Preview/Lines #20: Sharks Close To Setting Franchise Worsts for Road Failure

The San Jose Sharks are happy to get away from the road.

All three of their victories this year have been at SAP Center, where they return this afternoon to host the Montreal Canadiens.

They’re 3-6-1 at home and 0-9-0 on the road. So 19 games into the season, the Sharks have yet to record a road victory.

When’s the next time that the Sharks might be able to post that elusive first road win? Game No. 23 on Nov. 30 at the currently 14-1-3 Boston Bruins.

None of this, predictably, is a good thing.

The franchise mark for latest in the season to record a victory away from home was in 1991-92. It wasn’t until Game No. 27 on Nov. 30, 1991, at the Calgary Flames, that the expansion Sharks won on the road, 2-1.

David Bruce registered the first road game-winner in franchise history.

Otherwise, this 2023-24 group has “surpassed” all other San Jose squads in road futility.

It took both the 1998-99 and 1995-96 Sharks 20 games into the season to win their first road games.

And if San Jose doesn’t win on Nov. 30 at TD Garden? They will be the first Sharks squad without a road victory through the first two months of a season.

San Jose Sharks (3-15-1)

Quinn:
"When you’ve been going through what we’ve been going through, all of a sudden you feel sorry for yourselves. That can creep into not being as competitive as you’re capable of being. So we’ve got to make sure we don’t feel sorry for ourselves and do something about it."

— Nikita Sokolov (@cwnikitasokolov) November 24, 2023

David Quinn said that Mackenzie Blackwood would start. Nico Sturm will return from a two-game leave of absence. Matt Benning has been activated from IR and will return to the line-up this afternoon.

Kevin Labanc appears to be a game-time decision.

Jan Rutta has gone on IR and is week-to-week with an upper-body injury.

Montreal Canadiens (8-9-1)

Canadiens Game 20: Cayden Primeau To Face Lowly Sharks

Where to Watch

Puck drop between the San Jose Sharks and Montreal Canadiens is 12:30 PM PT at SAP Center. Watch it live on NBC Sports California. Listen to it on the Sharks Audio Network.