Las Vegas Review-Journal (Sunday)
Sharks know score, vow to be better
DeBoer, players upbeat facing elimination game
SAN JOSE, Calif. — If the Sharks are nervous ahead of their elimination game against the Golden Knights on Sunday, it wasn’t evident after Saturday’s practice.
“I don’t think the mood has really changed with this team since I’ve been here,” said nine-year veteran Logan Couture, who has spent his entire career with San Jose. “Guys that are here are here to have fun and enjoy coming to the rink every day. It’s a fun team to be around. The mood stays pretty much the same.
“My mindset doesn’t change (facing elimination). It’s just to come out to the rink and play the best you can and leave it all out there.”
Couture assisted on all three Sharks goals Friday in a 5-3 loss to the Knights in Game 5 of their Western Conference semifinal series. Game 6 is at 4:30 p.m. Sunday at SAP Center, with a Game 7, if necessary, on Tuesday at T-Mobile Arena.
A major part of San Jose’s struggles Friday stemmed from the top line’s inability to create quality chances. Trade deadline acquisition Evander Kane knows that has to change.
“We weren’t fast enough, we weren’t quick, we didn’t get out of the forecheck, we didn’t hold pucks. I can go on forever,” said Kane of his struggles to generate offense with Joe Pavelski and Joonas Donskoi. “We didn’t do a lot of good things. A lot of that had to do with me, and like I said, I will definitely be ready to go (Sunday) night.”
Second-liner Tomas Hertl said he’ll be ready to play, too. In fact, headlines in the Bay Area said Hertl “guaranteed” a Game 6 victory after Friday’s loss.
“I was reading something about it, but I didn’t really say that,” he said, laughing. “I just believe in how strong the team is, and I believe for sure we’ll be coming back (for Game 7).”
Sharks coach Pete DeBoer said he wasn’t upset with the bulletin-board material.
“He speaks for our group in that we feel confident in our game,” DeBoer said. “We’ve done it all year. We’ve shown up and played our best in tough situations.”
DeBoer has talked throughout the series about not falling behind and chasing games. Now the Sharks are chasing the series, needing to win two straight.
“I think we’ll be good,” he said. “Even last night in a tough building and situation, we managed the situation all right for a road game until they got that goal and then you get a phantom penalty and they score on it.
“It’s a fine line. It’s not as simple as you show up and play great or don’t show up at all. These games all come down to one play or one penalty or one shift that swings momentum. We want to grab the momentum and run with it.”