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Sharks coach: This time we’re winning the right way

Antti Niemi

SAN JOSE, CA - APRIL 5: Antti Niemi #31 and Matt Tennyson #80 of the San Jose Sharks protect the net against the Calgary Flames during an NHL game on April 5, 2013 at HP Pavilion in San Jose, California. (Photo by Don Smith/NHLI via Getty Images)

The San Jose Sharks scored twice in the third period on Friday to earn a come-from-behind 2-1 victory over the Calgary Flames.

The Sharks have now won seven straight games for the second time this season, but in between those two stretches, they had a terrible 6-11-6 record.

So are they just a streaky team that happens to be hot right now or is there something fundamentally different about how they’re winning this time around?

“The start of the season our power play was really hot, but we had two, three or four guys – Patty, in particular – putting the puck in the net,” Sharks defenseman Dan Boyle told CSN Bay Area. “This time around, I think we’re just balanced. We’re getting scoring from everybody, so I think that’s the difference.”

Boyle was referring to Patrick Marleau, who led the Sharks with an incredible nine goals in his first five games. Joe Thornton also got off to a hot start with 14 points in his first six contests.

By contrast there’s no one or two hot streaks that are driving this winning streak.

“We’re playing the type of hockey that allows us to win consistently. At the beginning of the year, scoring five or six goals a night, we looked like the Globetrotters for a while there in Edmonton,” Sharks coach Todd McLellan said.

“Everything was going our way, and we weren’t going to continue to play that way. I think we’re playing a better brand of game right now that sets us up for success.”

Even after seven straight wins, the San Jose Sharks aren’t likely to win the Pacific Division. However, they are winning the battle for the fourth seed.