Deadspin | Sharks eager to tighten defensively in meeting vs. Mammoth

The San Jose Sharks are gearing up to sharpen their defensive play as they get ready to face the Utah Mammoth in their upcoming home game on Tuesday. After wrapping up a three-game road trip with a disappointing 1-2-0 record, capped by a 4-1 loss to the Seattle Kraken, the Sharks are eager to fix the mistakes that have cost them dearly. Coach Ryan Warsofsky expressed concern over the defensive lapses seen in the last game, pointing out that they allowed about four high-quality scoring chances, which is simply not the way to win games. He emphasized the need to tighten things up and clean up their defensive zone coverage. One potential adjustment could be sitting veteran defenseman John Klingberg as a healthy scratch for Tuesday’s game. Klingberg, 33, has played 13 games this season, contributing two goals and three assists, but carries a minus-5 rating and averages just over 21 minutes on ice per game. Once a key figure on the Sharks’ power play, Klingberg didn’t participate in special-teams drills during Monday’s practice. He openly acknowledged that his defensive game and puck handling during breakouts need improvement, suggesting that if he can clean up those aspects, the team would have more control and better puck possession. On home ice, San Jose holds a 4-3-3 record this season, trying to avoid their third straight loss overall. Their upcoming match marks the second of three encounters against Utah this season; the Mammoth previously handed the Sharks a 6-3 defeat back in mid-October. Utah will be looking to bounce back after a frustrating overtime loss to the Anaheim Ducks on Monday, where they blew a late 2-1 lead with just five seconds left in regulation. Mammoth coach Andre Tourigny expressed his frustration with the way the game slipped away. Despite the loss, he noted that his team didn’t give up many chances defensively but faltered on one crucial battle that led to the deciding goal. Logan Cooley, leading the team in road goals with eight, scored in that game, with Dylan Guenther also adding a tally. Playmakers Mikhail Sergachev and Nick Schmaltz have been contributing consistently, each tallying multiple points in recent games. Tourigny stressed that the key issue was a lack of execution rather than possession or opportunity. The Mammoth generated good possession time and chances but failed to capitalize due to missed connections and sloppy finishing. He believes the team improved as the game went on but still needs sharper execution to secure wins. San Jose’s likely starting goalie, Vitek Vanecek, enters the game with a 2-3-0 record, an .875 save percentage, and a 2.85 goals-against average in five starts. The Mammoth, meanwhile, are on a brief two-game road trip before returning home for a busy stretch of four games within seven days. Both squads will look to gain momentum early in this contest to build confidence for their respective homestands or road games ahead.