For the San Jose Sharks, two losses in a row are a heavy blow as they hit the midway point in the season, and the race for the playoffs heats up. Last night’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning was a test of how capable the Sharks are at playing top-tier teams, and they failed.
With stalwart players like Erik Karlsson and Jake Middleton out, the blue line struggled, but from the jump, the compete level was lacking. It’s a rough loss in a comparatively long season, and there’s still hope to be had for a Wild Card spot, but it’s clear the Sharks have quite a bit to work on, given their recent results.