The Sharks finally figured out how not to blow
a 3rd period lead. Unfortunately their solution included never holding a 3rd
period lead to blow. Skating just 24 hours after losing 6-3 to the Vegas Golden
Knights, the Sharks dropped a 3-1 decision to the Calgary Flames. While San
Jose had to play on tired legs, the Flames hit the ice for the first time in 7
days and were able to use those fresh legs to their advantage.
Scheduling imbalance and an inability to put pucks on net really handcuffed San
Jose. They were out-shot 33-22 in the game and a 17-7 difference in the opening
frame.
In the end it meant a 7th straight loss for the Sharks who also
fell for the 10th time in 12 games in the month of December. Even after their
abysmal start to the season, the Sharks finished the month of October with a
3-7-2 record.
The losses are starting to come too easily to a team
that needs to be showing some signs of growth. That isn't happening. San Jose
continues to make the same mistakes and it's starting to wear on some players.
Macklin Celebrini was extremely guarded in his post season comments
following the loss. For a guy like Celebrini, constantly losing is taxing. He's
maturing as an NHLer, but he's also unfairly being subject to more losses than
he probably deserves.
It will be interesting to see how a losing trend
like this wears on Celebrini's attitude. Everything is new and exciting for the
kid, but you can tell by his comments that it's not something he'll accept for
long.
The Sharks had to play from behind early after Jonathan
Huberdeau put a puck past Yaroslav Askarov 4:40 into the game. Huberdeau was
parked in the slot with his back to the Sharks net when Mackenzie Weegar fired
a shot at the Flames centerman, deflecting the shot between his skates and past
Yaroslav Askarov for his 14th of the season.
The Sharks lost forward Carl Grundstrom at the 8
minute mark when Brayden Pachal caught him with an open ice hit that was
borderline as Granlund was hit up high. Nico Sturm responded by going after
Pachal, but in doing so he drew a cross checking penalty.
Calgary
would throw the kitchen sink at Askarov, pumping those 17 shots on net in the
opening period, but the Sharks netminder kept the deficit to a single goal.
The Sharks went 12 minutes between shots, while the Flames put 12 on
Askarov over that period.
A Connor Zary slashing penalty 1:52 into the
2nd period setup an equalizer when Celebrini cranked a one-time chance off an
Alexander Wennberg feed past Flames goaltender, and Gilroy native, Dustin Wolf.
The goal was Celebrini's 12th of the season, which gives him the NHL rookie
goal scoring lead. He also tied Flyers forward Matvei Michkov for the rookie
point scoring lead with 27 points, even though Celebrini has played in 7 fewer
games.
A penalty helped Calgary reclaim the lead at 6:50 of the
period. Timothy Liljegren was called for hooking at 5:01, which setup a power
play goal for Flames captain Mikael Backlund.
The Sharks got a crack
at the 28th ranked penalty kill in the NHL early in the 3rd period after Matt
Coronato was called for hooking. San Jose's power play was less effective than
their 2nd period opportunity, generating nothing in terms of pressure on Wolf.
Even with the power play chance the Sharks generated only 2 shots on
goal through the first 12 minutes of the period. Head coach Ryan Warsofsky's
post game comments 24 hours earlier were scathing yet prophetic. His biting
words called out the fact that his team doesn't know how to compete in the 3rd
period.
The Sharks pulled Askarov with 2:40 to play. San Jose would
generate 5 shots in that final span, but Wolf denied them all.
And the
losing streak reached 7 games.
Game Notes: * Klim
Kostin made his return to the lineup after missing the last 6 games with an
upper body injury.
* Macklin Celebrini extended his point scoring
streak to 4 games (1 goal, 4 assists). Tyler Toffoli extended his poinst streak
to 3 games (1 goal, 2 assists).
* The Sharks revealed that goaltender
Vitek Vanecek suffered a fractured cheek when he was hit with an errant puck
while sitting on the bench in the loss to Vancouver on December 23rd.
* Nazem Kadri recorded assists on all three Flames goals. Gilroy native Dustin
Wolf earned the secondary assist on the Flames empty net goal.
* The
game marked the first time the Sharks have recorded back to back sellouts this
season.
