Category: San Jose Sharks

Oilers McDavid 2 goals helps bury Sharks 7-1 in San Jose

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The San Jose Sharks Oscar Lindblom scored the only goal of the night for the San Jose Sharks at SAP Center in San Jose against the Edmonton Oilers on Fri Jan 13, 2023 (San Jose Sharks photo)

By Len Shapiro

SAN JOSE–The Edmonton Oilers (28-18-3) Connor McDavid gifted himself on his 26th birthday scoring two goals to lead the Oilers to a 7-1 victory over the San Jose Sharks (13-23-8) at SAP Center in San Jose on Friday night. McDavid picked up an assist in the contest and now has 25 points with ten goals and five assists for this road trip it’s his longest scoring total for the road.

McDavid now has scored in six straight road games with 37 goals and 45 assists for a total of 82 points McDavid has accomplished it in 44 games. McDavid is scoring Hall of Fame numbers and accomplishments his 80 plus in 44 games since some of the best players in hockey have done it in 44 or less games, Mario Lemieux (31), Jaromir Jagr (37), and Ron Francis (44) all doing it with the 1995-96 Pittsburgh Penguins.

McDavid gave credit to teammate Leon Draisaitl who passed the puck to him that helped him get the scores, “Two pretty good passes from him (Draisaitl) there, so that helps,” McDavid said “I feel pretty good, but it’s about our group in here. We’re continuing to try to lay good games down one after another and take it one day at a time, kind of like our second half last year.”

The Sharks got their only goal of the night from Oscar Lindblom who scored in the third period. The Sharks hardly made any noise against the Oilers offensively and Sharks goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen looked like one of the goalies from the movie the Mighty Ducks getting pelted all night facing 41 shots and saving 37. Kahkonen stayed in the whole game and Sharks head coach David Quinn didn’t pull him out saying he was the only player on the ice doing his best.

Quinn said the team stunk the whole game not being to execute the shots in the Oilers end of the ice, not taking advantage of the power play, and not giving Kahkonen enough protection up front that saw a volley of goals to light the lamp before you could even turn around. “We just stunk. We stunk on the powerplay. We stopped on the penalty kill. We stunk 5-on-5. Our forward’s stunk, (and) our defensemen stunk,” Quinn said. “The only guy that didn’t stink was our goalie. And that hasn’t happened all year, and over 82 games, something like this is going to happen. You can move past it pretty quickly.”

The Sharks after Friday’s loss are sinking further in the Pacific Division to seventh place losing four of their last five games. The Sharks with the loss to the Oilers opened a three game homestand and have struggled at home this season and can’t seem to get it together on home ice. They host the New Jersey Devils (27-12-3) who are hot bringing in a three game win streak to San Jose on Monday for Martin Luther King Jr day a 1:00pm face off at SAP Center.

San Jose Sharks podcast with Len Shapiro: Kings Vilardi and Doughty score third period goals 53 seconds apart to down Sharks 4-3 at Crypto.com Arena

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Los Angeles Kings center Quinton Byfield, left, scores on San Jose Sharks goaltender James Reimer, right, as defenseman Matt Benning, second from left, defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic, center, and center Anze Kopitar watch during the first period at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Wed Jan 11, 2023 (AP News photo)

On the Sharks podcast with Len:

#1 The San Jose Sharks (13-22-8) couldn’t hold their own on Wednesday night at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles going into the third period with a 2-1 lead Timo Meier tied it 2-2. The Los Angeles Kings (24-14-6) got scoring help in the third period with goals by Gabriel Vilardi and Drew Doughty scoring 53 seconds apart for a 4-3 Kings win in the last meeting with the Sharks.

#2 The Kings Quinton Bayfield scored a goal and got an assist for the Kings who have now won three straight games.

#3 The Kings Phoenix Copely stopped 26 shots and is one of the winningest goaltenders in the NHL with a 12-2 record.

#4 The Sharks Timo Meier scored his first power play goal of the season and an assist. They were playing the second of back to back games after playing in Arizona on Tuesday night.

#5 The Sharks host the Edmonton Oilers (22-18-3). The Oilers having a pretty good run right now having won five of their last ten games and winning their last game convincingly 6-2 over the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday. Tell us how you see this match up between the Sharks and Oilers Friday.

Join Len for the Sharks podcasts Fridays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Sharks Lose 4-3, Suffer Season Sweep to Kings

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Jonathan Quick (32) Los Angeles Kings goaltender congratulates teammate and starting goaltender Phoenix Copley (29) after defeating the visiting San Jose Sharks at Crypto.com Arena on Wed Jan 11, 2023 (Los Angeles Kings photo)

By Matthew Harrington

The San Jose Sharks scored their first power play goal of 2023 but it wasn’t enough to stave off a season sweep at the hands of the Los Angeles Kings Wednesday night in LA. Nick Bonino scored an un assisted goal and Timo Meier and Tomas Hertl lit the lamp but a pair of third period goals boosted the Kings to a 4-3 victory.

Adrian Kempe started the scoring for the Kings, beating James Reimer 5:59 into the game for a 1-0 lead. Kempe shoveled a puck fed from Quentin Byfield below the goalline past Reimer’s opposite side pad for his 18th goal of the year.

The Kings would fire 22 shots on Reimer but he stood tall apart from the one blemish, giving Bonino a chance to tie the game 1:20 into the 2nd period. LA goalie Pheonix Copley flubbed a shot from Erik Karlsson that went in and out of his glove. He tried to play the puck away from danger but heeled it, giving Bonino the gimme backhander for his 5th of the year.

Kings prospect Byfield scored his 1st goal of the year in 15 games, handing LA the 2-1 lead 6:58 into the 2nd on a netfront tip that beat Reimer five-hole. Timo Meier responded though, snapping am 0-for-16 power play drought when his wrister beat Copley at the 10:11 mark of the third period. Logan Couture and Erik Karlsson assisted on the goal.

The tie would last only 2:29 when Gabe Vilardi would beat Reimer with another slot tip for his 17th of the year. Drew Doughty then cashed in as a wide open trailer in what would become a 3-on-2 at the 13:33 mark for a 4-2 lead.

Tomas Hertl scored as the Sharks were attempting to pull Reimer with 2:06 left in regulation. Alexander Barabanov took the shot that presumably knicked Hertl on the way in with Meier also getting an assist for his 2nd point of the night.

The Sharks return home for a three-game homestand before hitting the road for 8 games with the All-star break in between the away set.

Sharks enjoy playing in college arena, knock off Coyotes 4-2

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Arizona Coyotes center Nick Schmaltz (8) shoots the puck past San Jose Sharks defenseman Mario Ferraro (38) during the second period at Mullet Arena in Tempe on Tue Jan 10, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Daniel Dullum
Tuesday, January 10, 2023

TEMPE, Ariz. – For the most part, the San Jose Sharks (13-21-8) enjoyed their first visit to the intimate ambiance of Mullett Arena. Picking up two badly needed points in the NHL Pacific standings didn’t hurt either.

Matt Nieto’s tie-breaking goal less than 10 seconds into the third period put the Sharks ahead to stay in a 4-2 win over the Arizona Coyotes (13-22-5) Tuesday at the new 4,800-seat home for Arizona State hockey and the temporary residence of the Coyotes.

“It was fun,” Nieto said of the Mullett Arena experience. “It felt just like juniors and it’s even better that we got the two points.”

Sharks center Logan Couture said, “Different is a good word for it. It’s a unique experience. I enjoyed it. It brings me back to my days when I was playing in the OHL in a bunch of arenas about this size – Windsor, Kingston, London. It had that familiar feel. The ice was great.”

Sharks right wing Kevin Labanc said, “It felt like I was playing in juniors again. It was a fun barn and I look forward to playing in it the next time.”

Nieto broke a 2-2 tie nine seconds into the third period with his eighth goal of the season, beating Coyotes’ netminder Karel Vejmelka from just outside the crease, knocking in a rebound off the initial shot by Couture.

“It was just a great forecheck,” Nieto said. “Barbie (Alexander Barabanov) worked hard to go get it, gave it to Cooch (Logan Couture) who gave it to me. It wound up in the net and it was such a momentum builder for us.”

Defenseman Jaycob Megna, who also assisted on the Nieto goal, added an insurance tally for San Jose (13-21-8, 34 points) with his first goal of the season at 14:10 of the third period. Megna scored on a one-timer from just inside the blue line, beating Vejmelka, who was screened on the play.

“I liked how we started the third period, getting the goal early,” Sharks coach David Quinn said. “I thought we did a pretty good job after that, not giving them much. The PK had some big kills that we needed, and Kaapo (Kahkonen) was good in the net. So it’s a good way to start the second half.”

Nico Sturm scored the equalizer for San Jose at 5:59 of the second period when he converted a rebound off the initial shot by Nick Bonino, placing it in the top shelf over the shoulder of Coyotes’ netminder Karel Vejmelka.

San Jose opened the scoring at 4:39 of the first period when Kevin Labanc picked up a loose puck in traffic and shot it past Vejmelka on the glove side. Tomas Hertl and Timo Meier had the assists as the Sharks took a 1-0 lead.

Less than two minutes later, Barrett Hayton scored the equalizer for Arizona (13-22-5, 31 points). Hayton, on assists from Shane Gostisbehere and Jakob Chychrun, cruised across the slot area and flipped a backhand shot past Kaapo Kahkonen glove side.

The Coyotes took a 2-1 lead at 16:21 of the opening period when Christian Fischer fired a wrist shot from the edge of the left circle, beating Kahkonen on the glove side into a wide open net.

“I was a little disappointed when we came out strong in the first period. Then I thought we got a little sloppy,” Quinn said. “But I thought we responded well after being down 2-1 with a pretty good second period.”

Arizona’s Josh Brown and the Sharks’ Michael Eyssimont dropped the gloves at 19:21 of the first period. Each player received a 5-minute major for fighting.

Kahkonen stopped 27 of Arizona’s 29 shots on goal. Vejmelka faced 33 San Jose shots, making 29 saves.

The Coyotes were 0-for-4 on the power play, while San Jose was 0-for-2.

“The PK was pretty good,” Nieto said. “We were blocking shots, doing the little things, clearing the puck out, doing the hard work that you need to do. It’s no surprise that (our penalty kill) is in the top five in the NHL.”

The Sharks’ road trip continues when they visit the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday. San Jose returns to SAP Center to host Edmonton on Friday.

Boston’s Pastrnak scores twice in Bruins’ 4-2 win over Sharks

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The Boston Bruins center Patrice Bergeron (37) and the San Jose Sharks center Thomas Hertl (48) face off at the SAP Center in San Jose on Sat Jan 7, 2023 (@NHLBruins photo)

By Daniel Dullum
Saturday, January 7, 2023

The Boston Bruins extended their point streak to 13 games Saturday with a 4-2 win over San Jose at SAP Center.

The Bruins are 10-0-3 during their unbeaten streak.

David Pastrnak scored two of the goals for Boston (31-4-4, 66 points). Brad Marchand had a goal and two assists, and Charlie McAvoy and Patrice Bergeron each picked up two assists. Bruins goaltender Linus Ullmark had 28 saves.

Goal scorers for the Sharks were Logan Couture and Mario Ferraro. The Sharks (12-21-8, 32 points) were coming off a 5-4 overtime defeat by Anaheim on Friday. San Jose goalie James Reimer stopped 25 Boston shots on goal.

Marchand opened the scoring for Boston at 1:03 of the first period. Bergeron had one of his assists on the play, moving him past Phil Esposito for third in career points for the Bruins (1,013). Bergeron trails Johnny Bucyk (1,339) and Ray Bourque (1,506) on the Bruins’ all-time points chart.

Craig Smith scored his second goal of the season at 5:32 of the first. Couture pulled the Sharks to within 2-1 at 6:57 on an assist from Alexander Barabanov.

Ferraro tied the game at 2-2 at 14:55 of the second period when his one-timer from the right point deflected in off Boston defenseman Hampus Lindholm. But Pastrnak responded for the Bruins with the go-ahead tally at 16:45 with a power-play goal. Pastrnak extended Boston’s lead to 4-2 with his second goal of the game at 9:00 of the third period. It was Pstrnak’s 29thgoal of the season.

The Sharks travel to Tempe, Ariz., Tuesday, to face the Arizona Coyotes at their new temporary home, Mullett Arena on the campus of Arizona State University.

San Jose Sharks podcast with Len Shapiro: Sharks hope to win two in row; Face Ducks tonight in Anaheim

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San Jose Sharks goalie Kaapo Kahkonen makes a save against Chicago Blackhawks’ Patrick Kane during the first period  at the United Center in Chicago on Sun Jan 1, 2023 (AP News photo)

On the Sharks podcast with Len:

#1 The San Jose Sharks (12-20-7) are coming off a convincing win against the Chicago Blackhawks (8-24-4) on Sun Jan 1 at the United Center in Chicago with a three goal win 5-2.

#2 Erik Karlsson set the Sharks point streak record at 13 games with a pair of assists, five different Sharks scored and Oskar Lindblom and Logan Couture also had pairs of assists each.

#3 Patrick Kane scored for the Blackhawks who have now lost 12 of their last 13 games to go with a league wide low of 20 points. Kane put the Blackhawks on the board first, scoring his seventh goal at the 6:40 mark of the second period. 

#4 Alexander Barabanov gave the Sharks the lead late in the second, beating Hawks goaltender Petr Mrazek with 1:26 left in the middle frame. Mrazek would make 23 saves on 28 shots. Timo Meier scored his 21st of the year and Evegeny Svechnikov his 4th in the third.

#5 The Sharks head to Anaheim to face the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim on Friday night at the Honda Center. The Ducks are 4-5-1 in their last ten games, the Ducks have lost their last two games and are in dead last place in the NHL Pacific. Len how do you see the Sharks and Ducks matching up tonight?

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

Sharks Ring in New Year with 5-2 Dismantling of Blackhawks

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San Jose Sharks’ Jonah Gadjovich (42) celebrates with teammates Tomas Hertl and Oskar Lindblom (23) after scoring during the second period at the United Center in Chicago on Sun Jan 1, 2023 (AP News photo)

by Matthew Harrington

The San Jose Sharks started the new year with a bang, beating the Chicago Blackhawks 5-2 from the United Center Sunday night. Erik Karlsson set the Sharks point streak record at 13 games with a pair of assists, 5 different Sharks scored and Oskar Lindblom and Logan Couture also had pairs of assists each.

Patrick Kane scored for the Blackhawks who have now lost 12 of their last 13 games to go with a league wide low of 20 points.Kane put the Blackhawks on the board first, scoring his 7th goal at the 6:40 mark of the second period. Sam Lafferty tipped a puck past Kaapo Kähkönen at the 13:30 mark for a 2-0 edge. Kähkönen would make 20 saves on 22 shots.

A rare goal from Jonah Gadjovich at the 15:12 mark on a netfront scrum tip-in pulled the Sharks within one, then Marc-Edouard Vlasic redirected a puck off a Matt Benning pass to tie the game 41 seconds later. It was Vlasic’s first goal of the year.

Alexander Barabanov gave the Sharks the lead late in the 2nd, beating Petr Mrazek with 1:26 left in the middle frame.

Mrazek would make 23 saves on 28 shots. Timo Meier scored his 21st of the year and Evegeny Svechnikov his 4th in the third.

The Sharks now get nearly a week off. They will face the Ducks in Anaheim before facing the Bruins at home Saturday.

Sharks Lose Last Game of 2022 5-2 in Dallas

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Dallas Stars left wing Jason Robertson (21) celebrates after his goal against the San Jose Sharks during the first period at the American Airlines Arena in Dallas on Sat Dec 31, 2022 (AP New photo)

By Matthew Harrington

The San Jose Sharks are ready to put 2022 behind them, finishing the calendar year with one last loss to the Dallas Stars 5-2 from the Big D Saturday night. Alexander Barabanov and Oskar Lindblom scored for the Sharks while Dallas had five different goal scorers. Radim Simek was injured in the game and did not return. 

Barabanov opened the scoring 5:13 into play om a wrist shot, with Matt Benning and Erik Karlsson assisting on the goal. For Karlsson, the helper is his 38th of the year.

Former Shark Joe Pavelski scored on his patented tip on a power play chance for Dallas to tie the game 1-1, his 12th goal of the year at the 10:22 mark. Dallas poured another power play goal on at the 12:34 mark when superstar Jason Robertson beat James Reimer after s from many men penalty.

Lindblom tied the game at the 9:03 mark of the second, his third goal of the year with assists by Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Nico Sturm.

Fredrik Olofsson scored his first career goal for a 3-2 lead just 1:42 later with Pavelski picking up an assist for a multipoint night. Roope Hintz scored a shorthanded goal with 4:42 left in regulation, his 19th, to give the Stars a comfortable lead late. Esa Lindell scored the empty netter to seal the win 5-2.

The Sharks look to bounce back Sunday when they face the Blackhawks in Chicago.

San Jose Sharks podcast with Len Shapiro: Sharks open three game road trip in Dallas Saturday

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San Jose Sharks center Logan Couture (39) looks toward the puck in front of Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Tony DeAngelo (77) during the second period at SAP Center in San Jose on Thu Dec 29, 2022 (AP News photo)

On the SJ Sharks podcast with Len:

#1 Len, the San Jose Sharks held a 3-1 lead over the Philadelphia Flyers until collapsing in the third period this loss being the Sharks fifth out of their last six games.

#2 Despite the loss the Sharks Erik Karlsson picked up his 11th straight point and Thomas Hertl scored two goals.

#3 One of the big concerns for Sharks head coach David Quinn is closing games he said during practice this week that the Sharks simply need to put the pucks in the net as they came up a goal short on Thursday night 4-3 in overtime.

#4 Talk about Sharks goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen who allowed four goals and saved 22 in the loss. Was this a matter of Kahkonen was having an off night or he just didn’t get enough defense up front from the skaters?

#5 Sharks embark on a three game road trip starting in Dallas Saturday at 5:00 PM. The Stars (22-9-6) beat the Minnesota Wild 4-1 in their last game on Thursday night. Stars are in first in the Western Conference and are 7-2-1 in their last ten games.

Join Len Shapiro for the Sharks podcast heard Fridays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Flyers slip past Sharks 4-3 in OT; San Jose drops 5th game in six tries

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San Jose Sharks defenceman Erik Karlsson (65) gets congratulated by teammates after picking up his 11th consecutive point in as many games played. This one coming against the Philadelphia Flyers at SAP Center in San Jose on Thu Dec 29, 2022 (@SanJoseSharks photo)

By Daniel Dullum
Thursday, December 29, 2021

Tony DeAngelo scored the tie-breaking goal for Philadelphia in overtime Thursday, lifting the Flyers past San Jose 4-3 at SAP Center.

DeAngelo’s seventh goal of the season was assisted by Ivan Provorov and Owen Tippett at 1:10 of the extra period, beating Sharks goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen.

It was the first overtime win of the season for Philadelphia (12-17-7, 31 points), San Jose, sporting their California Golden Seals tribute throwback jerseys, slipped to 11-19-7, 29.

The Flyers scored twice in the third period to overcome a two-goal deficit. Kevin Labanc’s tally put San Jose up 3-1 52 seconds into the period, assisted by Tomas Hertl and Erik Karlsson. But Tippett scored for Philadelphia at 5:57, and Travis Konecny’s 17th goal of the season – and second of the game – was the equalizer at 17:55.

Hertl gave the Sharks a 2-1 lead at 8:29 of the second period with his second goal of the game, from Timo Meier and Logan Couture.

Hertl opened the scoring at 9:38 of the first period. Konecny scored for Philadelphia to tie the game at 1-1 at 10:25.

Kahkonen turned away 22 of the Flyers’ 25 shots on goal. Samuel Ersson stopped 25 of 28 San Jose shots.

The Sharks hit the road Saturday for a 5 p.m. PST game in Dallas against the Stars.