Sharks’ winger gets chance to hit ‘reset button’ after healthy scratch
SAN JOSE – Two days after he was a healthy scratch, Kevin Labanc will likely be back in the lineup Thursday night when the Sharks face the Minnesota Wild in the second game of a seven-game homestand.
Coach Bob Boughner is eager to see how Labanc responds after he sat for Tuesday’s 5-3 Sharks win over the Calgary Flames. It was a rare scratch for Labanc, who played in 258 straight games from Nov. 12, 2017, to April 24 of this year.
Labanc s without a point in his last six games and has just two even-strength points in 19 games this season.
“Sitting out a game, I think that’s important for him, especially watching that game,” Boughner said of the win over Calgary. “That’s a heavy game and it was a pretty detailed game from both teams. Get him back in there and see his response.”
Labanc’s skill with the puck has been evident since he turned pro in 2016. Boughner, though, has stressed the need for consistency from Labanc, particularly during 5-on-5 play as the Sharks try to play a more defensively sound game.
“It’s easy to think you’re getting get picked on a little bit, but that’s not the case,” Boughner said. “We want guys all playing the same way and consistently. Sometimes hitting that reset button will be good for him.”
Labanc was projected to become a top-six forward when he signed a four-year, $18.9 million extension in Oct. 2020. But Labanc is averaging 13:47 of ice time per game this year, down from a career-high 16:25 last season, as he’s been supplanted in the top six by other wingers like Jonathan Dahlen and Rudolfs Balcers.
Noah Gregor was moved onto the second line with Tomas Hertl and Alexander Barabanov with Balcers now on injured reserve.
Labanc was moved to the fourth line before the Sharks’ game with the Wild on Nov. 16 and had four shots on goal in 11 minutes of ice time. The message from Boughner then was he needed Labanc to be more of an offensive force at even strength.
Right now, Boughner likes the look of his third line with Nick Bonino, Matt Nieto, and Andrew Cogliano. So if Labanc hopes to move up into the lineup, he needs to help the fourth line tilt the ice toward the offensive end.
Boughner didn’t say who he’ll scratch in favor of Labanc but said he liked Jonah Gadjovich’s game against the Flames, so he’ll likely stay in with Jasper Weatherby.
“Kevin’s a proud guy and I think he’ll get back there,” Boughner said. “I just think that his game has gotten a little away from him.
“But if you had some skill in your third and fourth lines, that’s the idea. Someone that could provide some offense there.”
MELOCHE GETS ANOTHER LOOK: Nicolas Meloche will dress for the third time in four games Thursday as Radim Simek will be a healthy scratch against the Wild. Meloche had 13:29 of ice time against the Flames.
GOALIE SITUATION: Boughner said Adin Hill will start against the Wild, his fifth straight start overall, with Alexei Melnichuk backing him up.
Boughner said James Reimer is starting to feel better and could join the Sharks on Thursday for their morning skate, and added that there’s an outside chance he could be available Saturday when the Sharks play the Dallas Stars.
Hill was given a maintenance day Wednesday, so the Sharks called in Martin Moody to be a practice goalie. Moody, 37, is a 2007 graduate of San Jose State, coaches with the Jr. Sharks, and is part of the rotation of emergency backup goalies that the Sharks have.