Sharks extra motivated with win streak

CHICAGO --San Jose Sharks forward Kevin Labanc skated, slowed, hesitated, pulled the puck on his backhand and lifted it past Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Anton Forsberg to
seal a 3-2 shootout win Monday
.
It was a pretty ending that gave the Sharks their eighth straight win, although they didn't consider their performance quite as nice.

"Our game's still in a good spot but it has to go back up a level instead of trending down," center Joe Pavelski said. "We understand where we're at, what time of the season it is, what needs to be done."
Maybe, but even when they're not at their best, the Sharks are winning, success coming from a combination of four reliable forward lines, balanced scoring and steady goaltending. With six games remaining, the Sharks (44-23-9, 97 points) are six points behind the Vegas Golden Knights for first place in the Pacific Division, and have a six-point lead on the Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings for second.

Things won't get any easier when the Sharks continue a four-game road trip against the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday (8 p.m. ET, FS-MW, NBCSCA, NHL.TV). The points matter most but, as the Stanley Cup Playoffs loom, they want to be playing their best hockey.
"We're not only trying to make the playoffs but get home-ice advantage," goaltender Martin Jones said. "There are no easy games. We have to be ready every night."
No one's been readier during the streak than Jones. He's won his past seven starts, making 193 saves.
"We wouldn't be where we're at and we sure wouldn't have an eight-game winning streak [without him]," coach Peter DeBoer said. "He's been our best player a lot of nights here the last month and that's where it starts. When you get goaltending like that, you have the confidence to take a few more chances offensively and it usually leads to a few more goals. He's been great."
The Sharks have scored 37 goals in their past eight games (4.63 goals per game). Forward Evander Kane, acquired in a trade with the Buffalo Sabres for forward Daniel O'Regan and conditional first- and fourth-round picks in the 2019 NHL Draft on Feb. 26, has scored seven of his eight goals as a member of the Sharks during the streak. Fourth-line forward Jannik Hansen has five points (two goals, three assists) in his past six games and second-line forward Tomas Hertl has nine points (five goals, four assists) in his past seven.

"I think when we're successful, when we're scoring goals, it's because all four lines are chipping in," forward Barclay Goodrow said. "Come playoff time, that's what you need. We're just trying to do what we can, chip in when we have the opportunities."
Jones said the Sharks are benefitting from their depth.
"We've had everybody going most nights, everyone chipping in with points and doing the little things, blocking shots, staying on the right side of pucks in the D-zone and getting pucks out at our end," he said. "It's a lot of little things and it's everybody."
Following the game in St. Louis, the Sharks are at the Western Conference-leading Nashville Predators on Thursday and the Golden Knights on Saturday. The Sharks have put themselves in a good place with this winning streak. It hasn't always been pretty but it's been effective.
"You look at our schedule, the opponents we have coming up are all quality, quality teams," DeBoer said. "We've done a good job of banking the points we should regardless of how it looks. It was an important two points to start this trip."