Photo credit: @SanJoseSharks

By Mary Walsh

The San Jose Sharks finished their five game road trip with a 3-2 loss to the New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center on Sunday. Devils’ goals came from Kyle Palmieri (2) and Jean-Sebastien Dea. Keith Kinkaid made 37 saves on 39 shots for the win. Joe Pavelski and Timo Meier scored for the Sharks, while goaltender Martin Jones made 33 saves on 36 shots.

Asked whether the team might be showing fatigue from the road trip, Sharks captain Joe Pavelski said:

This game felt exactly like a couple of the other ones we’ve lost so far: they’re right there for us, you know, a few chances, power play opportunities, you know, all those certain situations. We expect to win these, that’s why they’re frustrating right now.

Asked about the power play’s struggles, Pavelski said:

It could be a little bit cleaner, the execution could be a little bit better. We’re making some plays, we’re having some looks. Either we’re not shooting or we’re shooting it too quick. The rhythm just.. it’s close. It does feel close but we’re still not where it needs to be.

Sharks forward Logan Couture’s comments on the power play were more succinct: “We’re six games in, we have one goal on the power play. I don’t think it’s close.”

Sharks head coach Pete DeBoer summarized the team’s situation as:

We’re not scoring enough, that’s the bottom line, and we’re not getting enough saves too. It’s a bad combination so we’ve got to find a way to get another goal a night. Part of that’s power play, part of that’s five-on-five and we’ve got to find a way to get another save a night. Part of that’s defending a little tighter, part of that’s getting another save.

The first period on Sunday was scoreless, but showed some back and forth in momentum. The Devils started fast, but a Sharks’ power play at 3:14 gave the Sharks some life. As the penalty expired, the Sharks peppered Kinkaid with shots and established a shot lead that carried through the period.

Penalties, on the other hand, did not favor the Sharks in the first, and by the end of the game the Devils had eight power plays to the Sharks’ three. Two of those penalties were for delay of game, puck over glass.

The Sharks scored first at 3:51 of the second period. Evander Kane fought for the puck below the goal line and then, while being tripped by Mirco Mueller, got the puck to Brent Burns at the blue line. Burns took a quick shot that went right into Kinkaid’s pads. Pavelski was right in front of the goalie and pulled the puck back for a swift shot around the pads for the goal. Assists went to Burns and Kane.

The Devils tied the game during a 5-on-3 power play at 7:06. Taylor Hall made a pass across the ice to Kyle Palmieri in the right circle. Palmieri took the shot and scored on the far side.

Meier got the puck to Tomas Hertl in the neutral zone to set up San Jose’s second goal at 15:35. Hertl carried the puck across the line and passed it to Couture above the faceoff circle. Couture carried the puck in front of the net. As Couture seemed to lose control of the puck, Meier had come down for the follow up and he was able to poke the puck in. Assists went to Couture and Hertl.

The Devils tied it back up just 37 seconds into the third period, with another goal from Palmieri. Andy Greene took a shot from below the blue line and three Devils converged on the net. Palmieri’s stick beat out the others to get the puck in after Jones stopped the initial shot. In the midst of all that, Couture ended up in the net and it looked like the puck came up and hit him in the face. He went to the locker room. Assists on the second goal went to Greene and Damon Severson.

A few minutes later, at 3:25, Dea gave the Devils their third goal, the game-winner. The Sharks had just killed off their fifth penalty and followed it up with a couple of shots when Dea got the puck away from their zone to Hall in the neutral zone. Hall carried it into the Sharks zone and made a pass to Mueller, who took the shot. Jones slowed it down, but it squeezed through under his arm and sat in the blue paint for a moment. Dea was the first to find it and he put in away. Assists went to Mueller and Hall.

The Sharks next play on Thursday against the Buffalo Sabres in San Jose at 7:30 PM PT.