With Hertl out, another forward proves he can handle bigger role
LOS ANGELES >> Barclay Goodrow has played a variety of roles for the Sharks since he began to establish himself as an every game NHL player two years ago.
Perhaps none have been as important as the one he’s in right now.
With Tomas Hertl missing his third straight game with a lower body injury, Goodrow was back as the Sharks’ second line center for their game against the Los Angeles Kings at Staples Center on Monday.
So far, coach Pete DeBoer has liked what he’s seen. Goodrow didn’t have a point in the last two games before Monday, but took on extra ice time, held his own defensively and became the Sharks’ go-to player in the faceoff circle.
Goodrow, one of the Sharks’ top penalty killers, is second on the team in faceoff percentage among players who have taken at least 60 draws. Goodrow was at 54.1 percent before Monday and Hertl was at 54.6 percent before his injury.
Impressive for a player who wasn’t drafted and was in the AHL with the Barracuda for most of the 2016-17 season.
“Goody’s taken advantage of every opportunity we’ve given him this year to move up,” DeBoer said. “It’s a great lesson for some of our young guys. We gave a lot of guys opportunities in camp to play up in the lineup, to play special teams.
“He’s one guy I think, that when he was given opportunities there this year, he grabbed them.”
This year, Goodrow’s mostly been used as a winger in the Sharks’ top nine forward group. But he was moved back to center the last two games after Hertl was hurt Nov. 19 in a game against the Edmonton Oilers. Hertl remains day-to-day.
With Hertl out, Goodrow played a season-high 18 minutes and 33 seconds in the Sharks’ 2-1 overtime win over the Vegas Golden Knights last Thursday, and followed that up by playing 17:55 in the team’s 2-1 win, again in overtime, over the New York Islanders on Saturday.
In that game. Goodrow, 26, led the Sharks in faceoffs with 16, winning 10 of them, and had a teamhigh five hits to go with three blocked shots.
“I’ve played center off and on the last few years,” Goodrow said. “It’s not too much different. Everyone on the team is pretty interchangeable once we get out there, other than faceoffs. You’re first back in the (defensive zone). It’s all about reading and reacting off the other guys. But it’s something I’m used to.”
Goodrow entered Monday with six goals, one shy of his career-high of seven. He also has 11 points, five short of the 16 he had last season in 82 games.
“I’m sure part of it is he’s a veteran guy, it’s his age,” DeBoer said. “He understands now. I remember when we sent him (to the AHL) my first year here four years ago because he wasn’t ready to grab those opportunities. Sometimes that’s something you have to grow into.
“But every time we’ve moved him up, every time we’ve given him a little bit extra, he seized it. We’ve needed that.”