The San Jose Sharks dropped their third straight after erasing a two-goal deficit in a 4-3 shootout loss Tuesday.
Despite tying the game late in the third, the Sharks’ sluggish start and missed power-play opportunities defined the night. The Sharks return to San Jose on a three-game losing streak, outscored 18-5 over that stretch.
The Sharks trailed 3-1 after the first period, with the Ducks outpacing them in shots 14-13, and hits 8-7. At five-on-five hockey, the first was the only period Anaheim outshot San Jose.
San Jose drew two penalties, but both power plays came up empty.
Anaheim capitalized early, with two breakaways in the opening five minutes. Head coach Ryan Warsofsky called it “kind of inexcusable.”
“It surprised us a little bit,” Warsofsky said. “Really slow start, which really hasn’t been us the majority of the season.”
Team Teal responded well in the second, outshooting Anaheim almost triplicate, 14-5, a total of 27-19, Sharks after 40 minutes.
Holding Anaheim to just five shots on goal, the Sharks generated some stability. In the circle, San Jose had a faceoff win percentage of 57%. Veterans like Tyler Toffoli, Mario Ferraro and Barclay Goodrow helped settle the bench, according to Warsofsky.
The matchup saw Warsofsky shuffle his top line, putting Tyler Toffoli alongside Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith. In the Sharks’ last close game, a 6-5 shootout win to the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Celebrini line was Eklund-Celebrini-Smith. The new line needed time to click but found life as the game wore on.
“I thought they were good,” Warsofsky said postgame. “It took them a little time to get going. I thought they had some good chances in that second period… We’re going to have to really lock in defensively against Edmonton, that’s for sure.”
Marc-Edouard Vlasic scored early in the third to bring the Sharks within one. Defenseman Jack Thompson picked up the assist in Vlasic’s snap shot. It was Vlasic’s first goal of the season.
Alexander Wennberg tied it late in the third off a feed from William Eklund.
The comeback fell flat after regulation. Anaheim’s Mason McTavish scored the only shootout goal to beat the Sharks. Toffoli missed wide on San Jose’s final attempt.
Goaltender Alexandar Georgiev made 34 saves in the loss, including several key stops during a first-period 5-on-3 penalty kill and in overtime. Almost half of the shots on net he faced came in the first alone.
“It was probably the best I’ve seen him,” Warsofsky said. “He made some big saves… I thought he was really good tonight.”
Georgiev kept the Sharks within reach during Anaheim’s early push.
Shakir Mukhamadullin left Tuesday’s game in the third period with an upper-body injury and is considered day-to-day. Mukhamadullin hit Anaheim’s Troy Terry, sparking a response from Frank Vatrano. As of April 2, Mukhamadullin is still being evaluated.
Mukhamadullin opened the scoring with his second goal of the season. Over his last five games, he’s averaged 22:43 of ice time, playing top-pair minutes as a blueliner.
“I feel for the kid,” Warsofsky said. “He’s really developed since the break… His trajectory is really high. Hopefully he’s okay, but we’ll get an update.”
This marked the Sharks’ 10th loss in games decided past regulation. It also dropped them to 20-44-10 on the season.
While the second-period showed resilience, it couldn’t undo the rest of the game.
San Jose will try to end the skid Thursday on home ice against the Edmonton Oilers.
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Featured image courtesy of San Jose Sharks on NHL.com
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