The losing streak extended to 7 games for San
Jose on Tuesday night, as they fell 4-3 in a shootout to the Anaheim Ducks at
the Honda Center in Southern California. San Jose squandered two leads, a power
play in overtime and a chance in the shootout to fall even further in the
Western Conference and Pacific Division standings. San Jose last beat an
opponent on January 26 in Washington D.C..
This one was more woulda,
coulda, shoulda. Lots of opportunities to build on a lead, which went
unfulfilled. And it cost the Sharks a point.
The Ducks took advantage
of some suspect defense 3:38 into the game. The Sharks tried gaining the
Anaheim zone, but coughed the puck up at the Ducks blueline. Derek Grant and
Sam Carrick raced up ice after Radim Simek was caught too deep following the
turnover, and exchanged passes before Grant slipped it past James Reimer for
his 8th goal of the season.
After being denied on the game's first
power play chance, san Jose countered when Logan Couture swept home a rebound
from the top of the crease at 7:10. Brent Burns threw the puck toward the goal
mouth from the bottom of the left circle, but the puck appeared to deflect off
of multiple people before dropping at Couture's feet as he cut in on net.
Brent Burns scored his 5th goal of the season with less than 3 minutes
to play in the opening period. The Sharks defenseman sent a blast from the
right point, beating Ducks goaltender Anthony Stolarz.
The Ducks
started to take liberties with the Sharks late in the period. First Rickard
Rakell hit Rudolfs Balcers with a hit that should have been called a boarding
penalty. Nicolas Deslauriers hit new Sharks Ryan Dzingel from behind, crumpling
the Sharks winger. Jonah Gadjovich answered the latter hit by dropping the
gloves with Deslauriers with 1:12 left in the period.
The Ducks tied
the game 7 minutes into the 2nd period when a Trevor Zegras shot appeared to
bounce off Reimer than hit Rakell in the skate and into the Sharks net.
Hampus Lindholm was sent off for a high sticking double minor at 10:44
of the middle period. The Sharks burned through the first half of the 4 minute
power play, but the Couture bagged his 2nd goal of the game at 13:44. Burns
sent a shot in on net from the blueline, but Stolarz made the save. The puck
bounced to the right side, where Couture was Johnny on the spot for the easy
put back for his 17th tally of the season.
Rakell knotted the game back up less than 3 minutes
later when he skated around Andrew Cogliano while crossing though the slot then
beat Reimer with a shot that slipped between the goaltender and the right post.
Both teams traded penalties in the 3rd period, but the penalty kill
units from both teams held the fort.
Jakob Silfverberg took a holding
penalty 28 seconds into the overtime to setup a 4-on-3 situation for San Jose.
Right on cue, the Sharks power play floundered when it counted most. The Ducks
would fend off 6 San Jose shots in the extra period.
Anaheim won it
when Zegras and Rakell scored in the shootout, while Couture and Hertl
faltered.
Game Notes: * Ryan Dzingel made his Sharks
debut after being claimed by San Jose off the waiver wire. The left wing skated
16:27 of ice time on 27 shifts. He had a pair of shots on goal and a hit.
* The Sharks were a little bewildered by the officiating in this game.
Both Rudolfs Balcers and Ryan Dzingel were drilled into the boards which went
uncalled. Radim Simek's boarding infraction late in the game was no different.
* San Jose finished the game 1-for-5 on the power play and killed all
four penalties called against them.
* Timo Meier had a game high 9
shots on goal, and had another 5 shot attempts blocked.
* Andrew
Cogliano was the goat in this one. He whiffed on Rickard Rakell's 2n goal and
was a -2 on the night. The Sharks need more from their veteran players, but
just aren't getting the production necessary to win.