Sharks get needed break, but are playoff hopes already cooked?

"As the Olympic Break begins, some Sharks will soon board flights to Italy to represent their countries, and several others are heading back to their hometowns. Two or three might find their way to a warm location and stay at a nice hotel with a swim-up bar. The break, Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky said Wednesday, couldn't come at a better time."

"One is that when they have the chance to get two points against a team that's below them in the standings, they've got to take advantage of that opportunity, so that they have a bit more cushion when they play the NHL's best teams. That's the crib notes version of the Sharks' disappointing 1-3-1 road trip, which ended Wednesday with a 4-2 loss to the Colorado Avalanche at Ball Arena despite a brilliant 38-save effort from goalie Yaroslav Askarov."

"After a win over the last-place Vancouver Canucks last Tuesday, the Sharks squandered an opportunity to gain two points in a 4-3 overtime loss to the Edmonton Oilers, in which they blew a three-goal lead. Still reeling from that collapse, they lost to the Calgary Flames and the Chicago Blackhawks, two teams below .500, in regulation time. That gave them almost no margin for error to try and salvage a .500 road trip."

The San Jose Sharks opened the season by joining and staying in the playoff race during the first four months. As the Olympic Break begins, some players will travel to Italy to represent their countries, others will return home, and a few may vacation in warm locations. Coach Ryan Warsofsky said the break could not come at a better time. The team must learn to convert winnable opportunities against lower-ranked opponents to build cushion against top teams. A 1-3-1 road trip included blowing a three-goal lead in a 4-3 overtime loss to Edmonton and regulation losses to Calgary and Chicago. A 4-2 loss to Colorado ended the trip despite Yaroslav Askarov's 38-save effort and reduced playoff odds from 48.5% to 25.9%.

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