Sharks Locker Room: Ceci & Warsofsky Agree — Stop Complaining So Much to Refs

ANAHEIM — How to stop the San Jose Sharks’ parade to the penalty box?

Cody Ceci offered a new idea, after the Sharks dropped a 3-1 decision to the Anaheim Ducks.

Stop complaining.

“Maybe stay off the refs a little bit too. Maybe they’ll start to call a little more in our favor,” Ceci said, after San Jose surrendered two power play goals. For the third time in four games, the Sharks gave up six or more PPs.

The penalties not only led to goals in the back of the San Jose net, but also blunted genuine 5-on-5 momentum that the Sharks had in another winnable game.

It’s becoming a broken record, but San Jose played decent 5-on-5 hockey, which should lead to some wins, here and there. According to Natural Stat Trick, the Sharks had the Shot Attempts edge (58-53) and tied High-Danger Chances (9-9).

But instead, the San Jose Sharks are now 0-5-2 to start the season. Mikael Granlund scored in the losing effort.

Warosfsky didn’t disagree with his veteran defenseman.

“Honestly, until we get respect back in this league [as] a team, we’re not going to get those calls. We’re just not,” he said matter-of-factly. “That’s just the way it is.”

So instead, it’s on the San Jose Sharks to stop bitching. Keep moving their feet. Be more careful with their sticks.

Let’s see if the Sharks will learn these lessons. Otherwise, it’s going to be another long, long season.

Ryan Warsofsky

Warsofsky, on Will Smith’s tripping penalties that led to two Ducks power play goals:

He just obviously can’t take those type of penalties and stick penalties. He’s gotta move his feet in certain areas.

I thought he did some good things tonight. That was his best first period that I’ve seen him play. So he did some good things, but obviously I can’t take those penalties.

Warsofsky, on if Tyler Toffoli breaking his stick at the end of the game is a sign of a mounting anger on the team:

No, I think it’s competitiveness. It’s a guy who’s driven to win. We need to hate to lose more than we love to win right now. And that’s kind of been the message.

Warsofsky, on if San Jose Sharks are spending too much time talking to the refs:

A little bit. Honestly, until we get respect back in this league [as] a team, we’re not going to get those calls. We’re just not. That’s just the way it is. Until we start playing better hockey and winning hockey games, getting the respect back around the league, we’re just not going to get those calls…We’ve talked about that, and that’s something we’ve got to continue to talk about moving forward.

Warsofsky, on switching Jack Thompson and Jake Walman on the power play, and Thompson’s first NHL point and overall game:

Walman had been out there for a bit and want to just get a different look. See if we can get some more puck-moving up top and just some more motion. And Jack’s been good, and he was good on that power play.

I thought Jack was good. We’ll go back and rewatch it. But he did some really good things tonight. He helps us.

Cody Ceci

Ceci, on how to navigate staying aggressive and staying out of the penalty box:

We’ve been in the box a little too much. That comes with defending a little too much. When you’re always defending, you do tend to take more penalties. Definitely something we need to clear up and clean up going forward. Maybe stay off the refs a little bit too. Maybe they’ll start to call a little more in our favor. But definitely spend too much time in the box, and that limits your chances to score 5-on-5.

Mikael Granlund

Granlund, on how the San Jose Sharks move forward after their seventh-straight loss:

Practice tomorrow. We get back to work. That’s all we can do. Go day by day. It’s not easy to lose. We all know that. But at the same time, we’re only seven games in.

Barclay Goodrow

Goodrow, on how tough all this losing has been for him, considering his winning resume:

It’s not just me. Tough for everyone. We work hard in practice. We come in, good mindset every game. And obviously, haven’t been able to find the two points yet, but keep working and keep getting better.

Goodrow, on his message to the group:

I mean (laughs) we just got to find a way to win a game. It’s not messages that need to be said. I think everyone knows what it takes to win.