The situation is San Jose has gone from bad - to worse - to dire.

This time around I have no silver lining.There is nothing that I could possibly type to take away the sting of what has transpired over the last forty-eight hours. The Sharks (42-26-7) losing streak stretched to six-games and it's getting more embarrassing with each defeat.

On Friday night it was Dallas laying down a 6-1 smack down. Saturday was worse. The red hot Nashville Predators turned up the heat even more and poured on the offense in a 7-2 victory. Oddly enough, Pete Deboer said his team was more competitive in the Nashville game. The only competitive part of the game was all the rough-stuff towards the end.

If you're keeping track at home, the Sharks defense has fallen in disarray, allowed 13 goals against in six periods of hockey. This level of ineptitude has first round exit written all over it.

The Pacific Division is thoroughly up for grabs with the Sharks, Oilers and Ducks in a three-way tie for the lead with 91 points. Anaheim has a game in hand and the Flames are lurking in the weeds at 88 points.

San Jose's problems began long before the losing streak. Brent Burns' troubles have moved past slumping and into the category of "uh oh." Martin Jones and Aaron Dell might not be the rock solid tandem we thought they'd be. Injuries are piling up with Logan Couture taking a puck to the grille Saturday night. Chris Tierney and Marc-Edouard Vlasic remain on the shelf.

The defense has more holes in it than a screen door on a submarine. The once formidable top lines has been outmatched and outplayed of late in almost every way. Even the unflappable Joe Thornton looks every bit his age.

My opinion of Pete Deboer has changed quite a bit over the last couple of seasons - in a good way. BUT, the pressure is squarely on him and his staff right now. It's up to the coach to steer his team straight again because clearly they are heading right into the iceberg . Excuses won't cut it. Hold these guys accountable and ice a lineup that gives your team it's best chance to win. A lineup that doesn't include Michael Haley.

Once again, the Sharks have a couple of days to stew in their own filth. They don't play again until Tuesday and they better come out with guns blazing because they could find themselves looking up in the standings for the first time in months.

Are you in a state of panic yet? Can the Sharks turn it around in time? Or have the sands in the hourglass run out?

Thanks for reading,
Steve

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