Preview/Lines #23: Sharks Trying To Avoid Ugly Franchise First Tonight

Well, at least the 2023-24 San Jose Sharks aren’t the 1992-93 Ottawa Senators or the 1974-75 Washington Capitals…yet.

And hey, the Sharks’ five victories through 22 games this season is already well on the way to surpassing Ottawa’s 10 and Washington’s eight during those respective expansion campaigns.

San Jose, however, doesn’t have a road win yet this season. Even those Sens and Caps netted at least one. As I noted last week, the Sharks don’t have a victory away from home through 22 games, the second-longest streak of road futility to start a season in franchise history.

In San Jose’s 1991-92 expansion campaign, they didn’t win their first road game until their 27th contest, a 2-1 decision over the Calgary Flames on Nov. 30, 1991.

So there’s still time to avoid that shame.

The Sharks, however, might set one club low tonight. If they can’t top the Bruins in Boston, it will be the first time in franchise history that they’ve failed to win a road game in the first two months of a season.

Game 28 of the season, by the way, is on Dec. 10 at the Vegas Golden Knights.

Let’s see if San Jose has notched a roadie yet.

As for the 1974-75 Capitals and 1992-93 Senators, there’s a reason why I brought them up.

I was blown away by a couple facts about them: First, both sides won only one road game each in those seasons. And second, they both pulled these wins out very, very late in the year, Washington in Game 76 of an 80-game schedule, a 5-3 victory at the California Golden Seals, and Ottawa in Game 81 of an 84-game campaign, a 5-3 win at the New York Islanders.

So at least the Sharks are far from that, of now!

San Jose Sharks (5-15-2)

Per The Hockey News, Mackenzie Blackwood should start tonight. However, Tomas Hertl will miss his second-straight game.

Lines at #SJSharks morning skate:

Zetterlund-Granlund-Duclair
Eklund-Kunin-Hoffman
Macdonald-Sturm-Bailey
Smith-Carpenter-Labanc

Ferraro-Emberson
Addison-Benning

These 4 rotated together:
Rutta-Vlasic-Burroughs-Okhotiuk

— Max Miller (@Real_Max_Miller) November 30, 2023

If Blackwood starts in Boston, he seems unlikely to face his former team, the New Jersey Devils, tomorrow night.

Boston Bruins (14-4-3)

Marchand Gets Demoted In Montgomery Line Shuffling

Where to Watch

Puck drop between the San Jose Sharks and Boston Bruins is 4 PM PT at TD Garden. Watch it live on NBC Sports California. Listen to it on the Sharks Audio Network.