The Sharks have played better lately, though it would be difficult to replicate the early going that this team faced. A 11 game losing stream is the wrong kind of record to start the season, and the team knew things had to change.
That said Filip Zadina will be facing off against his original club for the first time, and it sounds like Kane will be on a line with Veleno and Debrincat. This is a huge opportunity for JV as he has earned more ice time this year and gets to appear on a line that is going to get a lot of attention. J.T. Compher is out on a maintenance day, so that could well have played a big part in the opportunity. Regardless, Joe is using his speed to create opportunities and it could be a lot of fun to watch.
A note about Larkin. I missed the game, but know that Larkin had another hit that took him off the ice. He forced his way back on and was able to get the game sealing goal (empty net). There are a lot of opinions about the captain, but his desire to contribute is hard to question. He truly wants to do what he can to lead the team.
I have a feeling it will be loud when Kane hits the ice, and another night of really good energy from the club. They’re going to need to be ready for a San Jose that has picked up steam and can be tenacious (per LaLonde) on the forecheck. There could certainly be a lot riding on how the goaltending works out. Two different writers have two different starters. Husso and Reimer are both listed by the outlets but I haven’t heard anything about Lyon at this point which is a bit of a head scratcher.
Losing Compher is, in my opinion, the loss of the best 200 ft player on the team. Perhaps that’s overstated, but he’s been a fantastic pickup. Detroit will look to continue its winning ways, but there is the hope that the chances against and the type of high opportunity chances are diminished. We’ll see how it goes.
Regardless of what we’re looking at in pregame, this is the most exciting iteration of the squad since moving to the new building. The fans have been high energy and there is a genuine enthusiasm for what could be. We’ll see if it translates into another “W”. Enjoy the game! My hope is to be available but there have been some complications. Most of you know I try and have the review up an hour or less after the game so it is my hope to do so again!
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