The Chicago Blackhawks fly into town once again to face off against their Western Conference final opponent from last season. Their first meeting back in November pitted Antti Niemi against his former team and the Stanley Cup Champions. With Dany Heatley (#15, pictured below) striking first, it was a hard fought battle as Jamal Mayers, Joe Pavelski, and Patrick Marleau (#12, pictured at bottom) each scored for the Sharks. The Blackhawks answered with goals from Dowell and Sharp. The Sharks were able to seal the deal when Patty scored an empty netter to defeat the Blackhawks 5-2.Not even three weeks later, the Blackhawks and Sharks will face off in another showdown with the Blackhawks ready for revenge and the Sharks in desperate need for points in a stacked Pacific Division. Do I expect a different outcome this time around? Actually, yes.
The Sharks seem to have lost their way, sitting pretty in last place in the Pacific Division and out of playoff position while the Blackhawks have won seven of their last ten games (compare that to the Sharks four). While, I'm trying not to be negative, the fact is that odds are against the Sharks. Right now they are out on one of the hardest road trips, a week long sprint across North America which will pit them against some of the toughest teams in the league. Add in the serious injury problems they have faced (more on that later), it doesn't help that the Sharks haven't been able to play consistently at all this season. Chicago has had its ups and downs too, but seem to have found their groove as of late. So what exactly is wrong with the Sharks? You'd think that with the only major changes being in the goaltender position, it would be easy to blame the new guys but in all honesty it's the core group that needs to get their act together.
Nitty and Nemo have been flip-flopping back and forth on who starts so it's hard to say if one is truly better than the other. Niittymaki has the better numbers with a decent .910 save percentage compared to Niemi's .886. Lately though, Niemi has been playing quite well and had a stellar performance against the Blackhawks the first time around as well as more recently against the Ottawa Senators. With Nemo playing most of the games on such a long road trip, it has me wondering if Nitty won't be the one to start when the Sharks come back for their first home game of the month.So, if it's not the goalies, then what's the problem? It's scoring, surprising to hear from a team that has a 50+ goalscorer, a 40+ goalscorer, and the Art Ross (most points in a season) recipient but it's true, the Sharks have already been shut out four times this year. While Heater does lead the Sharks in goals scored, he along with Patty and Jumbo have been shut out too many times and the same goes for the second line guys. Both Pavelski and Ryane Clowe (#29, pictured above) had 10+ games with no goals and Setoguchi has had worse luck with only two goals this entire season.
A weakened defensive core doesn't help either, Rob Blake's departure has truly left a void that has yet to be filled from the blue line. While I've been impressed with Huskins, Murray, and Demers - the others, Boyle, Wallin, and Vlasic have left something to be desired. Boyle, who has been a solid force both defensively and offensively has had some shaky play in the past few weeks with uncharacteristic turnovers and giveaways. I'm sure this is just a temporary phase and he will be back on par soon. As for Wallin, he is inconsistent and needs to find a way to get his job done every night. As for Vlasic, I don't know what's wrong with him except that he has a -7 rating and zero points in the last 25 games.Now to the injuries - Setoguchi, Demers, Wallin, and Huskins have been out of the lineup for weeks. Murray and Nichol were also injured but have since returned to the lineup to give the Sharks a much needed defensive presence. Replacing the four injured are rookies Benn Ferriero, Mike Moore, Derek Joslin, and Justin Braun who have done a great job for the Sharks even with their limited experience. Ferriero has scored three goals in his last four games, making him a better asset than the player (Seto) he replaced. Justin Braun has also been impressive with his ability to get the puck up the ice quickly and his fast release. He has even scored his first NHL goal, I wouldn't be surprised to see him stick around in San Jose for a while even after everyone is healthy.
There are others on the Sharks squad that have been playing well. Take Logan Couture who is just two goals behind Heater. His name has also been thrown around when talk of the Calder Trophy (rookie of the year) comes up. He does lead all rookies in scoring, shots, and faceoff win percentage. He has been by far the best Sharks player this season. Scott Nichol, John McCarthy, and Jamal Mayers have done well, fulfilling their roles on a nightly basis. Too bad they aren't a more offensive line, the Sharks could use the help. Even though Clowe has had problems scoring, he has still found a way to contribute to the team by being strong on the boards, playing well defensively, and has even found a new role in the set-up guy, trailing assist leader Thornton by only three points.
What the Sharks need right now is to find a way to play consistently. Even with their injured team and rookie filled back end, they were able to pull off an impressive 4-0 victory over the Senators, proving that they still and can win in a dominating fashion. Their lack of consistency is what has been costing them and the lack of scoring needs to be solved soon. With Detroit, Philadelphia, and Buffalo still left on their road trip before they return home, the Sharks have their work cut out for them. These points are precious in such a tight race to the playoffs. Not only are the Sharks in jeopardy of losing the Pacific Division title but a playoff berth as well. With the halfway point quickly approaching, this season is flying by and if the Sharks don't find a way to win, they will find themselves on their couches in front of the TV when the April playoffs role around. That's why this game is important, that's why every game is important. They'll have the home ice advantage, where they have won the most consistently, let's hope they use it to their advantage.
