San Jose Sharks suffer worst home loss amid poor season start

The San Jose Sharks lost to the Vancouver Canucks 10-1, their biggest home defeat in franchise history, at the SAP Center in San Jose, California, on Thursday, watching their record slip to 0-9-1 and continuing to sit at the bottom of the National Hockey League (NHL).

Defenseman Quinn Hughes scored one goal and four assists, becoming the second defenseman in Canucks history with a five-point game after Jeff Brown. Brown did it with five assists against the Los Angeles Kings on February 20, 1995.

Quinn and his two brothers, Jack and Luke, who are playing for the New Jersey Devils, scored 41 points in combination, more than the whole team of the Sharks did (24).

If forward Fabian Zetterlund hadn't made the power play at the end of the game, the Sharks would have to concede the worst shutdown loss, worse then their 9-0 defeat to the New Jersey Devils during the 1991-92 season.

The 0-9-1 record is one of the worst season starts in the Sharks' history. The inaugural Sharks went 1-15-0, but at least they beat the Calgary Flames 4-3 at the old Cow Palace in the third game. The Sharks finished the 1992-93 campaign 11-71-2, but they won the season opener.

Injuries held them back and cost the Sharks too many of their key players. Captain Logan Couture missed the training camp and has been struggling because of a lower body injury. Left wing Alexander Barabanov and defenseman Matt Benning were both sidelined. Barabanov socred 15 goals and 47 points last season, but he will be away for four to six weeks due a fractured finger he suffered on October 24.

The worst NHL record was 8-67-5 by the Washington Capitals in the 1974-75 season. It's still too early for the Sharks to worry about matching or beating that record. They should focus on securing their first win, probably over either the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Philadelphia Flyers or the Edmonton Oilers at home.