The Sharks looked to snap their brief 2-game
losing streak on Thursday as they hosted the Vancouver Canucks at SAP Center.
Entering play, the Canucks held the league' worst record, even though they
recorded a big comeback overtime win in Anaheim 48 hours earlier. Things looked
as if the Sharks would extend their losing streak and the Canucks would
continue to build on their solid win in Southern California. Then the Sharks
worked a little 3rd period magic, scoring 3 goals in a span of 2 minutes and 50
seconds to wipe away a 2-0 Canucks lead.
Will Smith was the man of the
hour, scoring a pair of goals to lead San Jose. Mason Marchment snapped the
brief 2-2 tie with a goal that sent the 15,422 in attendance into a frenzy.
Given Vancouver's woes this season, this was one the Sharks should
have handled much sooner, but the Canucks are professionals too and they pushed
the Sharks to the limit.
After trading penalties during the first 10
minutes of the contest, Vancouver drew first blood at 13:21 on a Drew O'Connor
goal. The Sharks continue to create their own problems with the inability to
get the puck out of their own end. Dmitry Orlov coughed the puck up near the
San Jose blueline, before Elias Pettersson scooped it up and sent a puck on
net. It kicked back out front where O'Connor beat the Sharks defense to the
spot for the put back chance that slipped past Yaroslav Askarov.
San
Jose would skate on two power play chances in the opening 20 minutes and
couldn't generate a single shot over the 4 minutes of advantage time.
San Jose struggled to deal with a Canucks offense that hasn't done much this
season. Vancouver made things difficult hemming up the Sharks offense and
keeping the puck away from goaltender Leevi Merilainen.
Kiefer
Sherwood had the best scoring chance of the period for San Jose, but his
breakaway attempt was turned aside by Merilainen after the Sharks forward tried
to go forehand-backhand in tight on the Canucks netminder.
Neither
team did much to generate any offense in the middle period, even though San
Jose enjoyed a pair of power play chances. Liam Ohgren took a tripping penalty
at 16:18 setting up some life for San Jose on a silver platter.
The
Sharks would dump that platter all over the newly cleaned rug, then gag up a
2nd goal to Ohgren with 64 seconds left in the period. The Canucks forward
gathered a Filip Hronek feed on the left side before carving to the lot and
snapping a shot that caught the inside of the left post for his 4th goal of the
season.
San Jose conjured up 7 shots in the period, but nothing really
challenged Merilainen.
Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky tried to light
a fire under his offense by reuniting Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith on the
top line to start the 3rd period. That decision may have saved the game for San
Jose.
Jonathan Lekkerimaki hauled down Celebrini at 6:59 of the 3rd
period to setup a do or die power play for the Sharks. Will Smith would snap
San Jose's scoreless streak which extended 115:33 with his 5th goal of the
season at the 8 minute mark.
Smith gathered a Dmitry Orlov feed before uncorking
a long wrist shot from the top of the right circle. Smith's shot beat
Merilainen between the right pad and the left post.
The goal was an
injection of life. Smith scored his second of the period at 10:39 from just
outside the left post after Celebrini set him up with a feed from behind the
net.
Mason Marchment then bagged his 4th of the season 11 seconds
later after snapping a shot from the slot off a Sherwood feed.
Michael
Kesselring took an ill-advised cross checking penalty at 17:04, which allowed
Vancouver to pull their goaltender for a 6-on-4 power play chance.
The
Canucks had several decent looks, but Askarov denied them, finishing the
evening with 23 saves.
Game Notes: * Filip Bystedt
made his NHL debut for San Jose. Bystedt was the 27th overall pick in the 2022
NHL Entry Draft. He nearly scored on his first shift after taking a puck hard
to the net.
* Bystedt's parents flew from Sweden to Amsterdam to San
Francisco to attend his NHL debut.
* Bystedt's final line: 15 shifts,
10:28 of ice time, 2 shots, 1 missed shot, 1 takeaway, 3-of-7 on draws, -1
plus/minus.
* The Sharks now share the dubious distinction of
surrendering the game's first goal more than 29 other teams. Detroit and
Philadelphia have given up the same number of opening goals along side the
Sharks.
* Macklin Celebrini led all skaters with 6 shots on goal.
