Oct 20, 2024; San Jose, California, USA; San Jose Sharks defenseman Jake Walman (96) skates with the puck in opposition to the Colorado Avalanche in the course of the first interval at SAP Heart at San Jose. Obligatory Credit score: Robert Edwards-Imagn Photos It might be a battle of the Western Convention’s two divisional cellar dwellers, however each the Chicago Blackhawks and host San Jose Sharks head into Thursday’s matchup on a profitable notice.
The Blackhawks hit the West Coast after snapping a four-game shedding streak with a 5-2 highway win over the Colorado Avalanche on Monday, whereas the Sharks kicked off a five-game homestand with a stable 4-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday.
Actually, the Sharks have gained consecutive video games – claiming a 5-4 comeback victory in time beyond regulation over the Utah Hockey Membership Monday in Salt Lake Metropolis – after beginning the season winless of their first 9 video games.
“A win’s a win. It does not matter the place it’s. We need to win hockey video games right here,” Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky stated. “(I am) pleased with the fellows (Tuesday) within the back-to-back effort, the best way we carried out, the best way we confirmed up, and the way we labored was the way it ought to look. Happy with the group.”
To say it has been a tough stretch for the Sharks, who’re in final place within the Pacific Division, can be an understatement. After ending final within the league within the 2023-24 marketing campaign, hopes have been excessive that they had reached all-time low and will flip the nook. As an alternative, they struggled out of the blocks.
Nevertheless, spirits are larger because of a pair of victories, and doubtless no one is feeling higher than Jake Walman. The defenseman scored as soon as in a three-point efficiency in opposition to the Kings after amassing three assists in Utah the earlier night time.
“I feel we will all contribute. We have all sort of individually finished it previously,” Walman stated. “Any time we can assist the forwards out, the largest factor is simply getting it as much as them. We now have so many expert forwards.”
Chicago, which beat the Sharks 4-2 within the first assembly of the season on Oct. 17, is enjoying the third recreation of a five-game highway journey that can conclude with a pair of clashes in opposition to the 2 Southern California golf equipment.
Beating the Avalanche to lastly snap their skid was an enormous enhance for the Blackhawks, who had been on the mistaken aspect of some shut video games throughout their swoon.
“I feel we deserved what we obtained (Monday), and there is been nights that we most likely did not deserve the ultimate destiny,” coach Luke Richardson stated. “We might have simply had just a few extra wins, and I feel this crew and the entire group is bored with the ethical victories. So, (this win) was a extremely large step for us to take an actual victory and put it at the back of our minds how we did it.”
Chicago was the higher crew by way of the primary interval in opposition to Colorado and took benefit. Ryan Donato scored his first of two objectives within the recreation late within the opening body to stake a 3-1 lead.
And if his offensive contributions weren’t sufficient, Donato – together with linemates Jason Dickinson and Ilya Mikheyev – saved Colorado star Nathan MacKinnon (one power-play purpose) fairly in examine.
“There’s so many occasions the final couple video games the place we really feel like we performed fairly properly, and 5 minutes we take off they’re again within the recreation. We simply discover a option to not end it off,” Donato stated.
“I feel all of us got here within the locker room after the second (interval) and stated it wasn’t ok, we have got to step again up. There’s not a lot to say different than simply getting the job finished, and that is sort of what occurred.”
Chicago enters Thursday’s recreation tied with Nashville on the backside of the Central Division.
–Discipline Stage Media
