The Sharks have been feeling pretty good about
themselves lately. Winners in 4 of their last 5 games, they found a way to
cough up a 5th win to close out the season by failing to hold a 3rd period
lead, then allowing the Anaheim Ducks to beat them in overtime on a turnover
and missed defensive coverage. The 3-2 loss was the last game for San Jose
until February 14th when they return from the All Star break.
Losing
in overtime salvaged a point, but these games shouldn't about standings points
for San Jose. They need to learn how to hold leads and overcome adversity for
future seasons. This team doesn't have the firepower to compete in the
playoffs, not are they anywhere close to being able to qualifying this season,
so their play needs to be an emphasis on playing the right way and playing to
convert 3rd period leads into victories.
Their inexperience and talent
holes cost them this game against another team that has no playoff aspirations
this season. It was a winnable game, but they figured out a way to lose.
The Ducks made a pair of early attempts to force pucks past goaltender
Kaapo Kahkonen from the doorstep. Their first attempt was waved off as Kahkonen
had the puck covered, but the next chance ended with Isac Lundestrom pushing a
puck across the goal line with a foot in the crease. The Sharks had a pair of
defenders standing right next to Lundestrom, including Anthony Duclair who
failed to tie up the Duck' stick.
The Sharks answered just under 5
minutes later when Anthony Duclair pushed a puck across the goal line while the
Sharks were on the power play. Brett Leason helped get the Sharks on the man
advantage by tripping Filip Zadina. Duclair made his deposit off a rebound
after Shakir Mukhamadullin fired a shot from the point. The rookie defenseman
earned his 1st NHL point with the primary assist.
Neither team seem
too inspired to try and break the tie in the 2nd period. The teams traded a
handful of shots until Marc-Edouard Vlasic pumped a shot past Gibson just over
2 minutes remaining in the frame. The tally gave Vlasic goals in 3 straight
games and 5 in his last 9 contests.
The Ducks just missed tying the
game 2 minutes into the 3rd period when Urho Vaakanainen rang a shot off the
right post.
William Eklund was called for hooking at 5:08 to
setup the Ducks 3rd power play opportunity of the game. San Jose went a perfect
3-for-3 on the kill to preserve the lead.
Anaheim turned up the heat
with 12 minutes to play in regulation. The two teams would trade power play
chances with under 10 minutes to play, but neither team would score.
The Ducks pulled Gibson with 1:20 to play and Anaheim would convert with the
extra attacker with 61 seconds left in regulation when Troy Terry punched home
a rebound from just outside the left post.
In the overtime, the Sharks
had their chances, but a turnover on a zone entry play and the failure of
Duclair to get back defensively ended up in the Sharks goal.
Game
Notes: * Shakir Mukhamadullin has been making it hard for the
Sharks to return him to the AHL, but they'll need to do it for at least one
more game as the rookie defenseman was added the AHL All Star roster on
Wednesday. The San Jose Barracuda will host the NHL All Star game on February
5th.
* Reports suggest that Tomas Hertl will attend the NHL All Star
weekend, but is not likely to play in the game.
* Alexander Barabanov
was injured in the 2nd period after getting tied up with Radko Gudas. He did
not return after sustaining what looked like a lower body injury.
*
Nikita Okhotiuk took a shot off the knee in the 3rd period and had to be helped
off the ice. He would return later in the period, but the proximity of the
injury made for some tense moments.
* Anthony Duclair and William
Eklund were both a -2 on the night. Duclair in particular struggled in a number
of facets of the game all night.