Editor's Note: Sheng Peng will be a regular contributor to NBC Sports California’s Sharks coverage. You can read more of his coverage on San Jose Hockey Now, listen to him on the San Jose Hockey Now Podcast, and follow him on Twitter at @Sheng_Peng.
David Quinn said something that seemed curious this morning.
“If there’s a measuring point for our season,” the San Jose Sharks bench boss said, “I think it’s the Vancouver Canucks.”
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Bay Area and California sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
That’s the NHL-best 23-9-3 Canucks, who handed the NHL-worst 9-22-3 Sharks a 7-4 loss on Saturday night, to conclude their season series.
Suffice to say, in many ways, the two teams couldn’t be more different. But there’s also some truth in Quinn’s observation.
San Jose and Vancouver already have faced off four times this season.
On Nov. 2, the Sharks, in the midst of their 0-10-1 start, were blown out by the Canucks 10-1. It was the nadir of their year, until the Pittsburgh Penguins followed with a 10-2 beating two nights later.
San Jose Sharks
On Nov. 20, San Jose, finally with some victories under their belt, competed but surrendered a back-breaking short-handed goal in the third period to lose 3-1 to Vancouver.
Then on Nov. 25, the Sharks kicked off their best hockey of the season with a 4-3 victory over the Canucks, going 6-2-1 through Dec. 12.
San Jose leaves Vancouver in a different place once again tonight, on a five-game losing streak heading into Christmas.