Sharks Locker Room: When Will San Jose Gain Killer Instinct?

It’s been a problem for the San Jose Sharks all season.

Once again, the Sharks couldn’t close out a game, losing 4-3 to the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday night.

San Jose, goals by Tyler Toffoli, Macklin Celebrini, and Fabian Zetterlund, had a 3-2 lead early in the third period.

“You just need to keep playing the same way that got you that lead,” Barclay Goodrow said. “You have to stay aggressive instead of worrying about protecting a lead.”

Goodrow said that…after opening night, when the San Jose Sharks blew a 4-1 third period lead to the St. Louis Blues.

Fellow veteran Cody Ceci called it a lack of “killer instinct” on Saturday, after the Sharks lost 4-3 to Utah Hockey Club…after earning an early third period 3-2 lead off a Zetterlund goal.

So when will San Jose acquire this killer instinct?

“It’s a great question,” head coach Ryan Warsofsky said. “We’ll find out.”

Warsofsky wasn’t being flip.

That killer instinct with a lead is the difference between contender and pretender.

It could be a few seasons before the rebuilding San Jose Sharks gain it. It could be a few months — at least, San Jose could show significant growth in this respect — if the Sharks’ talented youngsters grow up fast.

It’s one of the great questions about this season, and the coming seasons.

Ryan Warsofsky

Warsofsky, on if teams are taking liberties on Celebrini:

I don’t know if they’re taking liberties. I think they’re understanding how good of a player he is. He’s a special player. I don’t think its liberties, and I think we handled it really well tonight.

Warsofsky, on Jake Walman’s two-assist performance:

I think he’s playing some of his best hockey. Can still improve in some areas, but he’s playing his best hockey right now.

Warsofsky had no update on Vanecek.#SJSharks do practice tomorrow at 11:30 AM, so we'll see if Vanecek is healthy or if Askarov joins them.

Cuda scheduled to play at Coachella Valley tomorrow night.

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) December 18, 2024

Jake Walman

Walman, on San Jose Sharks’ immediate response to Celebrini and Josh Morrissey getting into it:

Obviously, Mack’s our best player and we got to protect him. Want him to feel comfortable, safe out there. Many years to come, he’s got to feel like that, he can kind of do whatever he wants out there, and we’ll have his back.

Alexandar Georgiev

Georgiev, on the Jets’ game-winning goal:

Just a big screen and tried to be big there. I think their player tipped it and just got through.

Georgiev, on Vitek Vanecek leaving the game and how an EBUG backing him up:

No, actually, I didn’t know about it. I’m kind of locked in on my own thing, and I hope [Vitek is] okay. I didn’t know about it.

Tyler Toffoli

Toffoli, on new linemate Nikolai Kovalenko:

He works really hard, gets on the puck, and he’s really strong in the puck and makes good plays. Obviously, had some good looks tonight, and just got to keep building.