Sharks look for reset in Vancouver after Christmas break, trying to snap three-game losing streak

The Sharks return to action in Vancouver Saturday night, and they’ll look to get back on track after a dispiriting 7-2 loss at Vegas on Tuesday.

San Jose was off for three days with the NHL on its holiday break, but given how their last game went, the Sharks are undoubtedly eager to get back onto the ice. 

The Sharks are sniffing the playoffs, chasing two points behind Los Angeles and Utah as they look to secure their first playoff spot since 2019. 

If Tuesday night’s performance against the Golden Knights was any indication, the Sharks are not ready to make the leap to playoff-caliber team this season after finishing last in the NHL the past two seasons. But they’ll have a good chance to right the ship against Vancouver, which is the worst team in the Pacific Division and one of the worst teams in the league.

Despite trading away their best player in defenseman Quinn Hughes, the Canucks have won four of their last five games. 

But make no mistake. Despite coming back cold after a few days off and coming off a pitiful performance against Vegas, this is the kind of game a playoff team should win. 

It would behoove the Sharks to take care of business Saturday night given what’s ahead on their upcoming schedule. San Jose will travel to Pacific Division co-leader Anaheim after Saturday’s game and then face Minnesota, Hughes’ new team, and Tampa Bay. 

Yaroslav Askarov will be in goal again for the Sharks despite being pulled in the first period Tuesday after giving up four goals on 16 shots against the Golden Knights. Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky offered a passionate defense of Askarov Tuesday night, essentially saying that San Jose’s defensive structure – or lack thereof – set him up to fail.

“Those goals aren’t Asky,” Warsofsky said. “We have to pull Asky, I mean, this kid needs to play. We got to get him going. We got to see him. He’s the future of this franchise as a goaltender. It’s unfair to him to have to pull him and take momentum, and it’s disappointing.”

The Sharks have a long travel day Saturday. Analyst Drew Remenda said Saturday that they were up at 6 a.m. to fly to Vancouver. 

San Jose had a morning skate in Vancouver at 11:30 ahead of a 7 p.m. game. They will travel to Anaheim immediately afterward, having to clear customs twice in one day.

Plenty of challenges on and off the ice, to be sure, especially without having practiced as a group since Tuesday. But the Sharks are going to return to the playoffs this year, wins against bottom feeders are a crucial part of that equation.