The Sharks concluded their 2024-25 road
schedule with a stop in Vancouver on Monday night. Playing less than 24 hours
after losing 5-2 to the Calgary Flames, the Sharks turned in a carbon-copy
loss. They held a lead entering the 3rd period, lost that lead, then lost the
game in overtime. The 2-1 decision extended their losing streak to a season
high 10-games.
Anyone not placing bets against the Sharks at the start
of a 3rd period is losing money. San Jose has been incapable of holding a lead
this season, and Monday night was no different. The loss was a tough pill to
swallow for goaltender Alexandar Georgiev who played one of his better games of
the season.
The loss also allowed the Canucks to sweep the season
series 4-0, all 1-goal deficits.
The Sharks enjoyed an early power
play when Victor Mancini was sent off for high sticking. San Jose did little to
generate any scoring chances on the man advantage, then shifted their focus to
the penalty kill when rookie Luca Cagnoni was called for a double minor for the
same infraction. The league's 29th ranked penalty kill kept the Canucks off the
board to keep the game scoreless.
San Jose struggled to generate much
offense, only putting three shots on goaltender Nikita Tolopilo in that opening
period.
Mancini was sent off for interference 3:19 into the 2nd period
when he hauled Tyler Toffoli down in front of the Canucks net. B.C. native
Macklin Celebrini scored on the ensuing power play with a shot from 18 feet out
after floating toward the net on the right side. The goal was Celebrini's 25th
of the season, allowing him to reclaim the rookie goal scoring lead.
The two teams would trade 7 shots in the period, but Celebrini's was the only
one to find the back of the net.
Clinging to their 1-0 lead, the
Sharks decided to make things tougher on themselves than necessary when Timothy
Liljegren took a tripping penalty at 3:47 of the 3rd period. The sharks killed
that penalty off, then Ty Dellandrea lofted a puck over the glass for a delay
of game penalty at 6:06.
San Jose killed off the Dellandrea penalty by
Vancouver shortly there after when Linus Karlsson punched home a loose puck
from inside the crease. Celebrini was late to get back and cover the Canucks
forward who sat overlooking Georgiev.
Vancouver out-shot the Sharks
10-5 in the 3rd period, but San Jose would limit the Canucks to the Karlsson
goal in the frame to get the game to overtime.
In the overtime period,
it was all Canucks. Vancouver out-shot San Jose 8-1 in the period and held the
puck in the San Jose zone most of the 4:42 that elapsed in the frame.
Jake DeBrusk finished off the Sharks by punching home a puck with a foot in the
crease as William Eklund failed to cover up his defensive assignment.
Georgiev finished with 35 saves, but unfortunately it was one save short.
Game Notes: * The Sharks were forced to make emergency
call-ups on Monday after Jack Thompson, Zack Ostapchuk, Jan Rutta and Thomas
Bordeleau all suffered injuries in the Sharks 5-2 loss to Calgary on Sunday.
San Jose recalled Luca Cagnoni, Jimmy Schuldt and Danil Gushchin from the
Barracuda.
* Speaking of the Sharks farm team, the Barracuda secured
at least the 6th seed in the coming AHL playoffs. Philp Bystedt was injured on
Sunday after being plowed from behind into the boards.
* Linus
Karlsson, who scored the Canucks goal was a 3rd round draft pick by the Sharks
in 2018. Karlsson was traded to Vancouver for Jonathan Dahlen a year later.
* The Barracuda announced their end of year award winners: Most
Valuable Player: Andrew Poturalski, Rookie/Prospect of the Year: Luca Cagnoni,
Most Inspirational: Jimmy Schuldt, Hard Hat Award: Anthony Vincent, Fan
Favorite: Yaroslav Askarov
* The Sharks will hold a press conference on
Tuesday with captain Logan Couture. After missing all but 6 games the last two
seasons, Couture is expected to retire for medical reasons. The Sharks captain
suffered a deep pelvic injury, which was a separation of the pelvic bone.
