KANE RAISING PLAY OF SHARKS
The new addition scores twice, adds toughness in key victory
SAN JOSE >> The Sharks’ game against the Calgary Flames on Saturday afternoon provided another example of how important Evander Kane has become to San Jose’s success over the last month.
Sure, Kane scored twice, including a second period shorthanded goal that provided some insurance in what became a 5-1 Sharks victory at SAP Center that stretched their winning streak to a season-high seven games.
Just as noticeable was Kane’s willingness to mix it up.
Kane had a tussle with Calgary’s Mikael Backlund in the second period before he fought defenseman Travis Hamonic in the third, as he continues to add some needed snarl to the
Sharks’ forward group with less than three weeks to go before the start of the NHL playoffs.
Kane scored four goals against the Flames on March 16 when the Sharks earned a critical
7-4 win in Calgary.
Since then the Sharks have reeled off four more victories to help inch closer to clinching a spot in the postseason for the third straight year. The secondplace
Sharks have 95 points, six back of the Pacific Divisionleading Vegas Golden Knights, and seven games left to play.
“He’s a crucial part to our team,” said Sharks center Chris Tierney, who set up Kane’s shorthanded goal at the 8:26 mark of the second period.
“You can see how much he brings, whether it’s the physicality side or the goal-scoring. Gives a lot of depth to us and he’s been great for us so far. Just gives us an extra layer of everything.”
Martin Jones made 38 saves, Brenden Dillon had a Gordie Howe hat trick and Jannik Hansen and Justin Braun also scored. Dillon scored in the
first period and assisted on Kane’s second goal in the third period, just before he fought the Flames’ Garnet Hathaway.
Of concern to the Sharks is the health of Logan Couture, who didn’t take another shift after Braun’s goal at the 10:09 mark of the third period gave the Sharks a 5-1 lead.
Sharks coach Pete DeBoer said Couture is “dealing with a little something. We’ll see how he is (Sunday).”
The two fights the Sharks were involved in Saturday were just their 11th and 12th of the season. Dillon has been involved in three of them. Kane’s fight was his first this season, for either the Sharks or Buffalo Sabres.
“I don’t think I shy away from the physical part of the game. That’s a big part of hockey in my mind and a lot of people’s,” Kane said. “You don’t see fighting as much anymore, but at the same time, I think it’s very necessary. Sometimes, (the situation) calls for it.”
DeBoer said Saturday’s win might have been the sloppiest of any game his team has played since the winning streak began with a 5-3 victory over the Detroit Red Wings on March 12.
Still, the Sharks are now 10-2 since Kane was acquired from the Sabres on Feb. 26.
“We’ll clean a few things up,” DeBoer said, “but you’re never going to complain too much about winning.”
Both the Sharks and Golden Knights have seven games remaining, as the Sharks start a four-game road trip next week, starting
with a game in Chicago on Monday. The Sharks then play St. Louis on Tuesday, Nashville on Thursday and wrap up the trip March 31 in Las Vegas.
“That’s a tough road trip, some good teams we have to play along the way and ending with a big divisional
game,” Tierney said .”It’s going to be a big road trip for us and we want to try to carry this momentum.”
The Sharks had not won seven straight since the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season, when they put together two such runs.
Five of the wins have
come against Pacific Division teams, as the Sharks improved to 21-4-3 in interdivision games this season. They went 4-0 against the Flames to sweep the season series.
There’s no simple explanation for why the Sharks have played so well against Pacific Division teams.
“Obviously those are important games and they certainly grab your attention whenever you have a four-point game, especially this time of year,” Jones said. “But we’ve played well against the Pacific.”
The Sharks honored former Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy winner Jonathan Cheechoo before Saturday’s game. Cheechoo, who announced his retirement earlier this month. dropped the ceremonial first puck. Sharks players also wore stickers on the back of their helmets with Cheechoo’s name and number
14
Cheechoo remains the Sharks’ record holder for goals in a season with 56, set in 2005-06.