The Sharks miserable season took one step
closer to finality with the Sharks closing out their 3-game home stand with a
6-3 loss to the Dallas Stars at SAP Center on Thursday night. The Sharks tried
to make a go of it against the high-powered Stars offense, but in the end, San
Jose was simply outclassed by a team vying for the top spot in the Western
Conference.
The win vaulted Dallas past the idle Vancouver Canucks
into the West lead. Colorado also lost on Tuesday to fall behind the Stars.
San Jose continues to limp to the regular season finish line,
evaluating the future and selling as many beers as the ten thousand or so warm
bodies that were in attendance were willing to buy. Any time the pesky Sharks
would score, the Stars would answer.
A slashing penalty to Esa Lindell
should have setup a nice opportunity for the Sharks but a simple bobble of the
puck turned into a 12th short-handed goal of the season for the Stars 12:06
into the contest. Jacob MacDonald fumbled the puck while stationed on the point
where Jamie Benn was able to chip it up to Wyatt Johnston who raced up ice.
Rather than try to play the body, Klim Kostin flailed at Johnston with a one
handed stick wave that did little to impede the Stars forward before he flipped
it past Mackenzie Blackwood for his 27th goal of the season.
Mason
Marchment made it a 2-0 Stars lead at 16:28 when he carried the puck up the
right side, then simply beat Kyle Burroughs to the net before flipping it over
Blackwood's left shoulder. Marchment's burst around the Sharks defense made
Burroughs look like he was standing still.
Dallas made it a 3-0 game
just 14 seconds into the 2nd period when Jason Robertson intercepted a clearing
attempt at the left point before skating toward the net and putting a shot past
Blackwood. The attempt by the Sharks goaltender was one he probably wanted a
redo on .
San Jose responded with Alexander Barabanov's 4th of the
season just 40 seconds later. William Eklund worked the puck behind the net
before flipping it back out to Barabanov who was parked outside the right post.
Barabanov collected the puck and lifted it past Scott Wedgewood to make it a
2-goal game.
Sam Steel was sent off for holding at 1:52, putting
the Sharks on their 2nd power play of the night. This one wouldn't end as
painfully as their first man advantage. Eklund one-timed a Thomas Bordeleau
feed from the right side, beating Wedgewood for his 12th of the season.
Jamie Benn pushed the Stars lead to 4-2 by batting the puck out of the
air at 8:03 of the frame after Wyatt Johnston pushed it out front from the end
boards.
The Sharks responded once again when Klim Kostin snapped a
shot from between Chris Tanev's skates after collecting a Mikael Granlund feed
near the top of the left circle. Kostin skated in on net and got his shot off,
beating Wedgewood to the upper right corner of the net. Johnston made it a 5-3
game at 10:13 after dishing to Benn, then racing past Henry Thrun and gathering
a return feed. The Stars young forward raced in on net and beat Blackwood for
his 28th tally of the season.
An iffy holding penalty to Mario Ferraro
setup the stars 6th goal of the night. Jason Robertson scored his 26th of the
season on a one-time chance off a Miro Heiskanen feed from the right side.
Game Notes: * Alexander Barabanov missed the final 4
minutes of the 2nd period and did not return to start the final frame.
* Klim Kostin has recorded 7 points in 9 games since being acquired from the
Detroit Red Wings at the trade deadline. Kostin tallied his 6th goal of the
season, which was his 3rd in a Sharks sweater.
* Dallas moved to
15-3-4 against the Pacific Division this season.
* The Stars scored
even strength, on the power play and short handed.
* Mike Hoffman
missed his 8th consecutive game as he battles a lower body injury. Ty Emberson
missed his 13th straight game due to injury.
