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  6. article_body => "<p>EDMONTON \u2013 Logan Couture is not with the Sharks in Edmonton on Thursday and will not be available to play in any of the next three games on San Jose\u2019s road trip, coach Pete DeBoer said on Thursday morning at Rogers Place.<\/p>\n<p>Couture is still recovering from significant dental work on Monday after a deflected puck knocked out several teeth in a game in Nashville last Saturday. The Sharks have put no timeframe on his return, and after visits to Calgary on Friday and Vancouver on Sunday, have just three games left in the regular season.<\/p>\n<p>Couture\u2019s former coach, Todd McLellan, was asked on Thursday morning how Couture\u2019s absence affects the Sharks ahead of the important Sharks-Oilers game later on Thursday night.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI can certainly appreciate his skill and ability,\u201d McLellan said. \u201cYou guys in San Jose watch him every game. His intensity and his drive \u2013 he drives that team as much as anybody does. So, I\u2019m sure it doesn\u2019t help not having him in the lineup. But, we\u2019ll continue to prepare, because they have a number of others that can make you pay.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The Sharks ended a six-game losing streak on Tuesday against the Rangers, 5-4, with Couture out.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s kind of ironic, as Logan left the team they got back off the losing streak, because others picked up the slack,\u201d McLellan said. \u201cGood teams do that, and San Jose is a good team.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>* * *<\/p>\n<p>One player in particular that upped his game against the Rangers was Chris Tierney, who scored two goals, including the game-tying marker with 2:15 to go in regulation.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>More games like that from the 22-year-old would surely be welcomed by coach Pete DeBoer, as Tierney has struggled throughout his third NHL season to generate consistent offense. In 74 games, he has nine goals and 11 assists for 20 points.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI thought he was assertive, he was skating well. He\u2019s a young player learning that consistency,\u201d DeBoer said. \u201cWhen he gets it, when he has a little bit of that assertiveness in his game, a little bit of desperation in his game, he\u2019s very effective. When he settles in and gets a little comfortable, he\u2019s not.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019ve had to sit him a couple times over the last couple years and give him a little bit of a shock, and he\u2019s responded every time. But, every time I want to see the consistency last a little longer and longer, and hopefully you don\u2019t have to do that anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>* * *<\/p>\n<p>Jannik Hansen registered the primary assist on Tierney\u2019s goal, after opening the scoring against the Rangers Tuesday night. It was his first goal with the Sharks after he was acquired from Vancouver just before the trade deadline.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt [was] a little longer wait than I anticipated,\u201d Hansen said. \u201cWe joked after the first game I could have had one in an empty net, didn\u2019t get it. You always like to get those ones out of the way so it doesn\u2019t hang over you. I would have loved to have produced more, especially when we were losing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s unclear where Hansen will line up against the Oilers. He could return to the top line, where he played when he was first inserted into the Sharks\u2019 lineup, or he may remain with countryman Mikkel Boedker on the third line, with either Tierney or Tomas Hertl as the center.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think he fits everywhere and anywhere,\u201d DeBoer said. \u201cI think that\u2019s the beauty of him. He\u2019s such a versatile guy.\"<\/p>\n<iframe style=\"border: none; margin:0px; width:100%; height:250px;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.stanza.co\/@nhl-sharks?embed=true&banner=true&site=comcastsportsnet\"><\/iframe> \n"
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Sharks

Sharks

EDMONTON – Logan Couture is not with the Sharks in Edmonton on Thursday and will not be available to play in any of the next three games on San Jose’s road trip, coach Pete DeBoer said on Thursday morning at Rogers Place.

Couture is still recovering from significant dental work on Monday after a deflected puck knocked out several teeth in a game in Nashville last Saturday. The Sharks have put no timeframe on his return, and after visits to Calgary on Friday and Vancouver on Sunday, have just three games left in the regular season.

Couture’s former coach, Todd McLellan, was asked on Thursday morning how Couture’s absence affects the Sharks ahead of the important Sharks-Oilers game later on Thursday night.

“I can certainly appreciate his skill and ability,” McLellan said. “You guys in San Jose watch him every game. His intensity and his drive – he drives that team as much as anybody does. So, I’m sure it doesn’t help not having him in the lineup. But, we’ll continue to prepare, because they have a number of others that can make you pay.”

The Sharks ended a six-game losing streak on Tuesday against the Rangers, 5-4, with Couture out.

“It’s kind of ironic, as Logan left the team they got back off the losing streak, because others picked up the slack,” McLellan said. “Good teams do that, and San Jose is a good team.”

* * *

One player in particular that upped his game against the Rangers was Chris Tierney, who scored two goals, including the game-tying marker with 2:15 to go in regulation. 

 

More games like that from the 22-year-old would surely be welcomed by coach Pete DeBoer, as Tierney has struggled throughout his third NHL season to generate consistent offense. In 74 games, he has nine goals and 11 assists for 20 points.

“I thought he was assertive, he was skating well. He’s a young player learning that consistency,” DeBoer said. “When he gets it, when he has a little bit of that assertiveness in his game, a little bit of desperation in his game, he’s very effective. When he settles in and gets a little comfortable, he’s not. 

“We’ve had to sit him a couple times over the last couple years and give him a little bit of a shock, and he’s responded every time. But, every time I want to see the consistency last a little longer and longer, and hopefully you don’t have to do that anymore.”

* * *

Jannik Hansen registered the primary assist on Tierney’s goal, after opening the scoring against the Rangers Tuesday night. It was his first goal with the Sharks after he was acquired from Vancouver just before the trade deadline.

“It [was] a little longer wait than I anticipated,” Hansen said. “We joked after the first game I could have had one in an empty net, didn’t get it. You always like to get those ones out of the way so it doesn’t hang over you. I would have loved to have produced more, especially when we were losing.”

It’s unclear where Hansen will line up against the Oilers. He could return to the top line, where he played when he was first inserted into the Sharks’ lineup, or he may remain with countryman Mikkel Boedker on the third line, with either Tierney or Tomas Hertl as the center.

“I think he fits everywhere and anywhere,” DeBoer said. “I think that’s the beauty of him. He’s such a versatile guy."