Why Sharks under cloud of concern after season-opening loss to Vegas

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There was already some concern when the Sharks went into the first game of the 2019-20 season down a couple of key players. But following their 4-1 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights, there are now questions as to whether they'll be down even more players for the rematch on Friday.

San Jose knew well in advance they would be without Evander Kane in the lineup for the season opener due to suspension, but the Sharks were dealt another tough blow when they found out just an hour before puck drop that Erik Karlsson would miss the game for personal reasons. Making matters worse, both Timo Meier and Kevin Labanc were sent to the dressing room late in the third period for repairs. After the game, head coach Peter DeBoer couldn't offer an update on any of them.

Sure, the season is only one game old and no team is going to make it through without facing some adversity. But facing the possibility of playing a second straight game without both Kane and Karlsson -- not to mention Meier or Labanc -- understandably can cause nervousness. 

How concerned should one be about the Sharks heading into Friday's game potentially down a couple of key players?

There are a couple of different ways to look at this, but really, nobody should be going into full panic mode just yet.

On one hand, it's way too early in the season to freak out over a loss. Sure, San Jose didn't impress in the 4-1 defeat, but with 81 games remaining on the schedule, there's no sense in losing sleep over the Sharks troubles on the power play or in the faceoff circle. They will return to SAP Center for their own home opener and have the opportunity to improve on their play on Friday.

On the other, San Jose can't afford to be without the players they lost Wednesday night for an extended period of time. The Sharks are depending on each of Karlsson, Meier and Labanc to be significant contributors -- particularly on offense -- and a lengthy absence for any of them could significantly test San Jose's depth.

[RELATED: What we learned in Sharks' season-opening loss to Vegas]

Perhaps the best course of action, then, is to hold off worrying until more information becomes available. It's certainly possible that both Meier and Labanc will be ready to play on Friday night without a hitch, and that Karlsson returns to the lineup as well. 

While the unknown might make fans nervous, there's no point in getting too worked up just yet.

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