Sharks continue playoff push with visit from Blackhawks
The up-and-coming San Jose Sharks will shoot for a rebound performance to give their playoff hopes a boost when they play host to the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday.
The Sharks (36-32-7, 79 points) are coming off a disappointing setback with a 6-3 home loss to the Nashville Predators on Saturday that left them two points behind the Predators for the Western Conference's second wild-card position entering Monday.
"It's never gonna be easy. It's not gonna be a straight road," veteran forward Alexander Wennberg said. "You learn from it. There's more opportunity to come and we're excited for the challenge."
San Jose, which is looking to snap a six-year drought of reaching the Stanley Cup playoffs, received a reminder of what is at stake at this point of the season.
Against Nashville, the Sharks erased a three-goal deficit but surrendered a trio of unanswered goals in the final period and saw their winning streak snapped at four games.
"I liked our response in the second. That was probably the one big positive of the game," coach Ryan Warsofsky said.
As they prepare for the fifth outing in a six-game homestand, the Sharks have seven games remaining in the regular season, one more than the other clubs fighting for the final playoff position. The collection of young players in their first playoff race is receiving important experience.
"No one here is hanging their heads. We're still in it," Wennberg said. "We're still looking forward. Learn and move on. There's a new game and a new challenge."
The Blackhawks (28-35-14, 70 points) have already been eliminated from playoff contention, but arrive in San Jose on the heels of a 4-2 victory over the Seattle Kraken on Saturday.
The victory is a much-needed boost for the club that is above only the Vancouver Canucks in the league standings and went to Seattle on a five-game skid.
"I feel like it shows we can keep up with -- I mean, Seattle's going for a playoff spot here, so we're right in the mix," defenseman Alex Vlasic said. "I think when we're playing our best game, when we're playing smart with the puck, it's hard for teams to keep up with our speed."
After they face the Sharks, the Blackhawks return home for their final four games of the season. The victory over the Kraken provides a template for the team to follow going forward.
Chicago staked a 2-0 lead through the second period and then went toe-to-toe with a Seattle team that was frantically pushing for a comeback to keep its fleeting playoff hopes alive.
"I think we defended good, all throughout the game," goalie Arvid Soderblom said. "We cracked down a little bit at the end, but overall, a solid defensive game from our side. And then we know we're a skilled team, so the goals are going to come."
Another positive was seeing Sacha Boisvert, a 2024 first-round draft choice (18th overall), score his first NHL goal in his fifth outing, a third-period tally that held up as the game-winner.
"And it's my first NHL win as well, so that made it even better," said Boisvert, who joined the Blackhawks after finishing his season at Boston University.