Category: NHL

Photo courtesy of San Jose Sharks Twitter. Erik Karlsson walks out on to the ice for warmups. 

By Titus Wilkinson (@TitusWisme)

SAN JOSE–Thursday night a battle between two aquatic beasts took place as the Kraken came in to town to play the Sharks at SAP Center. 

For the Sharks James Reimer was between the pipes while Phillip Grubauer started for the Kraken. 

The first period saw San Jose come flying out the gate with them putting up a quick three shots on Seattle. 

After the quick start the Kraken responded with a few chances of there own while also clamping down defensively. 

Seattle was able to shut the Sharks down so effectively that they did not have a shot in the first period for a stretch of eight minutes and 20 seconds. 

Part of that clamping down defensively was also playing physically as the Kraken were making sure to finish every check on the ice. 

At the end of the first the shots favored San Jose at 10-8. 

In the first period Evgeny Svechnikov was hurt knocking him out of the lineup for the rest of the game.

The beginning of the second period saw a similar start as San Jose had a couple good looks early. 

Due to the pressure Seattle defenseman Justin Shultz took a tripping penalty to put San Jose on the power play. 

The Kraken’s PK came through on the power play killing it off and not giving the Sharks many good looks. 

Seattle’s power play unit was also given an opportunity as Matt Benning took a penalty but they were also not able to capitalize. 

Overall, the second period was played much like the first with not a ton of chances either way. 

At the end of the second the shots favored Seattle now at 23-18.

The third period once again got off to an exciting start as William Eklund got a breakaway but was hooked on the shot meaning that he was awarded a penalty shot. 

On the penalty shot Eklund glided in and snuck the puck through the five-hole of Grubauer making it 1-0. The goal is just Eklund’s second of his young career but was certainly an exciting one. 

After the goal though the Kraken pushed back with a strong shift putting San Jose on their toes. The Sharks responded right back afterwards as the third period had a much more back-and-forth feel to it. 

A little later into the third Yanni Gourde in own zone found a streaking Oliver Bjorkstrand who found himself alone against Reimer and scored tying the game up. 

Not long after that goal Eklund was called for a hold putting Seattle on the power play again. Before the power play began though head coach Dave Hakstol called a timeout to set things up. 

Despite the timeout though San Jose’s penalty kill came through for a big kill keeping the score at 1-1. 

The score remained that way till the end of the third period meaning overtime was next. 

In the overtime period on a defensive breakdown Vince Dunn found himself wide open in the slot and scored on Reimer giving the Kraken the victory. 

“I liked a lot about our game it’s unfortunate that we gave up such an easy goal. We did so many great things and then we gave up a breakaway but those breakdowns have been hurting us all year,” head coach David Quinn said after the game. 

San Jose’s next game will be against the New York Islanders at Sap Center on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.