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Shark Bites: The bye-week timing is perfect + weekend notes to chew on |
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The San Jose Sharks have reached their league mandated bye-week. It's a five-day hiatus from the grind of a long NHL season and the timing is perfect. Like really perfect.
The Sharks completed a very busy weekend, earning three of a possible four points. San Jose thumped the Desert Dogs in Arizona, flew home, then dropped another overtime contest - this time it was Boston with the dagger.
For such a short month, the Sharks have played a ton of hockey. The teal and black played nine games in 17 days with five of the nine reaching overtime or beyond. The results haven't been there either - San Jose lost all five OT games. Thanks to the loser point the Sharks haven't leave empty-handed though. If you want the glass-half-full perspective - they have points in seven of those nine games - despite a 3-1-5 overall record.
Still....
Earning points or not - losing stinks and is physically tiresome and mentally taxing. This break at least gives the Sharks a chance to recharge their batteries and rest those weary bodies.
Here's a few notes from the weekend I put together as we enjoy (or don't enjoy) a Sharkless hockey week.
- When SJ defeated AZ, 4-, on Saturday it was only the third win of the month. Oddly enough, all three wins have been by the exact same 4-1 score. Feast or famine folks.
- Brent Burns had three points (2g 1a) this past weekend, giving him 64 points this season. He is third overall in the league and don't be surprised if he is on top of that list when all is said and done.
- Burns now has 27 goals. He had tied his own record (set last season) for most goals by a Sharks' defenseman and he did it 3/4 of a season. Fun Fact: He has the fourth most goals by a defenseman in a two-year span since the late 80's.
- More Burns - his level of play right now is near legendary. His snap-shot is unreal and is regularly making NHL goalies look silly. Noted Shark killer, Mike Smith, was fooled twice by Burns thus ending the aura of invincibility Smith has had over SJ this season.
- I thought Aaron Dell played his best game on Saturday vs. Arizona. He stopped a career high 38 shots and looked confident and regularly challenged the Coyotes to shoot. I hope to see more of this as Martin Jones gets more rest down the stretch.
- The Sharks have scored the games first goal 37 times this season and have a ridiculous 28-8-1 record in those games. Understandable.
- Joe Thornton is heating up. He was held pointless on Sunday vs. Boston, but before that, the ageless wonder had points in five straight (2g 4a) and seven points this month. He is only two assists away from 1,000. There is no doubt that Jumbo Joe is one of the games all-time great playmakers and one of the Sharks' greatest.
- The Sharks 4th line of Melker Karlsson, Chris Tierney and Michael Haley have been playing very well of late. The trio dominated Arizona every time they stepped on the ice. They were rewarded for the hard work with two goals and three assists. Teams that win the Stanley Cup do so with four solid lines. Good sign.
- Nikolay Goldobin was sent back to AHL. I really like what I saw from his early but it was obvious by Sunday afternoon he needs more time to develop. I thought he looked pretty good on Saturday with four SOG in just under 12 minutes of ice time. Goldobin was quick, creative and even made a couple of plays defensively. All the warm and fuzzies didn't last long. He quickly fell out of favor in the Boston game and didn't play in the third period. Goldobin had zero SOG and was a minus-1 in the OT loss.
- The Sharks have 21 games remaining following the break and only nine of them are on the road. At 35-18-7, 77 points and a five-point lead in the Pacific, the Sharks are set up for another strong finish and perhaps another big playoff run. Like I said above, the timing of this bye-week is perfect. Thank you schedule makers.
thanks for reading,
Steve
San Jose Sharks Blogger • 
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