head coach: Darryl Sutter

roster: C - Tony Granato, Bernie Nicholls, Ron Sutter, Dody Wood, Patrick Marleau, Marco Sturm, Jarold Skalde. LW - Niklas Andersson, Shawn Burr, Murray Craven, Jeff Friesen, Tony Granato, Stephan Goulla, Stephane Matteau, Andrei Nazarov, Dave Lowry. RW - Owen Nolan, Shean Donovan. D - Doug Bodger, Todd Gill, Bill Houlder, Al Iafrate, Marty McSorley, Marcus Ragnarsson, Mike Rathje, Rich Brennan G - Mike Vernon, Kelly Hrudey.

injuries: Al Iafrate, d (back, day-to-day), Tony Granato, lw (broken jaw, indefinite), Bernie Nicholls, c (broken thumb, 10 days).

transactions: recalled Niklas Andersson, lw, from Kentucky (IHL); traded Viktor Kozlov, lw, to Florida for 1998 first round draft pick, acquired Dave Lowry, lw, from Florida for fifth round '98 draft pick.

standings:

Western Conference - Pacific Division
Team         GP   W   L   T   PTS   GF   GA  
Colorado     21  10   5   6    26   61   52
Los Angeles  21   9   8   4    22   72   60
Anaheim      21   8   8   5    21   54   59
Edmonton     21   5  11   5    15   49   73
San Jose     21   6  14   1    13   53   69
Vancouver    21   5  13   3    13   53   74
Calgary      21   3  13   5    11   53   71

game results:

11/04 Toronto      T 0-0
11/07 Montreal     L 4-3   
11/08 Tampa Bay    W 3-1
11/10 Anaheim      W 6-4
11/12 Vancouver    L 5-2
11/13 Los Angeles  L 6-3
11/15 Phoenix      L 3-2

team news:

by Al Swanson, San Jose Correspondent

Last time your humble correspondent had said how difficult it was to report on a team like the Sharks. The past two weeks have amply illustrated why: A complete lack of consistency.

Toward the end of last year, with San Jose out of the races, the team decides to set shot on goal records. They figure if they shoot, sooner or later they will score. This year, they've toyed with that idea over an over. 45 shots into the chest pads of the opposing goalie - but they lose! Then they replay tapes of the playoff years (reverent sounds of 'oooh') and see Igor Larionov saying that all they need is four or five quality shots a period and they'll win. Let's try that, they say. But they lose!

Hmmm, what's wrong? Consistency.

Darryl Sutter has induced fear. For a bunch of guys used to losing and who may actually be comfortable with it, this is a good thing. But so far, he's not been able to induce consistency.

There's no consistency on defense: whether to play the trap or go man-to-man. Of course, in Sutter's defense, the d-men have been significantly less than consistent themselves. Actually, that might not be being fair to Houlder, Gill and Bodger. They are pretty consistent -- and they're good. Rathje has his moments. But they are short lived. McSorley spends too much time in the sin bin to really measure his effect. In that way, he's almost like Dody Wood.

There's no consistency in scoring, either. Nolan, Kozlov and Nazarov should be at the heart of this team, scoring half or more of the goals between them. Instead, Nolan's got three (one an empty netter), Kozlov has five (but only one in eight games, plus who cares now?) and Nazarov...six shots, one goal, one assist and 27 PIM. Two fighting majors in just the Phoenix game. How impressive. Consistency is the first thing Sutter has to instill. Next is working on defense, then offense.

Folks, as much as it pains me to say, it ain't gonna happen this year. Sutter said it best himself, "If we play .500 hockey, that's the best we can expect out of this team." And that's asking a lot from a team that's never played .500 hockey -- even in their playoff years.

Game Recaps:

A Whole Lotta Nuthin' Goin' On -- Leafs @ Sharks

Well, at least Toronto brought a whole series of firsts to the Shark Tank. The first shutout of the year for SJ (but the second against!) and Mike Vernon. The first tie of the year. The first tie with no score ever for the team (and the first for the Maple Leafs in 10 years).

Mike Vernon recorded his 15th career shutout as the Sharks and the Leafs couldn't find a way to the back of the net. Oh sure, both teams had some good chances, but no great ones. There weren't any disputed feet or legs or heads in the crease, but no pucks, either.

Marcus Ragnarsson sat this one out 'cause he was suspended for a rude spear against the Blues (his second stick-related incident in 41 games).

The only real highlight was when Bernie Nicholls (yes, he still plays occasionally) skated over Glenn Healy's hand while he was on the ice 10 feet from the crease. The play had not been blown dead yet and ol' Bern was trying to get that piece of rubber out of Healy's glove. Almost got some fingers, instead. No call on the play and they had to bring in their third goalie (Marcel Cousineau) for the last four minutes of the third and all of overtime. (Potvin was already in Calgary...probably laughing at the Flames.)

San Jose whoops Montreal...Yeah, right -- Montreal @ San Jose

Ok, they did play well. Maybe better than that at times. Three power-play goals against one of the top teams (right now) in the NHL. But the Sharks still lost.

The Habs came out in the first like banshees and in a space of a half a minute, San Jose was down 2-0. The remainder of the first period looked like a practice game. No INTENSITY. Coach Sutter pulled the guys aside and had a talk about career directions. Low and behold, Viktor Kozlov ended his goal drought of seven games when he put one past Jocelyn Thibault -- which also ended a 145 minute scoreless run for San Jose.

OK, let's make some excuses. Granato was out with a broken jaw. Iafrate was out, etc.... Blah, blah, blah. Actually, it was Rathje's fault for deflecting in that last goal. No, it was Deano's fault for not signing Fedorov.

Sharks hit by Lightning...and survive! -- Tampa Bay @ San Jose

Last year, SJ always did better on the second night of back-to-back games and this first double-header of the season was no different. San Jose played better defensive hockey while managing to score two incredibly lucky goals. In fact, had the Lightning not been playing, the Sharks may have lost. Both goals -- though credited to Sharks players, should have had at least assists given to Tampa Bay skaters as both came off the skates of Lightning players. San Jose finished it up with an empty netter from Jeff Freisen.

It would be nice to say San Jose dominated the game and that's the reason for the win. But in reality, Tampa Bay just sucked worse. San Jose couldn't put together any plays that needed more than one pass, couldn't keep TB out of their zone -- Kelly Hrudey was incredible and really deserved a shutout - and couldn't score a legit goal. It was a case of a bunch of good golfers playing bad hockey.

Sharks visit Pond.. Eat Ducks -- Sharks @ Anaheim

San Jose lost all four matches to the Ducks last year, but last year they had Teemu Selanne and Paul Kariya. This year, they win the first (in VERY convincing style), but the Ducks only have Selanne. Ok, 'only Selanne' did get a natural hat trick in just over half the first period. And he was a big thorn in the Shark skin the rest of the night.

The first period was all Anaheim. Hell, it was all Selanne. His first went in after 40 seconds.

Then Bernie Nicholls put his first of the year past Guy Herbert. After that, San Jose was only able to catch glimpses of the puck as it went past Mike Vernon. Three Selanne shots, three Selanne goals for his second hat trick of the year, 13th of his career. But it was to be an unlucky 13.

After the start of the second, with the Ducks ahead 3-2 (Jeff Freisen managed one during a five-on-three), San Jose came out like a ..er.. Shark! The Finned Ones put four more by Herbert in the next 20 minutes. Too bad only two counted. In the third, Rich Brennan again scored his first NHL goal -- again cause his was one of the non-goals from the second. Jeff Freisen followed up 12 seconds later with his second of the night, seventh of the year. To end it all, with Anaheim on the PP with 35 seconds left, Owen Nolan slams home the empty netter for a SJ 6-4 victory.

Canucks beat Sharks ... What the hell is a Canuck, anyway? -- Vancouver @ SJ

This was another painful game to watch. Continuing a very scary trend, the Finned Fakers allowed three goals in the first period. Vancouver came into the game on a 10-game losing streak and didn't intend to continue it. Pavel Bure (who has more goals against Shark goalies than we scored last year) was as much a pain that night as Teemu Selanne had been the night before. The Sharks played lousy D again, as we had to painfully watch Mike (the Sloth) Rathje try to catch Bure or Mogilny as he flew past him time and again. (If we had to trade a first rounder, couldn't it have been Mike?) End result? A third period rally to 3-2, only to have it handed to them on a plate for a 5-2 Vancouver win.

Battle of the Titans... -- SJ @ LA

Once again, as if the previous games hadn't convinced them, the Sharks allowed three goals before the first intermission. They finished this game with a 6-3 loss. This game should have been a barn stormer, what with Matt Johnson and Andrei Nazarov on the same patch of ice together again. And it was, for LA. Yanic Perreault had two goals and an assist for LA, who has beaten the Sharks each of the last three meetings. Wait, so has everyone else!

Good things to come out of this game? Todd Gill's sixth of the year and Billy Houlder's fourth. OK, it ain't much. At least Nazarov's face is intact.

Coyotes kill Sharks..again -- SJ @ Phoenix

Coyote captain Keith Tkachuk scored a goal and set up two others in another rout of the Sharks. Maybe rout is too strong. Nonetheless, San Jose is actually doing worse this year than last and who'd of thought they could manage that? Two less goals for, two more goals against.

Anyway, back to Phoenix. Marco Sturm put in his fourth and Andrei Nazarov (during one of his rare appearances on the ice that didn't end up with him in the box) somehow got his first.

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