A lot has changed since the last time the Sharks played the Montreal Canadiens.
For one, the Sharks were playing the final game of an absolutely disastrous road trip, during which they had failed to win a single game. Before their first meeting of the season against the Canadiens, the Sharks players held a closed-door meeting with General Manager Doug Wilson. Things were looking scary for a team with high expectations.
Meanwhile, the Canadiens were surprising the entire NHL by holding onto a playoff spot after trading away stars Alex Galchenyuk and Max Pacioretty.