Resilience, Shootout Victories Keep Sharks' Season Afloat
While the San Jose Sharks haven't yet had the luxury of playing at SAP Center this season (now slated to open their campaign with 12 consecutive road games), an abbreviated 56-game schedule provides "Team Teal" with little room for error. The Sharks entered Friday's contest against their Southern California rivals with an unflattering record of 3-5-0 on the young season. All things considered, their fortunes could have been much worse. San Jose's first two victories of 2021 came by way of the shootout, while their third was secured courtesy of a brilliant individual effort from six-time NHL All Star Brent Burns. Meanwhile, the Sharks' losing efforts have typically been less tightly contested, including a dominant two-game stint from the Colorado Avalanche -- outscoring San Jose by seven goals. Thus, adopting a simple mindset seemed necessary on Friday: find a way to emerge from the first of back-to-back games in Anaheim with two points. Although the Sharks ex