Dallas Stars defensman Chris Tanev (3), Wyatt Johnston center (53), and center Logan Stankoven (11) celebrate Tanev’s third period goal as the San Jose Sharks forward Mike Hoffman (68) skates away from the scene at SAP Center in San Jose on Tue Mar 5, 2024 (AP News photo)

Tuesday, March 5th, 2024

By Troy Ewers 

San Jose, CA – The San Jose Sharks lost the Dallas Stars in a weeknight faceoff here at the SAP Center 7-6 on Tuesday night. Last game for the Sharks on Sunday was a 4-3 loss to the Minnesota Wild. The Sharks netted three unassisted goals for the first time since Feb. 26, 2000. Anthony Duclair (1g, 0a) has seven points (6g, 1a) in his past ten games played, including a team-leading five goals since the All-Star break.

Mikael Granlund (1g, 0a) scored his first power play goal of the season and has seven points (3g, 4a) in his past eight games played. Nico Sturm (1g, 0a) notched his fifth marker of the campaign, a shorthanded goal, and has found the back of the net in two of his past four games played.

Kaapo Kähkönen logged a 28-save performance in his appearance against his former team (Minnesota). SJS Goals: Granlund (8pp), Sturm (5sh), Duclair (14).

Game recap: The first period seemed promising for San Jose fans, but by the end of the period they were reminded that the Sharks are going to “Shark”. The first goal was a power play goal courtesy of a one timer from Duclair. His 15th of the season and 1-0 start for San Jose.

The Sharks stayed on a hot start as a breakaway goal by Fabian Zetterlund with a crisp tape to tape pass from Duclair not only gave the Sharks a 2 goal lead, but Zetterlund took the top spot as leading scorer for the Sharks now with 16 goals.

By the later half of the period a Kyle Burroughs penalty led to a Dallas power play goal of their own by Jamie Benn, 2-1. 50 seconds later Stars tied it up on another power play goal from a rebound shot by Logan Stankoven, 2-2 and that was our score by intermission. 

Electric second period from the Sharks and it started with Ryan Carpenter scoring his first goal in 13 games that gave the Sharks the lead to start the period. 3-2 Sharks. Dallas would tie it up with a goal from Wyatt Johnston and that was his 20th goal of the season, 3-3.

Former Shark star Joe Pavelski got a tripping penalty and that would be the game shifter. Duclair would shove in the loose puck for his second goal of the night and that at this point tied him up with the Sharks leading goal scorer Zetterlund at 16 goals on the season, 4-3 Sharks.

The crowd would then explode when the lead for San Jose would extend to two as Filip Zadina found an open spot in the slot and scored one past Jake Oettinger, 5-3 Sharks. The period ended and the San Jose fans felt a little bit more relief going into the final period of this game. 

The final period may be one that the Sharks want to forget, but Wyatt Johnston will definitely remember. Duclair got his 4th point with a pass to Granlund, who scored while falling to his knees, 6-3 Sharks. It seemed like the game was over, but that assumption was a mistake.

Kaapo Kahkonen couldn’t find the puck as the Stars snuck one past him, 6-4 Stars and that was Stankoven’s second goal of the night. Wyatt Johnston would then get back to back goals, earning a hat trick and sending this game to OT, 6-6.

In OT the game was over pretty quick as a minute and a half in, Roope Hintz scored a wrist shot past Kappo and the game was over 7-6, Stars won.

The game was a high scoring affair and a big night for Anthony Duclair, but again for the Sharks it’s another one for the loss column, making it now eighth losses in a row. Next game for the Sharks will be Thursday, March 7th against the Islanders back at the SAP Center.