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The San Jose Sharks aren't quite hanging onto a playoff spot as we come down the stretch, and that's a worrying sign. Well, obviously it's a worrying sign that the team is presently not in the playoffs if the season ended today, it's just more noteworthy because the team has been a staple in them for so long. And really, when you look at the new personnel and make-up of the lineup, they seem like a better team. Did the rest of the NHL just get that much better? Not likely.
There's just growing pains for this roster, and unfortunately, those pains are seriously prohibiting the possibility of making the playoffs. But there's still a good amount of season left, and the Sharks are doing much better now than they were at the start of March. They got the month started with five-straight losses, but have won three of their last four, earning seven points in that time thanks to their lone loss being to the Calgary Flames in overtime.
San Jose needs to get things in gear, with just over 10 games to go in their season. They've got a week of games coming up, with four of them in all, starting on Monday against the Anaheim Ducks. The Ducks haven't been doing so hot lately, with losses in their last two games, and only picking up three wins thus far in March. They do have the benefit of having won three of the four meetings between the teams so far.
After Anaheim, the Sharks will take on the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday, the Boston Bruins on Thursday and then they'll close out the week against the Phoenix Coyotes on Saturday. 7:00 p.m. pacific is the time to tune in on Monday for the game against the Ducks. You can catch it on CSN California, as always.