October 21st 2024.
SAN JOSE – The San Jose Sharks' offense has been struggling, and there are no easy solutions to fix it. However, forward William Eklund has a few ideas on where to start.
After the Sharks' 4-1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday, Eklund suggested that the team needs to continue doing what they're doing but with a focus on getting more shots on goal. He also emphasized the importance of improving their power play, which has only converted on three out of 18 opportunities so far this season.
Heading into their four-game road trip, the Sharks have struggled to capitalize on their power play chances, including two missed opportunities with a two-man advantage in Sunday's game. The team had 63 shot attempts against the Avalanche, but only 16 of those shots made it on goal.
Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky acknowledged the need for improvement on the power play, stating that the team needs to create more high-quality scoring chances. He also mentioned that they will continue to work on it in practice to see a positive impact in upcoming games.
When it comes to scoring goals, the Sharks are slightly ahead of their pace from last season. However, they have struggled in the absence of forward Macklin Celebrini, averaging only 1.6 goals per game in the last five games without him. This puts more pressure on the team's goalies to have perfect performances each night, reminiscent of last season's 0-10-1 start where the Sharks only scored 11 goals in 11 games.
In addition to their offensive struggles, the Sharks also had a mishap with goalie Vitek Vanecek's jersey, which was misspelled as "V-A-N-A-C-E-K." Despite this error, Vanecek made 18 saves out of 21 shots in Sunday's game.
Despite the loss, the Sharks showed improvement compared to their previous game against the Winnipeg Jets, where they lost 8-3. Warsofsky noted that the team was more difficult to play against in Sunday's game, and they were able to keep up with the Avalanche's top line, which includes reigning Hart Trophy winner Nathan MacKinnon.
Looking ahead to their next game against the Anaheim Ducks, Warsofsky emphasized the need for the team to consistently get to the inside of the opponent's zone to create scoring opportunities.
The game against the Avalanche also had a heartwarming moment, as a group of young hockey players from a team called the SaberCats showed their support for Sharks defenseman Mario Ferraro by dressing up as Super Mario. Ferraro expressed his gratitude for the support and credited people like them for helping him get to where he is today.
Despite this positive moment, Ferraro acknowledged his own mistake on the Avalanche's third goal, taking responsibility for a missed coverage that resulted in a goal by Joel Kiviranta. He mentioned that he could have made a better play by getting the puck deep in the offensive zone, and it's something he will work on improving going forward.
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