Category: NHL

Vancouver Canucks’ Alexander Edler, left, of Sweden, and San Jose Sharks’ Mikkel Boedker, of Denmark, compete for the puck during the third period of an NHL hockey game Sunday, April 2, 2017, in Vancouver, British Columbia. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP

By Barbara Mason

The San Jose Sharks have got to start playing better, it’s as simple as that. With four games left in the regular season the team is in real trouble unless they can get their defense going and improve on their grim 15% power play success. They cannot go into the playoffs playing like this if they expect to have a viable run. Beating the Vancouver Canucks Sunday afternoon would be a step in the right direction.

Vancouver is officially eliminated from the playoffs but there isn’t a team out there that doesn’t enjoy playing spoiler, especially when they have been dominated all year by the Sharks. San Jose came out in this game playing with a purpose. At 11:00 Tomas Hertl scored his 9th goal of the season assisted by Mikkel Boedker and Jannik Hansen for the early 1-0 lead. Less than two minutes later, Hertl would score his tenth goal of the season to give San Jose a 2-0 lead. He was assisted by Marc-Edouard Vlasic. The first period would come to an end with the Sharks maintaining that 2-0 lead. There was some concern when Joe Thornton left the ice late in the period after a nasty collision on the boards. An apparent leg injury had not been updated and word was anxiously awaited as to his condition.

As the second period got underway there was no sight of Thornton. His return to the game was listed as questionable. There was no scoring for either team in the period as San Jose adjusted to line changes due to the Thornton injury.

The Canucks turned up the heat as the third period was winding down. They would score at 16:07 off the stick of Sven Baertsch for his 18th goal of the season pulling within one goal of a tie. At the two minute mark Vancouver pulled their goalie. They were unable to score and gave up an empty net goal at 19:57. It was Patrick Marleau’s 27th goal of the season. The final was 3-1.

The win was a great thing for San Jose but was overshadowed by the exit of Joe Thornton and the uncertainty of his status. “Obviously we don’t want our big guy to go down,” said Patrick Marleau after the game. Marleau was happy with the effort in this game because he knows what they are in for in the playoffs.

The Sharks will finish the season at home for their final three games taking on Vancouver, Edmonton and Calgary. Tuesday night they take on Vancouver one more time hoping to sweep them this season. The puck drops at 7:30.

Calgary Flames goalie Brian Elliott, top, makes a save against San Jose Sharks’ Melker Karlsson, of Sweden, during the second period of an NHL hockey game Friday, March 31, 2017, in Calgary, Alberta. (Larry MacDougal/The Canadian Press via AP)

By Barbara Mason

Last night everything pointed towards a return to Shark hockey as San Jose took on the Edmonton Oilers. Scoring the first goal of the game barely one minute into the first period it looked like the Sharks were back to the form that kept them in first place of the Western division for weeks. When it seemed like a go, the Black and Teal started to decline and the team ended up losing to the Oilers giving Edmonton second place in the division while the Sharks slipped into third place.

Friday night the Sharks took on the Calgary Flames hoping to turn things around with the playoffs just around the corner. With a win, the Flames will book a spot in the playoffs so they had everything to play for. The Flames played like a team with an agenda scoring first at 12:26. Johnny Gaudreau had his 18th goal of the season assisted by Sam Bennett for the early 1-0 lead. The period would come to an end with Calgary holding onto the slim lead.

The second period would prove to be the Sharks undoing with Calgary scoring three times. At 3:39 Sean Monahan would score to give Calgary a 2-0 lead. San Jose would cut that lead in half when Marc-Edouard Vlasic scored his 6th goal of the season. Assisted by Marcus Sorensen and Michael Haley, the Sharks were looking to tie up the game. It just wasn’t in the cards. At 12:38 Matt Stajan would score his 6th goal of the season for a 3-1 lead. The Flames would strike again at 17:09 taking a 4-1 lead off the stick of Alex Chiasson and it would be an up hill battle for San Jose.

The only third period score by San Jose would come off the stick of Melker Karlsson at 13:06 for his 11th goal of the season. He was assisted by Paul Martin and Joe Pavelski for a 4-2 score. The Flames would seal the deal at 19:26 when Sam Bennett would score his 12th goal of the season, an empty net goal for the 5-2 final. Calgary was back in the pre-season.

What has happened to the elite team that we have seen all year? Will San Jose be able to come out of this funk in time? Will the Sharks be able to clean up their defense? A lot to be answered before they take on their first round opponent in the Stanley Cup playoffs. The Sharks are giving up far too many scoring opportunities. The Black and Teal have to be suffering considerable frustration. It’s almost inexplicable. With only 4 games left in the regular season, the Sharks have to find their game. They have struggled mightily against all of the teams in the post-season which is ominous.

We have gone from talking about home ice advantage to wild card. There has been absolutely no puck luck for the Sharks. That’s just the way it goes sometimes in the hockey world. San Jose will next take on on the Canucks on Sunday. The puck drops at 4:00 PM.

 

 

(Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)

~ By Pearl Allison Lo

~ Edmonton used three straight goals to win a tiebreaking game over San Jose Thursday, 3-2.

The Oilers now sit one point behind the Anaheim Ducks, despite the Sharks peppering goalie Cam Talbot with 40 shots. It was the most he faced since January 20.

A second period unsuccessful 2-0 breakaway would loom large for San Jose after the game. It was the fourth straight game Sharks’ opponents strung together three goals as Edmonton won their fourth straight.

Patrick Maroon’s two goals and Connor McDavid shorthanded goal and assist contributed to the Oilers’ three goal stretch. 5-0

San Jose started each period well. It was especially clear when Jannik Hansen made it 1-0 in the first again, but this time at 1:01. The Sharks’ only lead lasted until 10:22.

Then, Edmonton’s comeback started with Talbot who sent the puck up the ice off the boards to Leon Draisaitl, McDavid and then Maroon. The Oilers used a controlled zigzag to maneuver around San Jose.

The tie lasted until the tides took a twisted turn. The Sharks killed off a penalty at 16:26. 10 seconds later, they got a power play. Almost halfway through though, despite Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Patrick Marleau’s sticks, McDavid was unstoppable as he sped straight to the net from the blue line. It was his first career shorthanded goal.

San Jose outshot Edmonton 14-6 in a scoreless second period. The Sharks’ Patrick Marleau’s breakaway shot went wide and the Oilers had a shot hit the goalpost.

Maroon matched McDavid with two points as he stood alone to deflect Kris Russell’s shot. The game winner came at 7:51 of the third.

Down but not out, Pavelski, San Jose’s player best known for his tips, batted in Vlasic’s shot at 13:59. Hansen, with the second assist, completed a Gordie Howe hat trick.

The Sharks had three more shots and three others blocked before the buzzer.

Game notes: San Jose ends March on a back-to-back against the Calgary Flames Friday at 6pm.

San Jose Sharks center Joe Thornton (19) during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the New York Rangers Tuesday, March 28, 2017, in San Jose, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

By Matthew T.F. Harrington

SAN JOSE, Calif. – The San Jose Sharks clinched a berth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs Tuesday night, but the outcome had little to do with San Jose snapping a six-game skid in a stirring 5-4 overtime win over the New York Rangers. No, thanks to luck around the league, the Sharks had already clinched their spot in postseason play, though sights remain set on winning the Pacific Division.

Brent Burns scored the game-winner in overtime, Chris Tierney had a pair of goals and Mikkel Boedker had two assists for the Sharks. Jannik Hansen scored his first goal in a Sharks jersey while New York’s JT Miller had a pair of goals for the Gothamites, another team that clinched a spot in postseason play Tuesday night. San Jose blew a 3-1 lead but scored with just over two minutes left in regulation to tie the game.

Hansen opened the game with a goal 1:44 into play, but the Rangers tied the game up after Miller intercepted a pass and beat Martin Jones with 6:30 left in the period. Special teams, a strong suit for the Sharks Tuesday, put the team ahead 2-1 after Melker Karlsson potted a short-handed goal with 1:59 left in the first.

Chris Tierney would pick up his first goal of the game, and 8^th of the season, after stepping in the lane and stealing a pass. He busted through the offensive zone, beating Henrik Lundquist with 8:22 left in the period. The Rangers answered back with a late power play goal, their first of two strikes in 3 opportunities after Derek Stepan fired a one-timer on a cross-ice pass from Mats Zuccarello with 22 seconds left in the period.

The Rangers would the game 1:24 into the third period with Jesper Fast tipping a Brady Skjei shot past Jones. They’d add the next goal on the man-advantage, with JT Miller scoring his 22^nd goal of the year 4:44 into the period. Tierney would answer back with his second of the game with 2:15 left in regulation on a scramble in the goal mouth.

With Nick Holden off for holding the stick in overtime, the Sharks made New York pay. Patrick Marleau fed Joe Pavelski the puck, allowing the Sharks captain to walk the blue line, setting up a Burns one-timer. With Burns just below the faceoff dot on Lundquist’s right, the surefire Norris Candidate ripped a game-winning rocket to snap the Sharks win woes.

San Jose gets the opportunity to face a team battling for the division lead Thursday night. San Jose travels to Edmonton to play the penultimate contest against Connor McDavid’s squad in the season series.

 

San Jose Sharks center Logan Couture (39) skates off the ice after being injured during second period of an NHL hockey game against the Nashville Predators Saturday, March 25, 2017, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski)

by Len Shapiro

SAN JOSE-The current six game loss streak is the San Jose Sharks longest loss streak since 1993. The Sharks are really falling apart here which is really strange and they’ve been outscored 23-7 in that six game span. They’ve been outshot 173-146 and in the last two games they really have gone down the tubes with a 6-1 loss to Dallas Saturday and a 7-2 loss to Nashville on Sunday which was really frustrating.

In that game in Nashville last Sunday you could see the Sharks having problems on the ice and they just couldn’t put an act together and they’ve now fallen out of first place in the Pacific condition. The Anaheim Ducks are taking over the top spot after they beat the Rangers down in Anaheim. It’s getting to be a little frustrating for the Sharks right now.

Len Shapiro does the Sharks podcasts each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

March 25, 2017 Nashville Predators right wing James Neal (18) scores on a shot on goal during 3rd period of a NHL match between the San Jose Sharks and Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville Tennessee.Steve Roberts /Cal Sport Media (Cal Sport Media via AP Images)

By Barbara Mason

What are the San Jose Sharks to do? It was not too long ago that San Jose had a nice point lead in their division which they have watched dissolve they dropped a 7-2 decision to the Nashville Predators Saturday . They now stand tied with the Anaheim Ducks for first place but their losing streak is what is bothersome. Six losses in a row is not what the team needs heading into April and the post-season. A win against the Nashville Predators would go a very long way towards establishing some much needed confidence for the team. The Sharks are playing on the road against Nashville but they have proven that they can indeed win wherever they are playing. This is a pivotal game for the Sharks, one that they have to win. Six loses in a row would be a disaster. The Predators are fighting for their playoff lives and so they will be coming into this game looking to hand a 6th loss to the Sharks.

It wasn’t the kind of start that San Jose was hoping for. Nashville took the early lead at 4:14 off the stick of Colton Sissons for his 7th goal of the season. Craig Smith and Colin Wilson assisted on the goal for the 1-0 lead. At 15:19 the Predators would strike again when Cody McLeod found the net for his 5th goal of the season giving his team a 2-0 lead. The first period would come to an end with Nashville leading 2-0

San Jose would finally get on the board at 4:24 scoring a power play goal courtesy of Patrick Marleau for his 26th goal of the season assisted by Brent Burns and Joe Thornton. When it seemed as it things were looking up for San Jose, Nashville would come right back with a power play goal of their own at 4:48 restoring their two goal lead. Tempers begin to flare with regularity in the second period more than likely out of frustration. The Sharks were struggling to find answers. One thing that was very apparent was the need for every line to contribute. At 14:39, despite a coaches challenge of goalie interference, the Predators scored to go ahead 4-1. P.K. Subban would score his 9th goal of the season and the Sharks were in deep trouble. At 16:19 Justin Braun would cut into the Predators lead scoring his fourth goal of the season. He was unassisted. With 13.6 seconds left in the period Logan Couture would rush to the locker room after taking a deflected shot to the mouth. The score at the break was 4-2.

As the third period got underway there was no sign of Couture as line adjustments were made. It wouldn’t get any better for the Sharks. Nashville would score their 5th goal of the game at 5:27. Colton Sissons would score his second goal in the game and his 8th of the season. Fighting for a wild card, the Predators came to play as evidenced by the 5-2 lead. With 2:59 remaining in the game Nashville’s James Neal would add insult to injury with his 23rd goal of the season. The pelting would continue as Nashville scored a short-handed goal with less than a minute left in the game. The final was 7-2 and San Jose had a six game losing streak the likes that have not been seen since the 2011 season.

And so the Sharks misery continues. One thing that is noticeable is that a lot of the younger players are just not contributing. This team’s confidence is fragile at best. Fighting for home ice in the playoffs, San Jose has to find a way to break this streak. Hopefully coming home to SAP and playing in front of the home crowd will snap this trend. They will take on the Rangers tuesday night. The puck drops at 7:30.



 

~ Photo: LM Otero, AP

~ By Pearl Allison Lo

~ In Dallas’ biggest margin of victory in a game this season, the Stars asserted themselves over the Sharks 6-1 Friday.

Kari Lehtonen, playing in the second of back-to-back games, only gave up one goal while he made 20 saves.

It was Adam Cracknell’s first NHL hat trick and he spread the goals out over each period, the last one coming shorthanded.

San Jose now has a season-high five game losing streak. It was the most goals Aaron Dell has given up this year, his season-high previously three.

The season series came full circle, the Sharks 5-1 first game win ending in this third game finale.

San Jose’s Captain Joe Pavelski said after the game, “There’s a commitment that needs to be there…and we’re searching for that.”

For Dallas, Jason Spezza had three assists and Remi Elie had two assists.

The game got worse for the Sharks through the game in different ways. Four shots again in the first period with one power play was nothing compared to the second..

Brett Ritchie made it 2-0 1:58 into the second period and later scored two more goals in less than two minutes.

Tyler Seguin and Cracknell led with two shots apiece in the first. Dell stopped shots by Seguin and a Jamie Benn breakaway initially with his pads.

In the second, San Jose’s Patrick Marleau hit the crossbar. A wide open Jamie Benn and Cracknell’s second goal made it 4-0.

The Sharks then took advantage of the power play this time, scoring less than a minute after the Stars’ fourth goal. Joe Thornton saw Brent Burns’ shot bounce and tracked it into the net.

San Jose had almost two straight penalties later in the second, too many men at 11:45 and interference from Justin Braun at 14:10.  

Shots were 12-11 Dallas at the end of the middle frame.

The Sharks’ third period power play was the worst. Pavelski nearly had a goal when his shot up front hit the post. Then Dell accidentally sent the puck directly to Cracknell, resulting in his hat trick goal. 21 seconds later, John Klingberg made it 6-1.

Game notes: San Jose’s Jannik Hansen returned to the lineup but Melker Karlsson remained out. Teammate Marc-Edouard Vlasic had to leave the game in the third. There is yet to be an update on his status. The Sharks play another back-to-back, Saturday at 5pm versus the Nashville Predators.

Minnesota Wild’s Matt Dumba, center, celebrates with teammates Charlie Coyle, left, and Ryan Suter after Dumba’s goal against the San Jose Sharks in the first period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, March 21, 2017, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Stacy Bengs)

By Barbara Mason

Tuesday night two playoff bound teams battled at Xcel Energy Center. The Minnesota Wild and the San Jose Sharks have been struggling of late with the Wild dropping their last five in a row and the Sharks losing three in a row. Both of these teams need to get back on track with the playoffs fast approaching. The Sharks are sitting in first place four points ahead of Anaheim and Edmonton and the Wild have slipped into second place in the central division behind Chicago.

Midway through the opening period, at 10:29, Minnesota’s Matt Dumba would score his 10th goal of the season to take the early lead 1-0. That would be the only goal in the period and both teams were very much in this game.

Neither team could get anything going in the second period until 17:57 at which time both teams seem to come unglued in a flurry of scoring. The first goal was scored by David Schlemko for his third goal of the season assisted by Joe Pavelski and Dylan DeMelo. The 1-1 tie didn’t stand for long. At 18:30 the Wild’s Martin Hanzal scored his 17th goal of the season for a 2-1 lead. The Wild were not done, scoring fifteen seconds later at 18:45 off the stick of Charlie Coyle for a 3-1 lead. As the clock began to wind down Patrick Marleau would score his 24th goal of the season to pull within a goal 3-2.

Neither team was able to score in the third period. The Minnesota Wild would end their losing streak and San Jose would extend their losing streak to four in a row. The Sharks are in a real slide as they look ahead to two more games on the road. San Jose was lacking energy in this game looking very skittish as the end of the season approaches. This is not the time to show collapse when the Sharks want to be on top of their game. San Jose will have two days off to reflect before taking on the Dallas Stars Friday followed by a game against the Predators on Saturday. The puck will drop in Dallas at 5:30.

Dallas Stars goalie Kari Lehtonen (32) blocks a shot during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the San Jose Sharks in Dallas, Monday, March 20, 2017. The Stars won 1-0. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

By Matthew Harrington

Big-time D prevailed in Big D Monday night, with Kari Lehtonen shutting out the San Jose Sharks for 1-0 Stars win at home. Aaron Dell made 19 saves to kick off San Jose’s four game road trip, including two sets of back-to-back contests and another showdown in Dallas. Grinder Curtis McKenzie scored the lone goal of the game while Lehtonen turned aside all 30 San Jose shots.

The Sharks were forced to create a makeshift lineup with regulars Jannik Hansen, Melker Karlsson and Chris Tierney all out with injuries. Tomas Hertl skated on the top line in place of Hertl while call-ups Danny O’Regan and Timo Meier filled out the bottom six forwards. The San Jose Barracuda clinched a spot in the Calder Cup Playoffs, allowing for mass call-ups to the parent club.

Both goalies were at the top of their games, stopping every puck the saw. It was a deflection that would beat the Sharks netminder on Dallas’ 12^th shot of the game in the second period. McKenzie parked himself just outside the crease, redirecting a shot from Adam Cracknell for his 5^th goal of the season. Juri Hudler also assisted on the strike with 5:06 left in the second.

San Jose stifled the Dallas offense but couldn’t convert on their own offense barrage in the third period. They fired 11 shots in the third, matching their second period total but Lehtonen would stand tall.

For the Sharks, its back to work against a team that’s having struggles of its own. Team Teal boarded a jet immediately after the game, flying to Minnesota to face the Wild Tuesday night. After that, the Sharks return to Dallas for a Friday night tilt before jetting over to Nashville for a Saturday night contest against the Predators.