Quick bites: Setting records ain’t easy

This season has been tough to watch so far for San Jose Sharks fans, so much so that it is now nearing on record-setting. This could very well be the season that we use as a measuring stick for Sharks teams to come. Yes, it’s that bad. The Sharks lost to the Carolina Hurricanes 3-0 on Friday night. All three goals were scored by Carolina’s Teuvo Teravainen. While there were times when the Sharks looked watchable (this was not the case against Tampa Bay on Thursday night), the truth is that San Jose was dominated by yet another team with more skill and a better team foundation.

The first period was especially rough for San Jose. The team was steamrolled by the Hurricanes players, who not only dominated on the scoreboard (it was 2-0 after the first) but also in terms of possession. Natural Stat Trick shows that Carolina’s Corsi for in the first period was 73.58%.

San Jose tried to swing momentum back in its favor in the second, almost keeping things even in terms of possession and offense, but could not get a break. There were no lucky bounces or accidental deflections to give the Sharks a little boost. San Jose could not find a single thing to help the team up and out of the hole it had dug for itself and so things only got worse. Carolina scored a third goal in the third period, but honestly, the demoralizing damage was done in the first 20 minutes of the game.

But about those records

As stated in the introduction of this post, this was a record-setting night for the Sharks. Though it’s probably not a set of records the team wants to achieve.

Darin Stephens does a phenomenal job on Twitter (it will never be X!) of tracking Sharks stats and keeping people informed. Here’s what he tweeted out with 20 minutes to play in the Carolina game.

#SJSharks have gone 131:30 without a goal. Longest streak in team history is 190:22 from Feb. 13-18, 2007. Have allowed 11 straight goals during current stretch, most since Oct. 2015. Last streak longer than 11: same 2007 stretch above, when they allowed 14 straight. @SportRadar

— Darin Stephens (@SharksStats) October 28, 2023

Then after the game there was this:

6th time #SJSharks have been shut out in consecutive games. Last: Jan. 27 & 29, 2014. https://t.co/CHsDJ4ctIK

— Darin Stephens (@SharksStats) October 28, 2023

So, the Sharks are now 151:30 without a goal and creeping in on that record-setting streak in 2007. The Sharks could, conceivably, break two team records at once if they go scoreless against the Washington Capitals tomorrow. I’m betting no. The Caps, so far this season, have averaged 3.57 goals against per game and are just 75% on the penalty kill. Two things that could work in the Sharks’ favor.

Another crappy stat to wallow in, the scoring or lack thereof.

Fewest goals in first 8 games
NHL since 1943-44 (center red line introduced)
2015-16 Ducks 6
1950-51 Bruins 7
1964-65 Bruins 8
2014-15 Sabres 8
>2023-24 Sharks 8#NHLStats #HockeyTwitter #SJSharks

— Darin Stephens (@SharksStats) October 28, 2023

I could go on, but let’s talk about the rest of the game instead.

Again, it’s not his fault

This might be my continued refrain until, well, until the Sharks start winning. It’s easy to look at the scoreboard for the Sharks and say, “Golly, that goaltending must suck.” I assure you, it does not. Whether it’s Mackenzie Blackwood or Kaapo Kahkonen in net for the Sharks, it sometimes looks like they’re the only ones trying to win.

Last night, for instance, Kahkonen faced 40 shots on goal. Seven of those shots were high-danger scoring chances and Kahkonen stopped all of them. At least one of the goals he did let in was really excellent execution by the Hurricanes and a less than great penalty kill by the Sharks.

Tic
Tac
Goal pic.twitter.com/jWTAZSF4wa

— Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) October 27, 2023

Yes, Kahkonen will get the loss on the scoresheet, but it’s not his fault.

William Eklund is a stud

Eklund was better than a majority of the Sharks on the ice last night. He was hitting, shooting and possessing the puck as witnessed in this video posted on Twitter.

This is just an insane shift of hard work hockey from William Eklund.

He was just preaching the importance of holding onto the puck & creating space, then he laces up the skates & demonstrates it.#SlipperyPete #SJSharks pic.twitter.com/FyEowZaQv2

— SnipeCity420  (@SnipeCity420) October 28, 2023

Eklund was third on the team in Corsi for percentage at even strength, behind only Nico Sturm and Luke Kunin. He’s creating scoring chances, he just needs guys to finish them.