Just like that, the San Jose Sharks have a six-game losing streak.
And they still can't score much; in fact, they were shutout for the second time this year, this time at the hands of the Nashville Predators, and now San Jose faces a serious crisis just 13 games into this 48-game season.
The Sharks registered 13 shots on goal in the first 20 minutes of this game -- and then they managed only 12 shots in the next 42:08 before losing, 1-0, in overtime on the road.
San Jose scored 23 goals in its first five games this year; they've now totaled just 11 scores in the eight games since. To go from scoring 4.6 goals per game to just 1.4 goals per game is inexplicable for a team with this much talent and ability.
Now, at 7-3-3 with 17 points, the Sharks are still momentarily tied with the Anaheim Ducks for the lead in the Pacific Division, but they probably don't feel very good about that technicality.
Defensively, it's hard to criticize a team that gives up one goal in 62 minutes of play. Antti Niemi was solid in net, of course, but Nashville registered more hits, more takeaways and more face-off wins in this game.
And they got rewarded for it.
While the Sharks owned the first period in shots on goal (13-3), they couldn't crack Predators goaltender Pekka Rinne, and maybe it took the life out of them -- as well as playing two road games on consecutive nights surely did, too.
But the schedule is what it is for every team, and San Jose has four more games on this road trip before they can play in front of the home fans again.
No time to lament another close loss, either -- narrow losses hurt the Sharks tremendously in 2012, and it may be happening to them again in 2013.
San Jose is now just 2-4 in games decided by one goal, and even though four of those games were shootouts, they still represent games there for the taking -- and the Sharks aren't converting those opportunities well right now.
Maybe the pucks aren't bouncing their way like they were in the opening, seven-game win streak; perhaps the consistent effort isn't there for 60 minutes from the San Jose squad right now.
Whatever is going on, it's officially getting ugly for the Sharks.
Even though they're on the road, they have just two games in the next nine days.
Plenty of time to rest, repair, recover and re-energize, hopefully.
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