Overtime loss clinches another playoffless season
The Sharks’ veterans are being asked to be good soldiers while youngsters continue to get a looksee to finish the season.
San Jose head coach Bob Boughner said he’s happy with their response, and that thought didn’t change for most of Monday’s 54 overtime loss to playoffbound and powerful Colorado.
Evander Kane scored two more goals and Tomas Hertl and Timo Meier added one each but San Jose was eliminated from playoff contention when Andre Burakovsky scored 41 seconds into sudden death in front of 1,071 socially distanced fans at SAP Center.
Boughner explained he talked to the older players on the team following the April 12 trade deadline and told the group exactly what was expected and what the organization wanted while lineup decision and ice time might be skewed more toward inexperience down the stretch.
“This is the shortterm pain you’re going to have to go through,” Boughner said. “These guys have bought into that, I know that. I haven’t seen anybody throw the white flag up or quit with their competing.”
A Western Conference finalist in 2019, the Sharks will miss the postseason for a second straight season for only the third time in 30 seasons. San Jose has not missed three years in succession, and the goal is to get a head start on decisions that need to be made on younger players before the offseason.
“Everyone wants to see the finished product, but they’re not really interested in seeing how that’s built,” Boughner said. “We’re going through it right now.”
Curiously, however, it is an important time for the vets as well. Aside from Kane, who leads the Sharks with 22 goals and 45 points in 52 games, all of the other San Jose regulars have underachieved for one reason or another. That group includes forwards (in order) Meier, Kevin Labanc, Ryan Donato in addition to some extent, captain Logan Couture and Hertl.
Offensively gifted defensemen Brent Burns and Erik Karlsson will admit, too, that they haven’t contributed as much to the score sheet in this abbreviated and disappointing season as well.
Decisions need to be made not only on youngsters, but on the veterans as well. Donato is due to be a restricted free agent and Hertl is under contract for next year. Otherwise, all of the aforementioned have between two to six years left on their deals.
“If you want to reap the benefits coming back next year — having guys ready to play, having experience — decisions will be made on certain players with what they’re going to do,” Boughner said, adding the Sharks are “trying to build out a better team next year.”
Kane gave San Jose a 10 lead at 3:20 of the first on an unassisted goal. After Mikko Rantanen tied it at 5:38 on a faceoff play, Hertl scored unassisted at 1:57 of the second. Kane made it 31 with a minibreak and backhand shot past goalie Philipp Grubauer.
Kane is on pace to score 35 goals over 82 games, which would be a career high.
“Our big guys are still carrying us offensively on certain nights,” Boughner said.
Valeri Nichushkin cut it to 32 at 1:18 of the third period, but Meier answered with his 10th goal of the season at 3:32.
Colorado captain Gabriel Landeskog trimmed it to 43 at 8:59 and Nazem Kadri tied it at 16:21 by beating goalie Martin Jones from the goalline over the right shoulder and top shelf.