After fast start, Sharks split four-game road trip

WASHINGTON -- The sequence was the exasperating epitome of how things have been going for the San Jose Sharks offensively for much of this season.
With Tomas Hertl and Kevin Labanc moving in on a 2-on-1 rush 7:04 into the second period of their 4-1 loss to the Washington Capitals on Monday, it appeared the Sharks would have a great opportunity to tie the game. But Labanc bobbled Hertl's pass across, so he turned back and tried pass to Brent Burns at the right point. When Burns couldn't handle Labanc's pass in his feet, Alex Ovechkin picked up the loose puck, took off on a breakaway and lifted a backhand past goaltender Martin Jones to extend the Capitals lead to 2-0 at 7:11 of the second.

"That was the story of the game," Sharks coach Peter DeBoer said. "We had some chances to execute. We didn't. They got the similar chance and stuck it in the net. Our execution offensively wasn't where it needed to be."
As a result, the Sharks headed home with a 2-2-0 record on the their four-game road trip. After they defeated the Philadelphia Flyers (3-1) and Florida Panthers (2-1) in the first two games of the trip, they had visions of running the table.
But a 5-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Lighting on Saturday and their loss to the Capitals left them feeling unsatisfied.
"Pretty average," Sharks captain Joe Pavelski said of the trip. "You have eyes on going 4-0. You have those kind of those thoughts. [Monday] we wanted to come in here and make it 3-1 and make it a great trip and came up a little short. We've got to get back to our game. We can't give up that many."
Their inability to consistently turn quality scoring chances into goals has been the Sharks' Achilles heel, but they've been able to get by in most games, going 14-10-2 in their first 26, because of strong goaltending and defense.
They weren't as good in those areas on Monday, which made their offensive struggles stand out even more.
Although they entered ranked second in the NHL with 2.22 goals-against average, they were 29th in scoring (2.56 goals per game). DeBoer talked Monday morning about the Sharks generating enough scoring chances to produce more goals.

"We create as many chances as a lot of the teams in the League offensively," DeBoer said. "What we haven't done is finish."
It's become even more difficult recently because of a host of injuries; the Sharks played Monday without forwards Joonas Donskoi (lower body), Melker Karlsson (cut) and Mikkel Boedker (lower body), and defensemen Tim Heed (upper body) and Paul Martin (ankle).
"I thought prior to us hitting the injuries the last couple of games, we've played probably a good month of how we want to play, other than finishing," DeBoer said. "And part of that is power play and part of that is sticking a few more pucks in the net."
The Sharks power play had one opportunity against the Capitals, but they generated enough scoring chances at even strength, particularly in the first two periods, to produce more than one goal.
The first period set the tone. The Sharks built a 7-1 advantage in shots on goal and 17-6 advantage in shot attempts over the opening 11:30, but couldn't put the puck past Capitals goaltender Philipp Grubauer. Labanc and Logan Couture botched a 2-on-1 rush without getting a shot on goal before Hertl set up Couture for a stuff attempt in front that Grubauer stopped with his left pad at 11:05.
The Sharks had a 3-on-2 rush shortly after that, and settled for a shot from high slot from defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlassic at 11:30 that would be their final shot attempt of the period. The Capitals took the final nine shots on goal of the first period, got a deflection goal from Devante Smith-Pelly with 3:11 remaining, and went into the first intermission leading 1-0.

"I think we had some great chances and weren't able to put it in the back of the net," Sharks left wing Timo Meier said. "We've got to work on that to take our chances and put it in. We've got to keep working on our game and get better."
Meier capitalized on a fortunate bounce, when Burns' shot from the right point caromed off the end boards to him in front, to cut the Capitals lead to 2-1 with 8:28 left in the second period. But that was one of the few bounces that went the Sharks' way.
"Going out into the third, we could have easily had three or four [goals] ourselves," Pavelski said. "You work for those chances in a game like this against a team like that, you've got to put them away when you've got your looks. Your 2-on-1s, you've got to cash in."
Not even getting a shot on goal on two 2-on-1 rushes can get be frustrating, but the Sharks believe they will eventually find their scoring touch if they keep at it.
"As long as we just continue to get [chances], that's the main thing," center Joe Thornton said. "You can't get down on yourself. As long as you keep plugging away, getting the chances, they'll eventually go in."