In their first chance to face NHL competition
after trading Mikael Granlund and Cody Ceci, the Sharks faced the Montreal
Canadiens at SAP Center on Tuesday night. San Jose would tie the game twice,
but a short-handed game winning goal by Joel Armia with 4 minutes left cost
them in 4-3 loss. The Canadiens entered play having lost their last 5 games,
but the Sharks stumbled late once again to help the vistors cure their ills.
Both teams scored a pair of power play goals, but it was the
short-handed dagger that would decide a tightly matched game. Neither team will
make the playoffs, and with the Canadiens struggling it was a great opportunity
for San Jose, but they failed to seise the moment.
The Sharks kick
started a struggling power play at the 6 minute mark after Juraj Slafkovsky was
called for slashing. Macklin Celebrini scored his 17th goal of the season on
the man-advantage from just outside the right post, stuffing a Tyler Toffoli
feed home to extend his rookie goal scoring lead. Toffoli sent a pass across
the top of the crease from the left side.
Celebrini was called for
cross checking Alexandre Carrier, but the Sharks kept the effective special
teams play theme going by killing the penalty.
San Jose held a 12-7
advantage in shots on goal at the end of 20 minutes, which was a respectable
effort given the emotional roller coaster they've all been on the past few
days.
The Sharks paid the price for a Barclay Goodrow holding penalty
just 39 seconds into the 2nd period. The Canadiens would convert when Cole
Caufield punched his 26th goal of the season home 13 seconds into the power
play.
Alex Newhook gave Montreal the 2-1 lead at the 4:53 mark after
Sharks goaltender Aleandar Georgiev lost his stick, then lost sight of the
puck. Carrier moved the puck to Newhook out at the top of the right circle
before the Canadiens centerman simply threw it on net. Georgiev was looking to
the left side of the ice as the puck skipped home.
Fabian Zetterlund
appeared to help the Sharks tie the game with 6 minutes and change remaining in
the period. His shot into a scrum in front of the Canadien's net disappeared
around the left post, which logic will say is a good goal. There was no replay
footage that showed the puck over the line, to the NHL stuck with referee Kyle
Rehman's guess work, disallowing the goal.
Rookie forward Collin Graf
evened things up with his 1st NHL goal at 14:51. Racin gup the left wing, Graf
snapped a shot on the fly, beating Sam Montembeault for the biggest thrill of
his young NHL career.
The Sharks didn't do themselves any favors when Carl
Grundstrom caught Lane Hutson with a high stick with 37 seconds remaining in
the period. Grundstrom drew blood to earn himself a double minor for high
sticking. 3:24 of the penalty carried over to the start of the 3rd period.
San Jose was able to kill the first half of the penalty but Brendan
Gallagher stuffed home a Kirby Dach feed while parked on the right post. Dach
took a cross ice feed from Newhook as he sat on the left dot, then sent the
puck to Gallagher for the 3-2 lead.
Toffoli re-tied the game at 10:27
as the Sharks were enjoying a power play chance after Arber Xhekaj was sent off
for holding Zetterlund on a scoring chance. The veteran Sharks forward gathered
a Celebrini pass and cut across the front of the net from right to left,
lifting a put back chance past Montembeault for his 19 tally of the season.
Jayden Struble was called for delay of game after he lofted a puck
over the glass with 5:41 remaining in regulation. Montembeault robbed Celebrini
on a chance from the doorstep, denying San Jose the go-ahead goal.
Montreal would chip a puck up ice late in the penalty, allowing Jake Evans and
Joel Armia to steam up ice on a 2-on-1. Evans pushed the puck to his right
where Armia gathered it and snapped a shot past Georgiev for the game winner.
Game Notes: * The game marked the first head to head
match-up between college teammates Macklin Celebrini and Lane Hutson. The two
players are 1st and 2nd in the NHL rookie scoring race, with Hutson up by a
single point on the Sharks young superstar.
* The Sharks recalled
Andrew Poturalski and the rookie winger almost scored his first NHL goal right
before the overturned Fabian Zetterlund tally.
* San Jose out-shot the
Canadiens 30-20, but it still wasn't enough.
* Alexandar Gergiev made
16 saves on 20 shots. He falls to 2-11-0 when playing for San Jose.
*
Former Sharks assistant coach and Montreal Canadien Hall of Fame defenseman
Larry Robinson attended the game. He was in town to see his two grand son's
play for San Jose State University.
