The Sharks are using the final 24 games of the season to evaluate who is worth keeping, and also showcasing some of their talent for the impending NHL Trade Deadline. Several Sharks proved that the NHL may be bit above them, as San Jose drops a 6-4 decision to the Anaheim Ducks at SAP Center. The Sharks scored 3 power play goals in the contest, but they also surrendered a pair of crucial goals on the penalty kill.

Anthony Duclair is one of the players that the Sharks should surely be shopping. He had a plus plus night, scoring a pair of goals and adding an assist to lead San Jose. Duclair staked the Sharks to a short-lived 1-0 lead just 2:47 into the contest. Fabian Zetterlund carried the puck around the back of the Anaheim net before darting toward Ducks goaltender John Gibson with a left turn out of the left corner. He dropped the puck back tot he circle where Duclair one-timed a shot past Gibson for his 12th goal of the season.

The lead would last all of 20 seconds when 19 year-old centerman Leo Carlsson tipped home a an Alex Killorn feed. The Ducks three forwards traded passes on their trek up ice, when Killorn spotted his linemate from the left wing boards. Killorn put the puck 8 feet in front of the net perfectly, allowing Carlsson to get to the spot and chip the puck past Kappo Kahkonen.

A Killorn tripping penalty put the Sharks on their fist power play of the game at 4:24, but Anaheim turned the tables on San Jose. Racing up ice with speed, Brett Leason angled toward the right side before zipping past Mike Hofffman and snapping a shot that split Kahkonen's pads for his 8th goal of the season.

The Ducks extended their lead 5:18 into the 2nd period when Killorn put a shot between Kahkonen's pads off a 2-on-1 break. The Ducks forward put a pretty benign looking shot on net, but Kahkonen was just late to react.

An anemic Sharks power play kicked things into gear to scratch back into the game. First Mike Hoffman scored following an interference penalty to Frank Vatrano. Hoffman one-timed a shot from the right dot which appeared to be redirected by Duclair out in front, but the scorekeeper determined that Gustav Lindstrom got a stick on it to deflect into his own net.

Mikael Granlund was credited with the secondary assist, his first of three helpers on the night. The Sharks forward tookover the team scoring lead with his offensive output, passing Tomas Hertl with 35 total points.

William Eklund then tied the game on a second straight power play, lifting home his 9th goal of the season after collecting it outside the left post.

The hockey gods then reclaimed both those goals on a pair of Duck power play chances. Vatrano was credited with a goal after a Jackson Lacombe shot hit him, then took a 90 degree turn toward the net after it deflected off Sharks defenseman Mario Ferraro.

A high sticking penalty to Zetterlund setup the Ducks 5th goal of the game. Adam Henrique tipped a another Lacombe shot while parked in the slot. For all the bad goals that Kahkonen has given up of late, there was nothing he could do on that shot.

Duclair made it a 5-4 game at 9:30 of the 3rd period with the Sharks enjoying a 4-on-3 power play. Eklund and Urho Vaakanainen were sent off for roughing at 8:05, then Lacombe was whistled for tripping Mikael Granlund. Duclair swept a rebound chance from the top of the crease after Granlund put a shot on net from up top.

Game Notes:

* The Sharks placed Mackenzie Blackwood on the injured reserve on Tuesday night following his injury in the 1st period of San Jose's loss to New Jersey. The Sharks recalled Magnus Chrona to backup Kappo Kahkonen with Blackwood on IR.

* Fabian Zetterlund established a new career high in points with his assist on Anthony Duclair's 1st period goal. Zetterlund now has 24 points on the season with 15 goals and 9 assists.

* Ty Emberson sustained an injury at the end of the 1st period and did not return to the game.

* William Eklund's entire family made the trek from Sweden to see the young start play for the first time in the NHL.

* Anaheim won the season series 3-1.

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