Preview/Lines #73: Sharks, Barracuda Have Never Gone Through Worst Time Together

Safe to say, the San Jose Sharks and the San Jose Barracuda have never shared a more difficult stretch.

The Sharks are currently mired in a seven-game losing streak, their last victory on Mar. 26. The Barracuda are in a 11-game tailspin, their last win on Mar. 19.

Sharks head coach Bob Boughner and Barracuda head coach Roy Sommer are both trying to stay positive in challenging situations.

Boughner has made it his mission to keep the room from getting too down on the situation.

“My job is to keep it positive and obviously not every day is positive,” said Boughner on Thursday morning.

Boughner and his staff have been working with the team to find something that works: “We make corrections, and we have a lot of heart to hearts. We have a lot of meetings with the players, one-on-ones and group meetings, things like that.”

If the results aren’t there, Boughner is emphasizing what the San Jose Sharks can control right now. He knows he’s outgunned most nights.

“You’ve got to be realistic of where we’re at, who we’re playing, what our line-up looks like,” he offered. “That’s why the things that are really important for me right now is guys showing up and playing hard for each other and competing.”

For coaching veteran Sommer, who’s helmed the San Jose Sharks’ AHL affiliate since 1998, this has been a special season for a lot of the wrong reasons. This 11-game losing streak is a Barracuda record.

“The 26 years I’ve been here,” he said last night after Thomas Bordeleau’s pro debut, “this has been probably the most trying year as far as [getting] any kind of a win streak going.”

The Barracuda have seen some sparks of hope throughout the season, but it just hasn’t come together at all of the right times for Sommer’s team.

“It’s tough, to be honest with you,” he said. “We come to the rink, we try to prepare, and we hang in games for a little bit. Tonight, I think we made it 2-2, and next shift, they come right back out and score make it 3-2. It’s kind of been like that all year.”

Sommer summed up the season his team has seen in a very simple way: “You get the momentum, and all of a sudden it gets sapped away from you and it’s tough to keep everyone’s head in it at that point. It’s been a frustrating year.”

SAN JOSE SHARKS (29-33-10)

This is how the San Jose Sharks lined up on Tuesday night, and there will be at least two changes for Thursday’s game in Chicago.

Projected lines for the #SJSharks.

Meloche and Viel draw in for Simek and Merkley.

Big Kahk in net. pic.twitter.com/Gnv7Cyim5X

— The Content Boyz (@LockedOnSharks) April 12, 2022

Reimer starts, Dahlen out for Simek, they're going 11F-7D

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) April 14, 2022

CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS (24-38-11)

This is how the Blackhawks looked on Tuesday night:

Blackhawks in warmups:

Kurashev-Toews-Kane
Reichel-Strome-DeBrincat
Lafferty-Dach-Raddysh
Katchouk-R. Johnson-Entwistle

Vlasic-S. Jones
McCabe-Regula
Stillman-C. Jones

Delia
Lankinen

— Mark Lazerus (@MarkLazerus) April 13, 2022

They will make these changes:

Lankinen starts for Blackhawks against the Sharks.

DeBrincat-Strome-Kane will be reunited. De Haan returns on defense.

— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) April 14, 2022

WHERE TO WATCH

Puck drop between the San Jose Sharks and Chicago Blackhawks is at 5:30 PM PT at United Center. Watch it live on NBC Sports California and NBC Sports Chicago. Listen to it on the Sharks Audio Network.