Three Takeaways From Sharks 4-2 Loss To Blue Jackets
The San Jose Sharks fell 4-2 to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday night.
Russell LaBounty-USA TODAY Sports - Three Takeaways From Sharks 4-2 Loss To Blue JacketsThe San Jose Sharks fell 4-2 to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday night.
San Jose started slowly but pushed the pace as the game went on, outshooting the opposition 41-20.
Here are three takeaways from tonight's matchup:
1. Effort Is There Despite Continuous Losing
Despite losing their third straight game in regulation, the effort has been there for the Sharks. They have been in every game and given themselves chances to win but fallen short.
The Philadelphia Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins made a late third-period push that caused the first two losses, and tonight, the Sharks' slow start plagued them.
Head coach David Quinn said the first period was "Way too easy for them" postgame.
Kevin Labanc assisted Henry Thrun's second career goal tonight, but it was all about his transition up the ice.
2. First-line Klim Kostin
Quinn said postgame that he felt Kostin deserved to move to the top line based on his game tonight. Coming into the game, he had three points in his first three games with the Sharks.
Kostin's ice time has grown each game since joining the Sharks.
TOI V. Senators: 6:41
TOI V. Flyers: 11:14
TOI V. Penguins: 13:02
Tonight: 15:57
Although he didn't score a point, his game was effective in creating space for Fabian Zetterlund and Mikael Granlund in the offensive zone. With just over two minutes left in the third, he drove the zone and dropped the puck for Zetterlund to get a quality shot on goal.
3. Calen Addison Beginning To Impress
After going through a rough patch in the middle of the season that involved benching and healthy scratches, Addison has averaged 19:37 over the last six games.
He's returned to PP1 and has shown aggressiveness in the way he defends, something his head coach had been wanting.
"He's moving his feet and defending with a closing mentality," Quinn said about Addison the morning after San Jose played the Dallas Stars. "He was on top of the play. That's the way he's going to have to defend to have success in this league, and he had that last night."
The Sharks take on the Chicago Blackhawks tomorrow in a battle for draft lottery odds.
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