Back me up

 

Winners of their last 3, the Sharks go into today’s match knowing it’s a steep hill to climb if they want to run that streak to 4.  The Sharks play host to the league's top team tonight, the Detroit Red Wings.  A team steeped in tradition and also on its own 3-game winning streak.  The Sharks head into this game knowing they are definitely the underdogs of the match and on any night would be happy just to make the Wings sweat on their way to the W.  But tonight their chances against this juggernaut are even less likely.

 

In the last game, backup Guy Hebert, who was on in replacement of a less than 100% Grant Fuhr, went down with his own injury in the 3rd period, forcing Fuhr to finish the game.  Now, with Hebert sidelined day to day with an upper body injury, and Fuhr himself still ailing, the Sharks have called up both goalies from their minor league affiliate and will run the duo out for the game against Detroit at the least, possibly even running the duo against another hard opponent, the North Stars, who sit 4th overall.

 

“We don’t want to risk Grant,” head coach Tretiak explained.  “He is still ailing and we feel our best move for the better of the team in the long haul is to sit him and let Petr Briza start this next game, or two.”

 

So either Briza has the game(s) of his life, or San Jose might just make the record books and not in the good way.

 

Ben Doon

San Jose Sun