks fans would prefer not to watch.
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The Golden Knights have looked like the superior team in all three of their meetings this season. The first bout was a 6-0 blowout on Nov. 24. Martin Jones stood on his head in round 2 on Jan. 10, making 36 saves on 38 shots to steal a couple of points in the desert. On Monday, the Knights out-skated the Sharks, set a physical tone and their backup goalie, Malcolm Subban, out-dueled Jones, who got chased from the game in the first period.
The Sharks looked dizzy trying to contain the Golden Knights speed. They gave up a breakaway to William Karlsson on the opening goal at 3:37 of the first. Mark Stone found a seam to blast in a one timer on the power play at 5:48 of the opening frame and Reilly Smith slipped behind the defense to make it 4-2 just 43 seconds into the third.
“I’m concerned. We haven’t played well,” Couture said. “We’re giving up too many chances, too many goals, too many easy goals. We’re giving up too many odd-man rushes. Every time we give them an opportunity like that, they’re going to put it in the back of our net.”
Couture helps the other team get it back. #SJSharks pic.twitter.com/En1RVdGT2W
— TEAL TOWN USA – A San Jose Sharks Podcast (@TEALTOWNUSA) March 19, 2019
At this point, it’s hard to find a lot of flaws in Vegas’ lineup. The line of Smith, Karlsson and Jonathan Marchessault looked as dangerous as last season, combining for 10 points on Monday. With the additions of Mark Stone, Paul Stastny and Max Pacioretty, the Golden Knights now have a shutdown line that’s combined to score 62 goals. In addition, the defense is mobile and the fourth line packs a lot of punch thanks to Ryan Reaves.
The big question mark right now is Marc-André Fleury’s health. Fleury missed Monday’s game with a lower-body injury. If it’s a muscle injury, the NHL’s wins (35) and shutouts leader (8) might not be fully healed for the playoffs, taking Vegas’ queen off the chessboard.
Regardless, the Sharks aren’t looking that far down the road. The team’s focus right now is earning that top seed in the Western Conference, which would give them a first-round matchup against a playoff team.
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“You can’t think about that. You’ve got to get ready for L.A.,” defenseman Justin Braun said, referring to Thursday’s showdown with the Los Angeles Kings at Staples Center. “You can’t be worried about what you’re doing three weeks from now. We need to get points now. It doesn’t matter what’s happened in the past, you’ve just got to keep rolling forward.”
2. Jones gives DeBoer something to think about.
DeBoer wanted to start Jones in every game with meaning down the stretch. He walked it back a little bit on Monday after giving his goalie the hook at 12:24 of the first.
The Sharks coach pulled Jones after he coughed up three goals on 11 shots. Jones let Karlsson’s breakaway attempt slide past his left pad early in the period. Then, after Stone scored the Golden Knights second goal, he let Marchessault score from a sharp angle after he overcommitted to his blocker side.
The performance ended up being particularly disappointing considering that the Sharks caught a break with Fleury’s injury. Though Jones had posted a .917 save percentage in seven March starts, his lackluster start on Monday provided a reminder of why goaltending is the Sharks biggest concern heading toward the playoffs.
Vegas buries another lucky one. If I was this lucky, I'd never leave Vegas. Jones out, Dell in for the #SJSharks pic.twitter.com/2RVsZTVYse
— TEAL TOWN USA – A San Jose Sharks Podcast (@TEALTOWNUSA) March 19, 2019
After the Sharks morning skate, DeBoer said that Jones would get the call in the blue paint “until we don’t have anything left to play for.” He left a little more wiggle room after the game.
“I haven’t thought about who we’re starting,” the Sharks coach said. “Jonesy’s a great goalie. He’s been a great goalie for us all year. We’ll sit down tomorrow, take a deep breath, look at the tape and come up with a plan for the next game.”
3. Knights, Sharks set a physical tone for a potential playoff series.
A lot of games get labeled as “playoff like” by players, coaches and media at this time of year. Monday’s game truly looked like a playoff bout.
Micheal Haley and Ryan Reaves got into a shoving match early in the first after the Knights agitator bumped the Sharks enforcer on their way to the bench. Haley tried to fight Reaves later in the period after he leveled Melker Karlsson with a clean hit along the boards. The Sharks tough guy earned a roughing penalty for trying to pull Reaves off the Knights bench.
“I didn’t even see the hit,” Haley said. “You see the reaction and that’s what I had to go on.”
Reaves drills Melker #SJSharks pic.twitter.com/On90n3lxMs
— TEAL TOWN USA – A San Jose Sharks Podcast (@TEALTOWNUSA) March 19, 2019
Joe Thornton also got into a hacking contest with Shea Theodore in the first. In the second, he took an interference penalty after he flattened the Knights defenseman with an unnecessary hit.
Per Randy, Hedi, and Bakes, Theodore sells the Jumbo hit. #SJSharks pic.twitter.com/xkT53yus2j
— TEAL TOWN USA – A San Jose Sharks Podcast (@TEALTOWNUSA) March 19, 2019
Though the Sharks went blow for blow with the Knights, they paid the price, coughing up a pair of power play goals. Stone’s goal came after Haley took an offensive zone penalty in the first and Stastny scored the Knight’s fourth goal in the aftermath of Thornton’s infraction.
“It was a hard-fought game. Two physical teams,” DeBoer said. “We know we’re not going to take a backseat physically to anybody with our lineup. They probably feel the same way.”
