The Sharks wrapped up their 3-game home stand
with a flat 4-2 loss to the doormat Seattle Kraken at SAP Center on Saturday
night. Fueled by a trade 24 hours earlier, the Kraken had won only once in
their last 10 games and with the underachievement this season, Seattle needed
something to get things back on track. The Sharks obliged by playing a
disconnected game that turned upside down in a pivotal 3rd period.
It
was a not-so-subtle reminder that the Sharks aren't in a position to take
nights off and expect to win. It's not happening with this lineup.
The
Kraken were motivated to do something following the trade of forward Mason
Marchment on Friday. Their 0-9-1 record over their last 10 games also has
players and coaches on edge. Marchment was dealt right before the holiday
movement freeze, but that ends next week and the NHL trade deadline is only 10
weeks away.
San Jose enjoyed a pair of power play chances, but could
not solve goaltender Joey Daccord who stopped all 12 shots he faced in the
period.
Even with a 2-1 advantage in power play time, San Jose still
allowed Seattle to put 17 shots on Yaroslav Askarov. The Sharks goaltender
turned aside three dangerous chances late in the period to help preserve the
0-0 deadlock.
Eeli Tovanen finally cracked the score sheet open 6:51
into the 2nd period after both teams were flying on the ice. San Jose turned
the puck over in the neutral zone, allowing Tolvanen to skate up the right side
and snap a 30-foot shot that Askarov should have stopped. The puck slipped just
under the Russian goaltender's left arm.
Ryan Lindgren was sent off
for slashing at 9:53, setting up a 3rd consecutive power play chance for the
Sharks. They did something with it this time. Macklin Celebrini fired a shot on
net from the top of the left circle, hitting Igor Chrnyshov in the skate. Adam
Gaudette had crashed the net before Celebrini uncorked his chance and was able
to jam home the deflection for his 8th goal of the season.
San Jose
briefly grabbed the lead just 36 seconds into the 3rd period. The Sharks worked
the puck with two forwards facing Daccord. Colin Graf pt the puck on net, which
seemed to be smothered by the Kraken goaltender, but as he lay on the ice
looking up at the rafters, the puck squirted out and into the net.
Ryker Evans tied the game 79 seconds later with a
shot from the left wing boards. Defenseman Shakir Mukhamadullin was halfway
between Evans and the Sharks goal, but he was positioned perfectly to screen
Askarov. The puck clipped the Sharks netminder's left arm before tucking inside
the right post for Evans 1st goal in 41 games.
Mukhamadullin's night
went from bad to worse when he got a stick blade on a Ryan Lindgren blast that
changed directions on Askarov, before skipping past the Sharks netminder.
Lindgren was the player Seattle received in the Marchment trade on Friday.
That was all the Kraken needed.
San Jose was forced to pull
Askarov with 2 minutes to play, but it just wasn't in the cards.
Chandler Stephenson walked a puck into an empty net to cao the game's scoring.
Game Notes: * Defenseman Timothy Liljegren was injured
in the morning skate and was a scratch. Sam Dickinson took his spot in the
lineup.
* Jeff Skinner was back in the lineup after being scratched on
Thursday. Ethan Cardwell sat along with defenseman Nick Leddy.
*
Macklin Celebrini extends his point streak to 5 games with the secondary assist
on the Adam Gaudette goal.
* The loss was the Sharks first in
regulation after leading in the 3rd period. They lost 15 such games last
season.
* Collin Graf extended his goal scoring streak to 2 games. He
has potted 9 goals this season.
