SAN JOSE -- The Sharks finally broke through Thursday night by taking their first lead in a game, on their way to their first win of the season, no less.
But five games into the 2019-20 season, San Jose's opponents still are getting on the scoreboard first and doing so very early in the first period.
With the Calgary Flames coming to SAP Center on Sunday night on the tail end of a back-to-back, the Sharks have a prime opportunity to buck that trend and strike first.
"That's the plan," Sharks coach Peter DeBoer said after practice Saturday. "Our fans are always ready to go, they always give us an opportunity to do that. But it's on us."
San Jose hasn't just allowed the first goal in every game. They've allowed the first goal less than 10 minutes into every first period so far this season, putting the Sharks on their heels before right from the get-go.
Here's how long it's taken the Sharks' opponents to take a 1-0 lead:
VGK - 3:46
VGK - 5:01
ANA - 3:38
NSH - 6:16
CHI - 5:07— Kevin Kurz (@KKurzNHL) October 11, 2019
Sports
While loose defense and poor decision-making are mostly to blame for the early one-goal hole, DeBoer is encouraged by the strides the team made late in Thursday's win over the Blackhawks. With a couple of good practices under their belt heading into Sunday's contest, the Sharks should be able to continue building on that late-game performance in Chicago.
"I always worry about these games when you travel back at the end of a trip, that first game back when you arrive at 3 or 4 in the morning as we did," DeBoer said about returning from the roadie. "But we had a good skate today and we should be ready to go."
The Flames won't have the same luxury of getting solid practice time in. Calgary visits the South Bay at the end of a road trip and on the second game of a back-to-back, losing 6-2 to the Golden Knights in Las Vegas on Saturday night.
Additionally, in all three of the Flames' losses through this early part of the season, their opponent has scored the first goal. If the Sharks want a chance at scoring first and putting another notch in the win column, this is the time.
How does that strong start become a reality? The big key for the Sharks is going to be staying smart without compromising any of their grit -- something DeBoer referred to on Saturday as "aggressive patience."
"I know that sounds contradictory, but that's what we need," the coach said. "We're an aggressive team, our systems are aggressive. But the key is walking that line and knowing when to go and when you have to lay off and be patient and support each other. That always takes some work."
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DeBoer knows it could take some time, but he believes his squad is worthy of getting it done.
"We're heading in the right direction," DeBoer said. "I like where we're going, but there's still a ways to go."
