Expectations for the 2023–24 Sharks were modest this preseason. San Jose went 22-44-16 last season, recording the team’s worst record by point percentage since going 20-55-7 in 1996. Coach David Quinn’s squad appeared firmly in rebuilding mode.
However, it seems safe to say that even the most pessimistic fans didn’t see this coming.
The Sharks allowed 10 goals to the Penguins in an eight-goal defeat Saturday night at home—a development that would be less alarming if San Jose had not allowed 10 goals to the Canucks on Thursday in a nine-goal loss in its previous game.
That’s 20 goals allowed in 120 minutes of hockey; it marked the first time an NHL team had allowed 10 goals in back-to-back games since the 1966 Bruins lost 10–2 to the Red Wings and 10–1 to the Black Hawks in a two-game span.
The San Jose Sharks are the first NHL team to allow 10+ goals in back-to-back games since the 1965 Bruins!
— Connor Groel (@ConnorGroel) November 5, 2023
It's just the 4th time in NHL history a team has allowed 10+ goals in back-to-back games.
The 20 goals were charged to goalies Mackenzie Blackwood (10), Kaapo Kähkönen (six) and Magnus Chrona (four).
The losses dropped the Sharks to 0-10-1 on the season. For comparison’s sake, even the woeful 1975 Capitals—an expansion team that went 8-67-5, and is widely regarded as hockey's equivalent of the 1962 Mets—went 1-9-1 over their first 11 games.
