Games at SAP to be played as scheduled
SAN JOSE >> The Sharks said Friday morning that based on information immediately available, this weekend’s games at SAP Center will go on as scheduled.
The Sharks host the Ottawa Senators today at 4 p.m. and the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday at 7 p.m. to wrap up a six-game homestand.
As of midday Friday, games played by the San Jose Barracuda, the Sharks’ AHL affiliate, were also scheduled to take place at the downtown arena. The Barracuda play San Diego on Friday at 7 p.m. and tonight at 8 p.m.
A season-low 14,517 tickets were distributed for Thursday’s game with the Minnesota Wild, roughly 3,000 short of capacity. The Sharks do not typically release anticipated attendance figures in advance of games, but the team does usually enjoy larger crowds on weekend nights than weekdays.
Sharks Sports & Entertainment announced Thursday at 4 p.m. that the Sharks’ game with Minnesota would still take place.
Earlier in the day, public health officials from Santa Clara County called for new measures to prevent the virus from circulating in the community, including canceling large gatherings like sporting events. They announced the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Santa Clara County had reached 20.
When announcing Thursday’s game would take place, it also mentioned that it would be “evaluating further upcoming events in the coming days.”
The team is encouraging, though, that guests attending future SAP Center events follow the health department’s suggestion, which recommends that “persons at higher risk avoid mass gatherings such as parades, sporting
events, and concerts where large numbers of people are within arm’s length of one another.”
The team asks that potential guests who are feeling ill, regardless of their symptoms, refrain from attending public events.
Sharks winger Timo Meier said the message from team’s medical staff has been to “clean your hands, which is obvious. Don’t panic too much. Stay away from other people. Be more cautious than usual.”
The Sharks took one additional safety measure Friday after holding a brief practice at SAP Center.
Members of the media, who are usually allowed into the Sharks’ dressing room after practices and games to conduct player interviews will, at least for now, have to conduct those interviews outside of the room. Players will stand behind a podium with reporters a few feet away.
“It’s not bad. I like to stand behind the podium to do interviews. It’s a little more professional,” Meier said. “With the coronavirus now going on, you’ve got to be careful and wash your hands and keep your distance.”
Dylan Gambrell is a native of Bonney Lake, Wash., which is about 40 miles south of Seattle. Wednesday, health officials in King County recommended to its 2.2 million residents that they work from home. The county, as of then, had 31 confirmed coronavirus cases. Nine deaths have been reported.
Gambrell’s parents still live in Bonney Lake, which has a population of just under 20,000.
“I keep in touch with them to see what they think about it,” said Gambrell, who added that there have been no confirmed cases in his hometown. “Same thing here with the things going on in Santa Clara. Just watch out for it.”
The Sharks have issued the following requests of patrons:
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
• If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash and clean your hands. PRACTICE HAPPENINGS >> Sharks interim coach Bob Boughner said goalie Aaron Dell will start tonight’s game and Martin Jones will be back in for Sunday. Jones, in what was his fourth straight start, stopped 24 of 27 shots in Thursday night’s 3-2 loss to the Wild.
Boughner made some adjustments to his forward lines for Friday’s practice, as Gambrell was moved up to play with Evander Kane and Logan Couture. Alexander True centered the fourth line with Kevin Labanc and Antti Suomela on the wings.
It appears Noah Gregor, who had an assist Thursday on Stefan Noesen’s powerplay goal, will be a healthy scratch tonight, although Boughner said Friday that the lineup hasn’t been finalized. True has been a healthy scratch the last three games.
“Regardless of what happens (tonight), (Gregor’s) going to get back in there. We’re playing back-to-back games,” Boughner said. “I don’t want (True) sitting for too long and for that matter, I don’t want (Lean Bergmann) sitting for too long. We’ve got to get these guys active and we have lots of games.
“You want to make sure that these guys are structured and detailed and if that structure and detail slips a little bit, then they need to be reminded of how they need to play here on a consistent basis.”