Four Sharks games rescheduled for new dates due to COVID-19 issues

NHL announces rescheduled dates for four Sharks games originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea

The NHL on Monday announced the dates of four Sharks games that had to be rescheduled due to COVID-19 issues. 

On Friday, the NHL announced it was postponing the Sharks' games vs. the Vegas Golden Knights in Glendale, Ariz. on Monday and Wednesday due to four members of the Golden Knights, including three coaches, being isolated as part of the league’s COVID protocols. The Sharks then flew back home Friday to see their families and practice at their home facility for the first time in over a month. 

The Sharks' first home game at SAP Center this season was scheduled to be played against the Anaheim Ducks on Feb. 13. Now, it will be against the Golden Knights on that same date. 

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This means San Jose's first game back on its home ice not only will be against a rival, but also the Sharks' former coach, Pete DeBoer. 

"That's hopefully gonna rejuvenate the focus here to focus even more on the hockey part, which is why we're here in the first place," Sharks star Erik Karlsson said Sunday to reporters after finally coming back to the Bay Area.

"It was definitely nice to come home and have a couple days at home here to get settled in a bit." 

The Sharks are 3-5 this season, which places them in last place of the stacked West Division.