NEWARK – For the first three games, Sharks coach Pete DeBoer didn’t lay a finger on his active lineup. After all, why mess with a group that is a perfect 3-0 and had outscored the opposition 11-1?
Headed into Friday’s game with the Devils, though, changes are necessary. Logan Couture is out for 4-to-6 weeks with a fractured fibula, while Joonas Donskoi is still feeling the effects of a blocked shot against Anaheim on Oct. 10.
Losing Couture for at least one month is clearly a major blow, and it dims some of the optimism surrounding the Sharks’ quick and dominant start.