Ryane Clowe

The Sharks were outworked in Game 2 and it showed up on the scoreboard.

A 4-0 loss is deflating at any point in the season, but its especially so when it relinquishes home ice advantage and comes right before two games at the STAPLES Center.

San Jose is capable of winning Game 3 and regaining control of the series.

The following are five things the team needs to do to take a game or two in LA.

In many ways it's the least important game of the playoffs.

The second game is always a must win for the loser of the first, game three is always a big momentum shifter, and game four and beyond are always must wins for either one or both sides.

And after the first round, the games only become bigger as the competition gets tougher and the Cup gets closer.

The history of San Jose Sharks' fighters and enforcers is full of some gritty players who share a special place in the minds of franchise-long Shark fans.

They can think back to Owen Nolan or Scott Parker, or even today's fighters like Ryane Clowe, Jamal Mayers and Douglas Murray.

But the majority of today's Sharks team can be considered anything but fighters. In fact, the team as a whole can be referred to as a bunch of pretty boys with, Thornton, Marleau and Heatley rarely throwing a punch.

The Sharks returned home after their big three-game road swing and riding high on a six game winning streak. Having beaten three of the hottest teams in the NHL by one point on the recent road trip the Sharks showed they were ready for playoff hockey.

The Sharks welcomed the reeling Colorado Avalanche in their first game of a crucial six game homestand. The last time the Avs visited the Tank was just two weeks ago, in a 4-0 shutout highlighted by Devin Setoguchi’s first career hat trick.

The San Jose Sharks began 2011 by losing six straight in regulation. They came into the weekend having answered with seven straight games getting a point in the standings, winning six.

In the process, they have moved up from the 11th best record in the west to the fifth. But on Saturday, they knew they were in for a fight against the Boston Bruins.

Finally, The San Jose Sharks look like their usual selves. After a shaky start, the Sharks have grabbed two wins in a row after they beat the Oilers 6-1 on Saturday.

San Jose's offense continues to role.  Joe Pavelski had a goal and two assist while captain Joe Thornton have three assists in the win.

The 2010 season is underway, and the Sharks are still looking to find their form. After a good trip to Sweden, the Sharks came home to the Shark tank and lost two straight games. Thursday's 4-2 win in Colorado is a good sign, but problems still linger.

I will break down the team and see how each component looks early in this season.

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It doesn't matter the team on the jersey, Dustin Byfuglien knows how to ruin a game for the Sharks.

The big 6'3", 250-pounder netted the winning goal with just over six minutes left in Saturday's home opener for the Sharks. It was a painful reminder for Sharks fans who saw Byfuglien net four goals in the Western Conference Finals, three of which were game-winners.

Most hockey fans have heard of the Gordie Howe Hat-trick, but have they actually seen one?  It's a rare feat to accomplish and there is a lot of myth and legend surrounding it.

To refresh your memory, the trick includes notching a goal, assist, and fight in the same game.  To see it in action, you can see Rick Nash complete the trick last season. Interestingly, teams that had a Gordie Howe hat-trick were 13-4 in last season.

Hindsight is a funny thing because it can cause the most solid of choices seem weak and incorrect after the fact has occured. Take for example the San Jose Sharks offseason thus far, where many of Doug Wilson's choices can be second guessed in hindsight.

( See Marty Turco contract, Andy Sutton, Antti Niemi )