Dahlen Doing the Small Things (+)

When you’re not scoring, you got to find other ways to help your team.

Jonathan Dahlen, zero points in his last three games with Tomas Hertl and Timo Meier, and just five goals in his last 44 games, did just that Tuesday night in the San Jose Sharks’ 3-2 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets.

“I thought he played hard. He won some battles. He was more physical than I remember, than he’s been lately,” Sharks head coach Bob Boughner said. “He’s a guy trying to stay up there.”

For his part, Dahlen, met the press today with a fresh cut right above his left eye lid.

“I was engaged, I was in a lot of battles, I got a stick in the eye,” he said with a chuckle. “That’s the way I want to play.”

I’ve found with Dahlen this season, his mood with us often tells you how he thinks he’s playing. He was in good spirits today.

“There’s been ups and downs. But I’m happy with my mental game. I’ve bounced back a lot of times this year,” he said. “And I found my game again.”

Dahlen has missed games because of healthy scratches, COVID, a concussion, and two other unidentified upper-body injuries.

So what was the rookie doing right on Tuesday?