Quick Thoughts: It’s Going To Be a Long Season, This Short Season

“I gotta give their goalie credit. He made some big saves at the right time. I thought that was the difference.”

That’s what Bob Boughner said about Kaapo Kähkönen’s performance in the San Jose Sharks’ 6-2 loss to Minnesota.

What did he have to say about his goaltender Martin Jones’s performance?

Well, nothing. In fairness, the press contingent didn’t ask Boughner any questions about Jones, who was pulled after four goals in 20 shots.

But after Boughner laid into Jones two weeks ago, what more can he say to us?

That’s how tired the topic is, I think, of the San Jose Sharks’ goaltending.

It’s going to be a long season, this short season.

Jones, by the way, has already been pulled four times this season. He’s well on his way to breaking his own personal record:

Giving Up Goals Like Grapes

Speaking of old topics, the San Jose Sharks continue to give up goals in bunches.

This was the 14th time this season that San Jose has allowed two unanswered goals in under five minutes or three-or-more straight goals in under 10 minutes. This is in just 16 games and not counting any empty netters:

• 2 goals against in 3:26 @ Arizona on Jan. 14
• 2 goals against in 2:10, 2 goals against in 3:43 @ Arizona on Jan. 16
• 2 goals against in 1:33, 2 goals against in 4:43 @ St. Louis on Jan. 18
• 5 goals against in 9:33, 2 goals against in 1:31 @ Colorado on Jan. 26
• 3 goals against in 8:59 @ Colorado on Jan. 28
• 3 goals against in 8:19 @ Anaheim on Feb. 5
• 3 goals against in 9:55, 3 goals against in 2:05 @ Los Angeles on Feb. 11
• 2 goals against in 4:20 @ St. Louis on Feb. 18
• 2 goals against in 3:11 @ St. Louis on Feb. 20
• 2 goals against in 0:11 vs. Minnesota on Feb. 22

On the other hand, the Sharks have done this just five times to their opponents this year:

• 2 goals for in 4:08 @ Arizona on Jan. 14
• 2 goals for in 2:40 @ St. Louis on Jan. 18
• 3 goals for in 9:24 @ Minnesota on Jan. 24
• 3 goals for in 7:25 @ Anaheim on Feb. 5
• 2 goals for in 2:46 @ St. Louis on Feb. 20

Brent Burns and Logan Couture had no concrete answers to this problem.

“You want to settle it down and communicate what the roles are,” Burns said. “Then it comes down to execution.”

Couture offered: “We kind of let the game come to us at times. That’s a bad habit we have right now after goals [against].

“We let the game come to us; we’re not attacking it.”

Stepping Up

At the beginning of training camp, who would’ve thought it would be Nikolai Knyzhov with the San Jose Sharks’ first fighting major of the year?

Foligno bloodied Knyzhov badly enough that he called for the linesman to stop the fight and skated away pic.twitter.com/MeJ3rAw369

— CJ Fogler #BlackLivesMatter (@cjzero) February 23, 2021

Knyzhov, on fighting Foligno: "It was a good way to get that monkey off my back."

Burns: "You want to capitalize on that courage, stepping up for us. I don't think we did it."

Couture: "Just a cool story. A kid who was never given anything. Never drafted. Worked his ass off."

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) February 23, 2021

Nikolai Knyzhov on Marcus Foligno pulling up during their fight: "I don't remember that first punch, I think that's what got me."

Said he didn't realize how good Foligno got him on the visor and how bloodied he'd become.

— 𝗝𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶 𝗣𝗶𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗲 (@jessi_pierce) February 23, 2021

Foligno https://t.co/bfTIg2S8lJ pic.twitter.com/Dn4PJ47ccA

— Michael Russo (@RussoHockey) February 23, 2021

Speaking of responses, a huge one awaits this Thursday versus the Vegas Golden Knights. How will the San Jose Sharks come out after losing arguably the most winnable contest of this daunting eight-game homestand that otherwise features Vegas, Colorado, and St. Louis? And will the Sharks step up after Jonathan Marchessault’s runs at Radim Simek on Feb. 13?

A rookie defenseman did it, who’s next?