Dallas Stars center Joe Pavelski (16) takes the puck against the San Jose Sharks defenseman Jan Rutta (84) in the third period at SAP Center in San Jose on Tue Mar 26, 2024 (AP News photo)

Tuesday, March 26th, 2024

By Troy Ewers

San Jose, CA – In the “Tank” the San Jose Sharks host the Dallas Stars in a weekday throwdown. The Sharks continued their losing streak extending it to eight straight loses 6-3 at SAP Center.

Last game the Sharks blew a four goal lead to the Chicago Blackhawks to lose 5-4. Thomas Bordeleau (2g, 0a) potted his fifth and sixth goals of the season in the first period, the first time in his career notching two goals in a period. Fabian Zetterlund (2g, 1a) matched his career-high with a three-point effort and his first goal in the game came at 0:16 seconds of the opening second period, besting William Eklund (0:17, Nov. 16, 2023 vs. STL) for the fastest goal scored by a Shark to start a regulation period this year. Klim Kostin (0g, 1a) has registered six points (2g, 4a) in his first eight games with San Jose, including a point in (1g, 2a) in three of his past four games played. William Eklund (0g, 1a) has points (2g, 4a) in six consecutive games on home ice. 

 The first period was a period of missed opportunities for San Jose. A couple big passes that led to breakaways, but no goals for the Sharks. For the Stars it was the exact opposite. Esa Lindell got a slashing call and the missed opportunity for the Sharks of getting a power play goal was capitalized by Wyatt Johnston on a breakaway shorthanded goal, 1-0 Stars.

Johnston in his last game at SAP was a hat trick and now with another goal here, he has 27 total on the season. The Stars weren’t done in the first period, Mason Marchment scored a goal that happened so fast, fans and even some players didn’t even notice the goal occurred at first. After a very quick review it was an easy call that it was a goal, 2-0 Stars, and there was no real energy in the building going into intermission. 

Huge period for both teams, as it was a hot period from the puck drop to the buzzer signaling intermission. 14 seconds into the period, Jason Robertson scored his 25th goal of the season and the third straight goal for the Stars this game, 3-0 Stars.

10 seconds later Alexander Barbanov scored the first goal for SJ, 3-1. A Sam Steel holding call for Dallas then led to a power play goal for San Jose courtesy of William Eklund and it was 8 seconds into the power play. 3-2 and the arena woke up. The period stayed on fire as Luke Kunin and Ty Dellandrea got into a fight and they were throwing hands the old school way and this electrified the crowd for more.

Stars captain Jamie Benn scored, continuing his five game goal streak and gave Dallas the most dangerous lead in hockey, a two goal lead, 4-2 Stars. The fight wasn’t over for the Sharks this period as Kostin kept the game close with a laser wrist shot for a goal, 4-3. The fans were still electric, but Johnston scored another goal, his second of the night and the Stars headed into the third with a 5-3 lead. 

There was only one goal in the third and it was from Robertson, who scored on a power play goal and that was basically the end of the game. A game that had hopes for the Sharks, but before you know it, it was over, 6-3 Dallas. 

Now an 8 game losing streak, San Jose Sharks next game against the Minnesota Wild in the Twin Cities on Thursday, March 28th.