Sharks suffer another ugly loss
BOSTON — The Sharks never really gave themselves a chance Tuesday night against the Boston Bruins, losing 5-1 at TD Garden to bring an unceremonious end to a five-game road trip and one of the uglier opening months of the regular season in recent team history.
Martin Jones, under siege for most of the night, had 36 saves as the Sharks finished with the road trip with a 1-3-1 record and ended the month of October at 4-8-1.
Continuing a nearly seasonlong problem, the Sharks had to kill five minor penalties in the first two periods and eight for the game. They had 45 minutes of penalties in a chippy third period alone, as Barclay Goodrow, Logan Couture and Evander Kane all received 10 minute misconducts and coach Pete DeBoer was ejected at the 12:10 mark.
“We’re a little fragile right now and you can see that,” DeBoer said. “We’ve got to help ourselves out, too. At the end of a road trip and you take eight minor penalties and five in the first two periods against the best power play in the league. I think we have to be smarter in helping ourselves.
“I don’t question that our hearts are in the right place. We’ve got guys that over my four years here that have gotten deep in the playoffs, to a Stanley Cup Final that are warriors. I would never question their effort.”
The Sharks players say they do not want to see changes to the coaching staff or personnel.
“Oh yeah, absolutely the answers are in this room. That’s not a question and that’s not a doubt in my mind,” Couture said. “I don’t think it’s a doubt in anyone’s mind. I think a lot of guys in here are obviously frustrated. We’re upset individually how we’re playing, we’re upset as a team. At times tonight you could say it was almost embarrassing out there.
“They were taking it to us for a lot of that game. It hurts your pride. As an NHL player you’re a proud person, you’re a proud athlete to play in this league. Games like that hurt, but it’s how you respond. And we need to respond. It’s been too long now. We’ve got to respond and play up to our capabilities individually and as a team.”