‘Soft’ San Jose Sharks start hot again, but inevitable burnout awaits

Five years in succession the San Jose Sharks have won their first game of the season; that is a mark no other team in the league can match.

Yet the Sharks have never, ever won their last game of the season; and that mark, too, is theirs alone.

The Sharks have made the play-offs in 17 of the franchise’s 22 seasons. Every play-off campaign has ended in disappointment. (The five times they missed the play-offs, their record in the last game of the regular season is four losses and a tie.)

The nadir came last season, when San Jose had a 3-0 stranglehold on the Los Angeles Kings in the first round of the best-of-seven play-offs, then collapsed. Los Angeles won the next four games and proceeded to capture the Stanley Cup.

After such a fall, what hope can there be for San Jose this year?

Through six games, the Sharks have four wins and two losses. The most instructive game was their first loss, 4-3 to the New York Islanders in a shoot-out.

The game showed the chink in San Jose’s armour. They are soft. The Islanders’ third goal encapsulated the flaw:

As New York’s Cal Clutterbuck has the puck and skates behind the net, the Sharks’ Matt Irwin gives him a fibreglass love tap that does not even slow him. Clutterbuck comes out at the left side of the net and passes to Josh Bailey in the slot. The San Jose players Jason Demers and Joe Thornton, respectively, try to block the shot and poke at the puck, but neither gentleman touches Bailey – Thornton goes out of his way not to make contact – and so Bailey has time to whirl, shoot and score.

The Sharks rank 24th in the league in hits per game, at 18.2. The leaders are Los Angeles at 33.7. Through six games, the Sharks have been out-hit by margins of 30-22, 31-23, 26-13, 32-20, 10-6 and 35-25. That is a formula for play-offs failure. (The point of hitting in hockey is not about hurting the other player. It’s about slowing your opponents and taking away the easy option.)

Two years ago, when England were bounced out of the Euro championships, the BBC played a Linkin Park song as the final credits rolled. It went:

I tried so hard / And got so far / But in the end / It doesn’t even matter

That could be the anthem of the San Jose Sharks. The only way they can rewrite it is to finally reach the Cup final. The team is off to a fair start but as the season progresses the prospect of failure will loom only larger. Their cliff awaits.

rmckenzie@thenational.ae

Key facilities

Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
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The flights: South African Airways flies from Dubai International Airport with a stop in Johannesburg, with prices starting from around Dh4,000 return. Emirates can get you there with a stop in Lusaka from around Dh4,600 return.
The details: Visas are available for 247 Zambian kwacha or US$20 (Dh73) per person on arrival at Livingstone Airport. Single entry into Victoria Falls for international visitors costs 371 kwacha or $30 (Dh110). Microlight flights are available through Batoka Sky, with 15-minute flights costing 2,265 kwacha (Dh680).
Accommodation: The Royal Livingstone Victoria Falls Hotel by Anantara is an ideal place to stay, within walking distance of the falls and right on the Zambezi River. Rooms here start from 6,635 kwacha (Dh2,398) per night, including breakfast, taxes and Wi-Fi. Water arrivals cost from 587 kwacha (Dh212) per person.

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July 26-30
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August 3-7
Third Test, Pallekele International Cricket Stadium
August 12-16
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August 20
Second ODI, Pallekele International Cricket Stadium
August 24
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Fourth ODI, R Premadasa Stadium
August 31
Fifth ODI, R Premadasa Stadium
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T20, R Premadasa Stadium
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Freezer tips

Always make sure food is completely cool before freezing.
If you’re cooking in large batches, divide into either family-sized or individual portions to freeze.
Ensure the food is well wrapped in foil or cling film. Even better, store in fully sealable, labelled containers or zip-lock freezer bags.
The easiest and safest way to defrost items such as the stews and sauces mentioned is to do so in the fridge for several hours or overnight.

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UAE fixtures
May 9, v Malaysia
May 10, v Qatar
May 13, v Malaysia
May 15, v Qatar
May 18 and 19, semi-finals
May 20, final

COMPANY PROFILE

Name: Kumulus Water

Started: 2021

Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid

Based: Tunisia

Sector: Water technology

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Investment raised: $4 million

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Transmission: 8-speed auto

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Know before you go

Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.