San Jose Sharks Face Blues For First Time This Season
The San Jose Sharks continue their tough four-game road trip with a swing through the Central Division against three playoff contenders. San Jose heads into St. Louis where they will take on the Blues for the first time this season.
The Sharks will be looking to bounce back from their tough loss in Anaheim two nights ago when they couldn’t convert on their opportunities, while making too many mistakes with the puck.
The Blues will provide another test for this San Jose team as they are having another successful season within the ultra-competitive Central Division. St. Louis sits in third place with 66 points and will play a similar game to the one the Ducks played the other night.
In their last two meetings, the Blues dominated the Sharks with a pair of 7-2 victories over San Jose. Needless to say, the Sharks will be looking for a much different result when the puck drops tonight.
Players to Watch
More from Sharks News
- Norris Trophy odds show Erik Karlsson a step above the rest
- Red hot Couture provides a much needed boost
- Sharks return to SAP in sight
- Ryan Donato shines in his revenge game
- Tomas Hertl is off to a hot start
Sharks: Joe Pavelski. Pavelski struggled against the Ducks as he looked a step slow and his passes were off target for much of the night, likely a result of the All-Star hangover. However, he stills remains an important cog for this San Jose team and will face a stern test from the St. Louis defense. Pavelski is tied for sixth in the league with 49 points (25 goals, 24 assists) and will be looking for a better effort against the Blues.
Blues: Vladimir Tarasenko. After a breakout campaign last year with 37 goals and 36 assists, Tarasenko continues to be one of the league’s true offensive threats. Currently, he is tied with Pavelski for fifth in the NHL in goals with 25 and leads the Blues with 46 points this year. He will provide an immense challenge for the Sharks defense who must locate Tarasenko at all times.
Keys to the Game
1. Be Ready For Physical Game
Similar to Anaheim, St. Louis likes to play a bruising style of game and impose their will on their opponents. San Jose should be ready for this kind of game, but can’t be too cute through the neutral zone. The Sharks must manage the puck in all zones, and not allow the Blues to push them around.
2. Stay Out of the Box
San Jose lost momentum throughout their matchup against Anaheim with a parade to the penalty box which included two 5-on-3 opportunities. While the Blues aren’t the most explosive team in the league (23rd in goals scored), they do have a potent power play (12th) led by Tarasenko and Alexander Steen.
3. Bounce Back
As many Sharks fans can attest, this group as been a streaky team all season long. When things are going well, San Jose gets on quite the roll; however, the opposite has been true as well. The Sharks need a bounce back performance tonight to ensure they get back on a winning track, with two difficult games still to come on this road trip.
Next: Sharks Miss Opportunity To Widen Gap With Ducks
TV/Radio
TV: CSN-California (5:00 p.m. PST)
Radio: 98.5 KFOX