On one hand, the Sharks are 6-2-2 in their last 10, even after losing 4-3 to the Dallas Stars on Thursday night.
On the other hand, they still have a lot of work to do if they mean to challenge for the Cup.
It wasn’t just the embarrassment of Grade-A opportunities that they afforded the Stars. It was how individual Sharks reacted to the breakdowns.
A goal against, of course, usually isn’t because of just one breakdown — it’s because of a series of them. Before the puck gets past the goaltender, there are often multiple points when a team’s defense, even on its heels, can at least hinder the opposition’s scoring chance.