The San Jose Sharks are back....we hope. The Sharks won their third consecutive game with a 5-2 win over the East leading Carolina Hurricanes on Wednesday night.

Led by an Evander Kane hattrick and a suddenly dangerous power play, the Sharks defended home ice and dispatched a weary Canes team. Kane's opening period trifecta was the first in franchise history and all but washed away the bad taste of a 0-and-4 start from our mouths.

Kane leads the team with four goals and six points since returning from his three-year suspension to start the season. Not surprising, the Sharks offense is suddenly potent with 13 goals in the last three. They scored a grand total of five goals in the previous four.

Kane's provided a much-needed life both with his offense and his grit. His physicality and net-front presence has allowed the Sharks to get back to being an difficult team to defend against. Who knew San Jose would need him as much as he needs them?

Martin Jones made 36 stops in the win, with 15 huge stops in the first period to hold Carolina in check. Jones is actually stopping pucks he should. That in itself is a difference maker. Additionally, the special teams are firing on all cylinders with four power play goals and one shorty during this mini-run of fun.

The Sharks are looking more like the team we thought they'd be this season. The Kane suspension clearly didn't help, but the team as a whole is playing much better. This was perhaps their best game of the season and they'll look to build off of it with one more game at SAP Center (BUF) before hitting the road for five games to close out the month of October.

Thanks for reading,
Steve

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