San Jose Sharks Ready For Season Finale Against Coyotes
The Sharks will look to bounce back in Game 82 after blowing a three different leads against the Jets.
Whelp folks, it’s finally here. The final game of the 2015-16 regular season is upon us as the San Jose Sharks prepare to host the Arizona Coyotes tonight.
It’s been a long and grueling road to get to this point, but team teal has had a very successful bounce back campaign. They will be looking to end on a high note and carry some momentum into the postseason where they will likely face off against the Anaheim Ducks in round one.
San Jose looks to respond after blowing three different leads on Thursday night before surrendering the eventual game-winner with only 10 seconds remaining. Peter DeBoer was not happy with his team’s defensive efforts and will expect a more committed one tonight.
Meanwhile, after having a break out first half of the year, the Coyotes have fallen off in the second half. Arizona will look to avoid four-straight losses to close out their year after being outscored 14-6 over their past three contests.
With a Sharks victory, San Jose will have claimed four out of the five meetings against Arizona this season.
Players to Watch
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Sharks: Patrick Marleau. It’s been an interesting season for Marleau who was surrounded by trade rumors earlier this year. He hasn’t had the campaign he’s wanted with 48 points and a minus-22 rating. However, Marleau has started to heat up of late with four goals and two assists in his last five games. The Sharks still rely on Marleau to find the back of the net as he ranks third on the team with 25 goals and will need his scoring come playoff time.
Coyotes: Max Domi. The 21-year-old Domi has been one of the pleasant surprises for an up-and-coming Coyotes squad. Domi ranks second on the team with 52 points (18 goals and 34 assists) with a plus-three rating while averaging 16:20 of ice time per game. The dynamic, young forward is definitely one of the foundation pieces for Arizona moving forward.
Keys to the Game
1. Attention To Detail
The Sharks were clearly lacking in this area on Thursday night as they gave up chance after chance to a struggling Jets team. They couldn’t clamp down on the defensive end after seemingly taking control of the game. San Jose wants to be smart with the puck through the neutral zone and play a clean game heading into the postseason.
2. Stay Healthy
With this being a meaningless contest from a standings perspective, don’t do anything stupid and get out of this one healthy. The Sharks will roll over four lines to not tax their top players too much and keep everyone sharp ahead of their first-round matchup.
Next: Late Winner Dooms Sharks Vs. Jets
3. Send The Fans Out Right
For some reason, San Jose has been a different team on home ice with a 17-20-3 record at SAP Center this year. The Sharks want to send the fans out right by picking up the two points in their final regular season game. It’s been a wait-and-see approach from Sharks fans all season, and team teal wants to give them something to cheer about in the finale.