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Youngsters lend helping hand to banged up Sharks & the Power Ranking blues

December 2, 2016, 12:13 PM ET [3 Comments]
Steve Palumbo
San Jose Sharks Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
The San Jose Sharks are among the hottest teams in the NHL right now following a 4-1 win over the Los Angeles Kings two nights ago.

San Jose has won five of the last six games and maintain a slim lead in the Pacific Division standings. The Sharks continue to find ways to win despite a bout with the dreaded "injury bug." With recent injuries to several key forwards including Tommy Wingels and Tomas Hertl, the Sharks have had to look to the youngsters to fill in the void left by Wingels and Hertl's absence.

Since being recalled last month, rookie Kevin Labanc has impressed both his coaching staff and teammates. He has four points (2g 2a) in 11 NHL games and still continues to show the offensive promise he showcased in the preseason.

The 20-year-old earned high marks from his veteran line-mate, Logan Couture, after finishing off a beautiful 2-on-1 in the win over the Kings.

Labanc's two goals either tied the game or gave the Sharks a lead.

“ He's has done a great job. I knew if he got it to him he was going to bury it, he’s got a great shot."

“From day one, he’s come in and hasn’t really been the normal rookie where he’s wide-eyed,” Couture said. “He just kind of takes it day-by-day and plays his game.”


That's pretty high praise coming from a guy that knows a thing or two about scoring big goals.

But it's not just Labanc that has made a difference. Fellow rookie Ryan Carpenter scored his first career NHL goal while filling in for a briefly banged up Chris Tierney.

Carpenter helped the offense generate goals on two of the last three games, against two of the Sharks biggest rivals. He screened Ducks' goalie Jonathan Bernier on the game-typing goal on Saturday night. San Jose eventually lost the game, but you get the point.

Both Carpenter and Labanc were not expected to make such an early appearance with the Sharks, but they have managed to seize the opportunity with all the enthusiasm of a kid in an candy store.

Small sample sizes, but a solid start none the less.

If either of these guys remain up with the Sharks for an extended period of time remains to be seen, but for now they are making every shift count. And the harder they work and the more they contribute, the harder it's going to be to send them back to the AHL.

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The Sharks recent surge hasn't yet translated to a rise in the NHL Power Rankings.

Yahoo has San Jose ranked 11th, ESPN has them up two spots to #14 and Fansided has them cracking the Top 10 at #9.

I get the Sharks aren't exactly world beaters but they aren't a middle of the pack team either. This proves to me that Power Rankings really are lame.

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The Sharks will get a real test tonight when they host the East's "best' team, the Montreal Canadiens. The Habs are 16-5-2 and lead the Eastern Conference, but they are a pedestrian 5-4-1 in the last 10 games and just 7-4-0 on the road.

Montreal has scored more than two goals once in the last six games and that came in 4-3 loss to Ottawa back on Nov. 22.

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Thanks for reading,
Steve
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