Sharks Locker Room: Starting To Really Believe?

WASHINGTON — The San Jose Sharks are starting to believe.

Beating one of the best teams of the East, actually tops in points percentage, the Washington Capitals, 2-1 in OT, will give you that feeling.

“That’s a big confidence booster — not only the results but the game that we’re playing. We can play against any team in this league,” alternate captain Mikael Granlund said.

Tyler Toffoli and William Eklund scored in a rousing victory.

If we’re being honest, the Sharks were mostly bad in the first period, and it was Mackenzie Blackwood’s 16 saves that gave them an improbable 1-0 lead coming out of the opening frame.

But San Jose found their footing, and were able to hang on the rush and grind it out with Washington. They actually outshot the Caps 23-12 after the first. For what it’s worth too, the home team was plenty rested, last game on Nov. 30.

“We’re seeing that when we play connected, we’re a really good hockey team and we can do some things to put teams on their heels and we can make plays, and we can create offense and change momentum of games and get on teams,” San Jose Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky said. “That’s what I think we’re realizing is we’re a team that believes in each other individually and collectively.”

How far can this carry the Sharks, 10-6-3 after an 0-7-2 start to the season?

We’re going to see, but this is a belief that hasn’t been in a San Jose Sharks room after Thanksgiving in a long time.

William Eklund

Eklund, on his OT winner:

Mack and Granny had some plays going on the other side. Just trying to be ready for the one-timer and got a hell of a pass from Granny there and I was just able to get it in.

Eklund, on Blackwood's performance: "Oh my God. He's one of the best goalies I've played with. He's great."

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) December 4, 2024

Eklund, on the team’s growing confidence:

We have to believe that every night going into the game that we can win a game. Tonight we did, and we’ve got to take with us stuff we can do better and stuff we did good. Keep going there.

Mikael Granlund

#SJSharks are starting to believe.

Granlund, after beating one of the best teams in the East in the Caps: "That's a big confidence booster…not only the results but the game that we're playing. We can play against any team in this league."

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) December 4, 2024

Granlund, on Eklund’s growth as a penalty killer:

He’s been great. Obviously, I’ve been out there with him on PK. It’s fun to go out there with a guy, you know what we’re supposed to do there.

It’s easy to read off of him.

With him, he’s a really smart hockey player.

In this league, to have a good PK, you gotta have some smart players out there.

He can read plays. He can skate, he can pressure pucks. [But] most of it, his hockey IQ is high.

Tyler Toffoli

Toffoli, on his goal:

I figured I’d give it a shot and use the D-man as a screen, and it went in.

Toffoli, on the team’s growth:

I’ve said it from the start of the year, from training camp, it’s a lot of fun coming into the rink. There’s a lot of energy from top to bottom, however you want to look at it. Guys are having a lot of fun. And not saying that it’s necessarily a good thing, but even when we’re losing, we’re having fun and working. Definitely positives, and it’s good to be on a little streak right now.

Ryan Warsofsky

Warsofsky admitted it was good to get one over best friend Carbery, but was quick to say: "It wasn't about us at all. We're both ultra-competitive…but obviously feels good to win."

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) December 4, 2024

Warsofsky, on the San Jose Sharks’ growing maturity and belief:

I think we’re seeing that when we play connected, we’re a really good hockey team and we can do some things to put teams on their heels and we can make plays, and we can create offense and change momentum of games and get on teams. That’s what I think we’re realizing is we’re a team that believes in each other individually and collectively.

Warsofsky, on Celebrini tonight: "He's just a threat on the ice. Pretty much every time he's out there on an entry, especially, he can make things happen. He's competitive. He gets into guys. Even on the penalty that he draws on Wilson, it's because he gets in there. He doesn't…

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) December 4, 2024

Warsofsky, on the Sharks hanging on the rush and down low against the Caps:

Early in the game, we couldn’t break out pucks and that was an issue and then we started breaking out pucks and that let them have to skate with us a little bit and turned it into more of an up-and-down game. Then, when you get into the third, it got into more of a grittier game. But the big thing was we started breaking out pucks in the second and third period. That helped us the most.