Sharks take high road to victories by playing well without fighting

[VodkaFish]

Sharks take high road to victories by playing well without fighting

Eight days into their season, the Sharks are one of five NHL teams without a loss — and one of five without a fight.

There might be a connection — "No sense fighting when we're winning," Jeremy Roenick half-joked Thursday.

Or not. Teammate Jody Shelley, for one, wasn't buying the idea.

But with back-to-back games tonight in Anaheim and Saturday against Philadelphia at HP Pavilion, it's a theory worth noting. Because though both the Ducks and Flyers are among the early NHL leaders in fighting this year, they have a combined 0-7-1-0 record.

Some coaches have reputations for being less tolerant of fighting than others, but Sharks players don't see Todd McLellan in that light.

"He's a hard-nosed guy and you can tell. He's blue collar and he wants us in their faces," said Shelley, who was in 13 fights last season, most of any Shark. "If it means you drop your gloves, if it means send a message — whatever you've got to do, you do to help the team."

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