Opinion
3 min read

San Jose Sharks Seek Redemption Against St. Louis Blues in Showdown at Enterprise Center

As the San Jose Sharks prepare to face off against the St. Louis Blues, fans are holding their breath for what promises to be a pivotal moment in the Sharks' season. The upcoming clash at the Enterprise Center is more than just another game; it's an opportunity for redemption.


Nov 16, 2023; San Jose, California, USA; St. Louis Blues defenseman Justin Faulk (72) skates with the puck against the San Jose Sharks during the third period at SAP Center at San Jose. Mandatory Credit: Robert Edwards-USA TODAY Sports

The Sharks' recent performance has been less than stellar, with a particularly disheartening loss on March 20th against the Nashville Predators. Despite scoring first and maintaining an even strength throughout, they were ultimately outplayed, succumbing to an 8-2 defeat. The statistics paint a grim picture: only 33 percent success in faceoffs won and a shooting percentage of just 10 percent indicate that there are critical areas needing improvement.


Another concerning aspect was their defensive play; they allowed eight goals from 40 shots, which translates into a save percentage that simply wasn't enough to keep them competitive. This was compounded by their lack of success on powerplays – not managing to convert any of their opportunities into goals.


Nov 16, 2023; San Jose, California, USA; San Jose Sharks defenseman Ty Emberson (6) skates with the puck against St. Louis Blues center Robert Thomas (18) during the first period at SAP Center at San Jose. Mandatory Credit: Robert Edwards-USA TODAY Sports

However, it's not all doom and gloom for SJ fans. There are glimmers of hope that suggest they can turn things around against STL. For one thing, despite losing to the Chicago Blackhawks on March 17th with a scoreline of 5-2, SJ showed signs of resilience by opening up strong with two first-period goals.


Moreover, when looking at their game against Columbus Blue Jackets on March 16th where they lost narrowly with four points to two, it's evident that SJ has potential firepower; they took an impressive total of 41 shots during this match-up but were let down by converting only two into goals.


Nov 16, 2023; San Jose, California, USA; San Jose Sharks center Luke Kunin (11) reacts after scoring a goal against St. Louis Blues goaltender Joel Hofer (30) during the second period at SAP Center at San Jose. Mandatory Credit: Robert Edwards-USA TODAY Sports

What these past games highlight is that if San Jose can tighten up defensively and capitalize on scoring opportunities while improving faceoff percentages – which have hovered around mid-thirties – there's every chance they could skate away with victory over St. Louis Blues.


The upcoming game scheduled for March 31st will be no walk in the park as STL will have home advantage and undoubtedly come out strong in front of their own crowd at Enterprise Center. But if SJ can harness lessons learned from past defeats and execute with precision both offensively and defensively, this could very well be where we see them bounce back.


Sharks fans eager to witness whether their team can make waves against St. Louis should tune into ESPN+ or NBCS-CA for internet streaming or TV broadcast respectively or BSMW if you're rooting from within TV broadcast range at precisely 7:00 PM CT on Saturday night.

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