The Sharks dropped a game on Tuesday by giving
up a short-handed game winning goal late. On Thursday, they found yet another
way to lose. This time, they would allow the Vancouver Canucks to win on a
penalty shot in overtime. Penalty shots are a rarity in the first place, but
when was the last time you saw one called in overtime. It was and San Jose
dropped their 41st game of the season in 56 tries by a 2-1 score.
Vitek Vanecek made his first start in 7 weeks and looked primed to get the
Sharks a rare win. The netminder made 22 saves and did not allow an even
strength goal in the contest, but it was one goal short.
In that
overtime, the Sharks had just missed on a 2-on-1 chance on one end of the ice,
then Filip Chytil carried the puck up ice with a single defender in front of
him. Drew O'Connor raced up ice with Macklin Celebrini trailing him. Chytil fed
O'Connor the puck and was then awarded the penalty shot after referee Furman
South deemed Celebrini to have hooked the Canucks forward.
It was a
iffy call at best, but the Canucks took it and O'Connor beat Vanecek to end the
contest.
The Canucks opened the game with 5 straight shot before the
Sharks would record one of their own. San Jose's best chance in the opening 5
minutes came on a breakaway chance by Will Smith. The Sharks forward had two
chances on the break as his initial shot kicked back out to him, but Thatcher
Demko stood up the rookie.
San Jose would close on the period with a
7-6 lead on the shot counter, which was a positive to hold Vancouver to a
single shot of the final 15 minutes even though the Canucks enjoyed part of 2
penalties during that span.
The penalty gap grew to 3-0 when Jake
Walman was called for roughing at the 8:21 mark of the 2nd period. Vanecek kept
things square with a nice calm performance in the period.
That helped
the Sharks penalty killers keep the puck out of their own net. 19 blocked shots
through the first 40 minutes also helped Vanecek out.
O'Connor was called for his own roughing penalty
after taking a punch at Walman on the rush. That call came with 28 seconds
remaining in the period, which allowed the Sharks to carry over 88 seconds into
the 3rd period.
Regardless, the two netminders would not allow a goal
through 40 minutes.
Vancouver finally cracked the goals column after
Celebrini carelessly lofted a puck out of the Sharks zone and into the 5th row
of seating.
Dakota Joshua deflected a Pius Suter shot right as
Celebrini's penalty expired for the power play goal. Joshua was lurking behind
the left post before sliding in front of Vanecek where he redirected Suter's
shot.
Carl Grundstrom just missed tying the game on the next shift
when Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko made a tow save on a play in tight.
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Chytil was called for hooking Celebrini with 4:04 to play. The
Sharks would pull Vanecek with 13 seconds remaining on the power play. San Jose
would not convert on the 6-on-4, but they would on the 6-on-5.
Tyler
Toffoli cut across the top of the Canucks crease with 1:28 left in regulation
and put 3 shots on Demko before finally finding twine. The goal was Toffoli's
20th of the season to lead San Jose.
All the air was let out of the
building 2 minutes later in the overtime.
When asked about the penalty
shot call, Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky expressed himself without
jeopardizing any money with a simple, "extremely frustrating."
Game
Notes: * Thatcher Demko entered the game with a 12-0-0 record
all-time versus San Jose. Furman South's gift call help Demko tack on a 13th
straight win over the Sharks.
* The Sharks blocked 24 shots in the
game, led by Jake Walman who had 4 blocks.
* Tyler Toffoli led all
skaters with 7 shots in the game. San Jose out-shot Vancouver 16-3 in the 3rd
period.
* With the NHL trade deadline looming, scouts from Boston,
Buffalo, Colorado, Chicago, Dallas, Ottawa, Utah and Winnipeg were in
attendance.
* Both Vitek Vanecek and Carl Grundstrom welcomed new
additions to the family this week. Vanecek welcomed a son, Tobias, and
Grundstrom welcomed son Bo. Both are eligible for the NHL Draft in 2041.
