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Plenty of Bite in the Tank

By Mike Heika
November 12, 2009

The numbers are staggering when you think about it.

With a 6-0-1 start on home ice this season, the San Jose Sharks are 38-5-5 in their last 48 regular season games at HP Pavilion. That’s especially impressive in the NHL, where home ice has not always provided a guaranteed advantage. It’s also impressive when you consider the Sharks have made some key changes from last season to this season.

And what it says is that this is one determined hockey team. GM Doug Wilson last season decided to make a total change in the Sharks, bringing in new head coach Todd McLellan as well as two new defensemen in Rob Blake and Dan Boyle to run McLellan’s up-tempo system. When the Sharks were stunned by Anaheim in the first round of the playoffs last season, Wilson went out and moved Milan Michalek, Jonathan Cheechoo and a second-round draft pick to get high-scoring but disgruntled winger Dany Heatley from Ottawa.

The move was controversial, because nobody knew what Heatley might bring to what appeared to be a fragile Sharks locker room. But the chemistry so far seems just right, as Heatley has 11 goals and nine assists and the Sharks are the best team in the NHL through 19 games. Let’s take a look at the numbers.

First in points percentage (.737).
First in goal-differential (+1.06).
First in faceoff success (56.9%)
Second in goals against (2.22)
Second in save percentage (.923)
Second in power play success (25.0%)
Fourth in scoring average (3.32 goals per game)
Fourth in penalty kill (85.5%)

That’s a pretty good start. And much of the success is due to the Shark Tank and the fans there. It still is one of the most intimidating places to play in the NHL, and also one of the most fun. It has a real old school feel, and the games are pretty entertaining as the Sharks find a way to get up and down the ice. That said, the Sharks were the best team in hockey last season -- until they were upset at the hands of Anaheim, including losing the first two games on home ice.

``It’s a process and we went through a lot in the summer, so we understand how long the season is and what the ultimate goal is,’’ Wilson told reporters. ``I like how we’ve started the season, how we’ve worked through a tough schedule and how we’ve overcome injuries. But it’s just a start, and we all know that.’’

Some more news and views from the West

News: Roberto Luongo returns from a two-week absence with a rib injury and plays for the Vancouver Canucks.
Views: Give Andrew Raycroft and Cory Schneider big props for stepping in and playing well in Luongo’s absence, but this team needs to have its captain in net. Luongo is off to a slow start, and not only will Canuck nation be watching these next two months, but all of Canada, as Luongo is the favorite to tend goal for Team Canada at the 2010 Olympics. That said, Raycroft’s quote about fighting for the No. 1 spot was kinda funny.

"Lou just signed a 12-year contract," Raycroft told reporters. "It's not like he's going to get unseated of his No. 1 job in the next dozen years. But that's not why I play. You still have pride in what you do and want to go out and do well every night. That doesn't mean I'm not fighting for a job and fighting for a spot."

News: Anaheim goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere says he would rather quit than play as a backup goalie. ``I'd rather retire than be a backup goalie," Giguere said to the L.A. Daily News. "Something needs to happen. You get a guy like (Jonas Hiller) that's going to be a free agent at the end of the year and myself, making the money I'm making, either I'm leaving or he's leaving.’’
Views: Well, I’m sure the Ducks would be happy with that decision, as Giguere has $13 million remaining on his contract for the next two seasons and has lost his starting job to Hiller. Look, nobody has more sympathy and respect for Giguere and what he has meant to the Ducks than management and fans in Anaheim, but that’s just a silly thing to say. I understand Giguere was trying to make the point that he’s competitive and he wants his old job back, but actions speak louder than words here.

News: Marian Hossa said he’s ready for contact in practice with the Chicago Blackhawks.
Views: That’s huge news for a Chicago team that has battled injuries all season and still is playing well. Hossa signed a 12-year, $62.8-million free agent contract with the Blackhawks in the summer, but still has not played. This is a guy who scored 40 goals for the Red Wings last season and has a history of fitting into any kind of offense. If he can make it back into the lineup sometime between Nov. 19 and No. 30, Chicago could really take off.

News: Coming off a five-game run of 0-2-3 in which the Blues scored just four goals total, St. Louis started a six-game homestand with a 6-1 victory against Vancouver.
Views: If the Blues are going to finally get things going, they have to take advantage of their scoring depth, and the six-goal outburst was overdue. Coach Andy Murray appears to be spreading the wealth with a scorer on every line (Brad Boyes, T.J. Oshie, Paul Karia and Keith Tkachuk are all on separate lines). We’ll see if this is going to be the most important homestand of the season.

News: The Wild starts to grasp Todd Richards’ new system and goes on a 4-1-0 run.
Views: Minnesota looks like a completely different team as it is putting 30 shots on goal per game and taking some pressure off goalie Niklas Backstrom. Keys to recent wins are: Mikko Koivu, Marek Zidlicky and Cal Clutterbuck. But the key is can they turn things around on the road, where they are 2-8-0 so far this season.

Mike Heika covers the Western Conference for versus.com and the NHL for The Dallas Morning News