Jed Ortmeyer News

Douglas Murray has an odd way of defining a job well done. "Corey Perry punching me in the face, that's a good thing for me," the burly Sharks defenseman says of the talented and tough Anaheim Ducks right wing who took exception to being leveled in San Jose's most recent game.

Matt Niskanen scored in the 11th round of a shootout and the Dallas Stars overcame a stellar performance by San Jose goalie Evgeni Nabokov to hand the Sharks their fourth straight loss, 3-2 on Friday night.

The Sharks spent most of the first two months of the season on an extended tour of North America, buoyed by the prospect of being able to play three-fourths of their December and January games at HP Pavilion.

When he left the arena following the morning skate, Olli Jokinen sized up the situation.

Head to head: The teams haven't met this season after splitting four games in 2008-09. Flames update: San Jose is the fifth stop on a six-city trip, and the Flames are 3-1 at this point with victories in Detroit, Columbus and Nashville before a 2-1 loss in Phoenix.

Douglas Murray credits his grandfather with developing the passion for hockey that helped turn the Sharks defenseman into an NHL-caliber player.

Head to head: The Sharks defeated the Blues 3-1 at Scottrade Center on Nov. 14 in the only meeting between the teams this season.

The San Jose Sharks have always been talented over the last decade, making the playoffs in 10 of the past 11 seasons including five straight.

Haven't we seen this play before? You know, the one where the San Jose Sharks dominate the regular season only to have the wheels come off in the playoffs? I am certain there are many of Sharks fans out there who admire the team's great start to the 2009-10 season, but are wondering if they are being tricked again.

Dan Boyle scored the go-ahead goal on a power play 6:15 into the second period, and Evgeni Nabokov made 28 saves to lead the San Jose Sharks to a 4-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday night.

The practices have gotten almost as dangerous as the games for Sharks forward Brad Staubitz.

Things are looking up for hockey fans in the Bay Area. The San Jose Sharks are trotting an All-Star laced first line, and their supporting lines also appear to be getting the job done.

That's kind of how Pittsburgh's Mark Eaton must have felt Nov. 16 when he was the lone defenseman left from the Penguins Stanley Cup-winning team in a contest against one of the game's best lines -- Anaheim's Ryan Getzlaf , Corey Perry and Bobby Ryan .

At first blush, we can't see the forest from the trees when looking at the San Jose Sharks.

Jed Ortmeyer of the San Jose Sharks never dreamed he would make it to the National Hockey League.

This time the hole was too deep. Just as they did a week ago to earn a victory over the same Nashville Predators, the Sharks scored in the final minute Tuesday night.

Among the first things general manager Doug Wilson did last summer when he retooled the Sharks roster was thank his third-line forwards for their past contributions, then effectively suggest they seek work elsewhere.

When you think about NHL snipers, you probably think about their booming slap shots and their quickA wrister nailing theA open corner of the net.

The Sharks looked to be in command Thursday night as they took a 2-0 lead into the third period.

Cristobal Huet #39 of the Chicago Blackhawks makes a facemask save off a slap shot during a NHL game against the Detroit Red Wings at Joe Louis Arena on October 8, 2009 in Detroit, Michigan.