Sharks Locker Room: 2 Ugly Minutes

So that’s what a playoff team looks like.

At 8:22 of the second period, the San Jose Sharks looked very much in the game against the Dallas Stars, down 2-1 and just coming off a power play. Shots were Dallas 15-11.

The Stars would take over the next two minutes, punctuated by this Jamie Benn strike.

Another great assist from the Rook! pic.twitter.com/3sDXyV2gqd

— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) November 21, 2024

While the Sharks would make it interesting with a late Jake Walman goal, two empty netters would finish them off. Mikael Granlund also tallied for San Jose.

But in those two minutes before the Benn game-winner?

I saw a bigger, faster Stars side, on top of the Sharks. I saw San Jose being careless with the puck, not hard on pucks, and botching defensive coverages.

2:34 later, Dallas now up 3-1 and 20-11 shots, I saw a playoff team versus a non-playoff team.

“That’s what the best teams do,” San Jose Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky said. “They’re smart. They understand situations throughout the game. They got on the forecheck, they make plays when it’s time to make plays, and they put pucks behind when it’s time to do that too. We got to learn from it.”

The 2024 Western Conference Finalists, that’s what the rebuilding Sharks are trying to get to, but it’ll take some time.

After the game, Warsofsky was asked about Granlund’s injury.

William Eklund spoke on what he can learn from Granlund.

Jake Walman talked about how San Jose defensemen could’ve done a better job handling Dallas.

Ryan Warsofsky

Warsofsky, on Granlund’s tenacity:

He’s done it all year. We need more guys to learn from him.

Warsofsky, on emulating the Dallas Stars’ forecheck:

That’s what the best teams do. They’re smart. They understand situations throughout the game. They got on the forecheck, they make plays when it’s time to make plays, and they put pucks behind when it’s time to do that too. We got to learn from it.

Warsofsky, on the San Jose Sharks defense’s struggles to break out:

I thought I saw progress [in previous games]. And then tonight was not good on our breakouts, big issue. We got to be better.

Our defenseman individually need to improve. Whether you been here for one year or you’ve been in the league for 10 years, you need to improve. That’s kind of the message.

Cheap hit by Lyubushkin on Granlund.

Granlund was forced out of the game by the concussion spotter, never came back, perhaps because it was too late in the game pic.twitter.com/eQL0Uz80xQ

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) November 21, 2024

(San Jose Hockey Now note: Warsofsky says Granlund had no update.)

See the full Warsofsky interview here

William Eklund

Eklund, on Granlund’s tenacity:

He’s obviously a great player. He’s had a great year. Kind of look at guys like that and see how they play the right way.

Jake Walman

Walman, on Granlund:

He leads us out there on the ice, for sure. When he’s going, I feel like we’re all going, he’s a big motor for us, and leads by example. We can all take a page out of his book.

Walman, on how San Jose Sharks defensemen can do a better job of handling a forecheck like the Dallas Stars’:

It’s quick decisions. Being smart with the puck. Little things, got to kind of learn how to win, especially going into that second period. You can’t have those lapses. Like I said, shot ourselves in the foot a little bit, but we’ll learn.

See the full Walman interview here