Preview/Lines #51: Sharks Need to Defend Off Faceoffs Better

There’s a lot going wrong with the San Jose Sharks, in the midst of a seven-game losing streak.

Here’s something that caught my attention in Anaheim:

Both Rickard Rakell goals (3:23 and 5:12) in a 4-3 San Jose Sharks’ shootout defeat were off lost Defensive Zone faceoffs.

“You’re gonna lose some, you’re gonna win some, it’s what you do after. Both were sorts of things that we practice and talk about every day,” Bob Boughner said after the game. “We talked about how to defend that and sharpening up and we just didn’t execute. But I don’t know if that’s the story of the game.”

Andrew Cogliano took responsibility for the second Rakell goal, but pushed back against it being a team-wide problem: “Don’t really know what happened in the first one. I think it just went off someone’s skate.

“But the second one is my fault. And that’s basically it. I don’t think the team has to be dragged into it.”

On the second Rakell goal, the veteran winger was referring to chasing a loose puck in the high slot that he probably wasn’t going to win, which left Rakell open.

So both Boughner and Cogliano downplayed the events in Anaheim, but there’s a reason why I asked about those goals against in particular.

Going into tonight, the San Jose Sharks are 32nd in the NHL in % of Defensive Zone Faceoffs Lost Resulting in a Slot Shot Attempt Against (at Even Strength). That’s a mouthful, but basically, the Sharks, when they do lose DZ faceoffs, are the most likely team in the league to give up a dangerous scoring chance.

To repeat what Boughner said: “You’re gonna lose some, you’re gonna win some, it’s what you do after.”

It’s a micro, micro stat in the macro — the San Jose Sharks are trying to avoid their eighth straight loss tonight — but it’s an interesting flaw in the Sharks’ design.

San Jose Sharks (22-22-6)

Bob said Balcers feeling aftereffects of the Rakell hit, upper-body, day to day. He confirms Dahlen, Merkley in

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) February 24, 2022

Merkley looks in tonight: He's on PP2 with Dahlen, Dzingel, Gregor, Bonino

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) February 24, 2022

Meier-Hertl-Barabanov
Dzingel-Couture-Dahlen
Gregor-Bonino-Nieto
Cogliano-Weatherby-Viel

Middleton-Burns
Ferraro-Meloche
Vlasic-Merkley

Reimer

Putting in some morning work 💼 pic.twitter.com/cymgJJl1Zq

— San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) February 24, 2022

New York Islanders (19-20-7)

Looks like Wahlstrom is back in tonight, and Sorokin getting the start again #Isles

— Kevin Kurz (@KKurzNHL) February 24, 2022

Wahlstrom taking regular turns with Pageau and Lee. Bailey appears odd forward out. Other three lines the same from win at Seattle.

— Andrew Gross (@AGrossNewsday) February 24, 2022

This is how they lined up in Seattle:

#Isles in warmups
Parise-Barzal-Palmieri
Bellows-Nelson-Beauvillier
Lee-Pageau-Bailey
Martin-Cizikas-Clutterbuck
Chara-Dobson
Pelech-Mayfield
Aho-Pulock
Sorokin
Varlamov

— Andrew Gross (@AGrossNewsday) February 23, 2022

Where to Watch

Puck drop between the New York Islanders and San Jose Sharks is at 7:30 PM PT at SAP Center. Watch it live on NBC Sports California and ESPN+. Listen to it on the Sharks Audio Network.