Sharks ready to ‘dial it up’

DENVER — The road team is always tickled with a split. In this case, the hosts were apparently satisfied with a saw-off, too.

Prior to Monday’s outbound flight, San Jose Sharks head coach Peter DeBoer admitted to reporters that he was somewhat worried about an emotional letdown or lasting lull after a spirited slugfest with the Vegas Golden Knights.

The Sharks and the Colorado Avalanche are currently even-steven in their second-round set after a pair of clashes at SAP Center. The action now shifts to the Mile High City for Tuesday’s Game 3.

“I like the fact we’re 1-1,” DeBoer said. “I think coming off that sevengame series, we knew it would be tough. I think, if you would have told me after we beat Vegas that night (in Game 7), that we would split the first two games, I would have taken that, based on the circumstances and the fatigue. I think now were ready to get this series really dialled up.”

One guy who is already dialled up is Sharks star defenceman Brent Burns.

The Norris Trophy finalist has sizzled to seven points so far against the Avalanche. You have to go all the way back to the 1980s for the last time that a back-ender did that much offensive damage in the first two meetings of a playoff series.

The 34-year-old Burns scored a pair of thirdperiod goals in Sunday’s Game 2, but it turned out to be too late in a 4-3 loss.

“Two good teams going at it,” Burns said afterward. “Next game, we have to be better. We know they’re going to be flying back home, so just have to go get the win.”