SAN JOSE – For 18 of the first 22 games, Sharks coach Pete DeBoer has had a fully stocked and healthy group to fill out his six-man defense corps.
In those 18 games the Sharks are 13-5, allowing just 2.05 goals per game.
In the other four, however, it’s been a big time struggle. The Sharks were down Paul Martin for three games in October, dropping all three, and most recently were without Justin Braun on Wednesday, a 5-2 loss to the Blackhawks.
In the four games in which they’ve missed one of their vital cogs on the blue line the Sharks are 0-4, allowing 19 goals (4.