Category: San Jose Sharks

San Jose Sharks podcast with Troy Ewers: Sharks attempt to get win tonight against Jets after tough loss Saturday in Calgary

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San Jose Sharks’ Logan Couture (39) scores on Winnipeg Jets goaltender David Rittich (33) during overtime of an NHL hockey game, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, on Monday March 6, 2023. (Canadian Press photo via AP)

On the Sharks podcast with Troy:

#1 The San Jose Sharks lost their ninth consecutive contest Saturday Afternoon, falling to the Calgary Flames 5-3 from Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary.

#2 Erik Karlsson picked up a pair of assists notch a single-season high in assists and Nico Sturm, Logan Couture and Martin Kaut scored, but the lone good news from the Sharks (19-39-15) this weekend was via the signing of college prospect Henry Thrun out of Harvard.

#3  Logan Couture’s netfront drive put the Sharks on the board at the 14:25 mark of the first period. Karlsson took a pass from Andrew Agozzino and drove down the right wing, pulling Jacob Markstrom to the post before feathering a pass to a crashing Couture for a deflection goal, his 25th score of the year. Karlsson picked up his 67th assist, a single-season career high on the play.

#4 Nico Sturm tied the game 4:52 into the second period, backhanding a Noah Gregor shot pass by Markstrom for his 14th goal of the year. Karlsson assisted on the goal as well, his 90th point of the year with nine games left to play. 

#5 The Winnipeg Jets (40-25-8) come to the SAP Center tonight to face off with the Sharks. The Jets place second in the NHL Western Conference Wild Card standings winning five of their last ten games. The Jets lost their last game to the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday 4-1 how do you see the Jets and Sharks matching up tonight here in San Jose?

Troy Ewers podcasts San Jose Sharks hockey at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Karlsson Sets Career High in Assists, Sharks Lose 5-3 to Flames; Ninth straight loss for San Jose

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Calgary Flames center Mikael Backlund (11) is all smiles as the Flames had a break out game against the San Jose Sharks at the Saddledome in Calgary on Sat Mar 25, 2023. Sharks goaltender Kappo Kahkonen (36) can only skate away (photo by NHLFlames)

By Matthew Harrington

The San Jose Sharks lost their ninth consecutive contest Saturday Afternoon, falling to the Calgary Flames 5-3 from Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary. Erik Karlsson picked up a pair of assists notch a single-season high in assists and Nico Sturm, Logan Couture and Martin Kaut scored, but the lone good news from the Sharks (19-39-15) this weekend was via the signing of college prospect Henry Thrun out of Harvard.

Tyler Toffoli scored twice for the Flames to surpass the 30 goal mark and tie a career high for the Flames (33-26-15) who now sit four points pack of the Winnipeg Jets for the last Wild Card spot in the Western Conference.

Nazem Kadri scored 5:45 into the third period, netting his 23rd of the year, to put Calgary ahead 4-3. Tyler Toffoli added the empty netter with 1:10 left in play for the final score. The Sharks had led 3-2 late in the second period after trailing 2-1 after the first period.

MacKenzie Weegar and Toffoli scored in the first 10 minutes of the first period but Logan Couture’s netfront drive put the Sharks on the board at the 14:25 mark of the period. Karlsson took a pass from Andrew Agozzino and drove down the right wing, pulling Jacob Markstrom to the post before feathering a pass to a crashing Couture for a deflection goal, his 25th score of the year. Karlsson picked up his 67th assist, a single-season career high on the play.

Nico Sturm tied the game 4:52 into the second period, backhanding a Noah Gregor shot pass by Markstrom for his 14th goal of the year. Karlsson assisted on the goal as well, his 90th point of the year with nine games left to play. Martin Kaut added his third goal of the year and second with the Sharks since coming over at the trade deadline just 22 seconds later.

The Flames responded at the 5:39 mark of the period, tying the game just 25 seconds after the Kaut goal. Trevor Lewis intercepted a failed Sharks clear and passed it to Walker Deuhr, open to Kaapo Kahkonen’s right on the far post. Deuhr ripped it home for his fifth goal of the season. Kahkonen made 25 saves on 29 shots in the Sharks net.

The Sharks return home Tuesday night looking to snap their losing skid. They’ll face the Winnipeg Jets, the team directly above the Calgary Flames in the standings. After that, the Vegas Golden Knights await a Thursday night tilt at home for the Sharks. The possibility that the loss streak will be at 11 by the time the Sharks face the Coyotes in Glendale on Saturday remains real given the quality of opponents ahead.

Canucks 3 goal scoring in first and third periods do in Sharks 7-2 at Rogers Arena

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San Jose Sharks netminder James Reimer (47) was kept busy facing 21 shots and allowing seven goals against the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena in Vancouver on Thu Mar 23, 2023 (Canadian Press via AP News photo)

By Torben Rolfsen

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA –The Shark tank continued at Rogers Arena in Vancouver as San Jose (19-38-15) lost 7-2 to the host Canucks (32-34-5) to inch ever closer to the best lottery odds in what promises to be one of the most talent-filled drafts in NHL history. The Sharks are now winless in their last eight games and have just one victory since February 20th.

The Canucks opened the scoring at 6:15 of the first on a horrible giveaway by Tomas Hertl as he passed it directly to J.T. Miller in his own zone, who buried it past Sharks goaltender James Reimer for his 29th of the season and fourth in three games. Andrei Kuzmenko scored for the Canucks two minutes later before Hertl replied with his 20th of the season shortly after.

The assists went to Erik Karlsson and Jacob Peterson, with his first point as a Shark. After an impressive long stretch of 5-on-5 pressure by San Jose in the Canucks zone late in the period, they reverted to being the Sharks before the buzzer as Dakota Joshua scored for Vancouver with just 4/10ths of a second left after some pretty passing on the fly by the Canucks got them through the Sharks D.

San Jose didn’t fare much better in the second, showing little power play life against Vancouver’s dead-last-in-the-NHL penalty kill. Reimer gave up a big rebound – one of many – a little past the halfway mark of the game, which a left-alone-on-the-doorstep Conor Garland easily tapped in to make it 4-1.

The teams woke up the crowd with a quick flurry of goals in the middle of the third frame: The Sharks Andrew Agozzino scored shorthanded (with his first of the year in just his second game) on a nice snapshot before the Canucks quickly answered back with goals by Vasily Podkolzin and Phillip Di Giuseppe.

Vancouver’s Sheldon Dries scored a late shorthanded goal with under ten seconds left. The low-shots game wound up 21-19 in Vancouver’s favor. The Sharks conclude their 3-game western Canadian road swing in Calgary Saturday night before returning home to face the Winnipeg Jets Tuesday and the Vegas Golden Knights next Thursday.

Sharks Fall to Oilers 5-4 in OT, Four Goals Overturned

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San Jose Sharks’ Marc-Edouard Vlasic (44), Erik Karlsson (65), Fabian Zetterlund (20) and Logan Couture (39) celebrate after a goal against the Edmonton Oilers during second-period at Rogers Place in Edmonton on Mon Mar 20, 2023 (Canadian Press via AP photo)

By Matthew Harrington

The San Jose Sharks lost to the Edmonton Oilers 5-4 in overtime Monday night in a contest that saw an unofficial record four goals overturned. Erik Karlsson scored a pair of goals to set a career high and Alexander Barabanov and Steven Lorentz scored as well for San Jose (19-37-15). Darnell Nurse scored the OT winner for the hosting Oilers (40-23-8) and and Mattias Ekholm netted a pair. Connor McDavid was “limited” to just two points on assists.

Tomas Hertl had a goal wiped off early in the first when Barabanov was ruled offside, but the Russian winger would atone for rushing in too early at the 5:48 mark of the first period. Barabanov took a Hertl pass and clapped a slapshot past Jack Campbell for the 1-0 lead. Nick Bjugstad answered back with his 16th of the year 1:20 later. The Oilers would have goal number two erased later in the period on a goaltender interference call off a Zach Hyman chance.

Kailer Yamamoto scored just 30 seconds into the second period for a 2-1 lead, but the Sharks had an answer on a presumed Andreas Johnsson goal. It’d be erased on another goaltender interference call with Logan Couture grazing Campbell. Steven Lorentz would tie the game at the 8:32 mark when he batted the puck past Campbell. Andrew Agozzino, called up after serving as Barracuda captain all season, had the primary assist on a tap pass for the goal.

Erik Karlsson gave the Sharks a 3-2 lead at the 10:23 mark, beating Campbell on a set of back-hand fore-hand dekes that left jaws dropped. Fabian Zetterlund and Couture assisted on Karlsson’s 21st of the year. Ekholm answered back at the 11:48 mark on a back-hander, but Karlsson stepped up again with 5:37 left in the period.

Karlsson beat Campbell on a wrist shot, his 22nd goal of the year. Karlsson now has a career year in goals after topping his 2014-15 season total of 21 and a career past in points with 87. He sits just one assist shy of matching his career-best set in 2015-16.

Noah Gregor had a goal called off for offside as well, and Ekholm then made the Sharks pay for it by tying the game with just 3:47 left in regulation. Darnell Nurse scored just 15 seconds away from a shootout to finish off the comeback.

Edmonton outshot the Sharks 51-32 including a decisive 8-3 margin in OT. James Reimer still managed a .902 save percentage, saving 46 of 51 Oilers shots in his first game since Saturday night’s refusal to wear a themed warm up jersey in support of the LGBTQIA+ community.

The Sharks continue the Western Canada swing, facing the Canucks Thursday before returning to Alberta to face the Flames Saturday.

Islanders hand Sharks sixth straight loss 4-1 on Pride Night

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The New York Islanders center Kyle Palmieri (21) celebrates a goal with center Brock Nelson (29) as the San Jose Sharks goaltender Kappo Kahkonen (36) and defenseman Derrick Pouliot (55) look on at SAP Center in San Jose on Sat Mar 18, 2023 (INDTVUSA photo)

By Daniel Dullum
Saturday, March 18, 2023

While the San Jose Sharks celebrated Pride Night by wearing special warmup jerseys prior to their game on Saturday against the New York Islanders supporting the LGBTQIA+ community, Sharks goaltender James Reimer chose not to participate.

In a statement, Reimer cited religious beliefs, saying, in part, “I have no hate in my heart for anyone, and I always strived to treat everyone that I encounter with respect and kindness. … I strongly believe that every person has value and worth, and the LGBYQIA+ community, like all others, should be welcomed in all aspects of the game of hockey.”

Sharks captain Logan Couture said Reimer had the right to make his own decision, saying, “Every individual has a choice and he made his.”

On the ice, the Sharks scored first, but the Islanders eventually won 4-1 at SAP Center. New York improved to 36-27-8 (80 points), while San Jose lost its sixth straight game and fell to 19-37-14 (52 points).

After Kevin Labanc scored his 12th goal of the season at 7:31 of the first period, it was all Islanders. Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored the equalizer at 16:08 on a shorthanded goal, and Kyle Palmieri’s 12th goal of the season at 2:18 of the second period put New York ahead to stay.

Ryan Pulock scored the third Islanders goal at 5:24 of the second, and Zach Parise netted his 18th goal at 5:19 of the third period to complete the scoring.

Sharks goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen made 29 saves on 33 Islanders shots. New York goaltender Ilya Sorokin stopped 29 of the 30 shots he faced.

The Sharks hit the road north of the border next week, with stops in Edmonton on Monday, Vancouver on Thursday, and Calgary next Saturday.

Overtime affair ends with Seattle on top over San Jose 2-1

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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. 

Gaudreau scores twice, including overtime game-winner, as Blue Jackets edge Sharks 6-5

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With just over two minutes left in the second period, the Blue Jackets stung again. San Jose turned over the puck in their defensive zone, which led to Columbus’ center Boone Jenner (38) getting a shot from the inside of the right circle that ended up in the Sharks net through the Sharks screen. Sharks goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen (36) can’t make the save with Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson (65) and the Jackets right winger Emil Bemstrom (52) in front of the net (photo by INDUSATV)

By Daniel Dullum
Tuesday, March 14, 2023

Johnny Gaudreau and Boone Jenner each scored two goals for Columbus Tuesday, leading the Blue Jackets to a 6-5 overtime win over San Jose at SAP Center.

Gaudreau’s second goal of the game, and his 17th of the season, beat Sharks goalie Kaapo Kahkonen at 4:17 of the overtime period. Patrik Laine earned his 25th assist on the game-winner that handed the Sharks their fourth consecutive defeat.

Columbus (22-38-7, 51 points) had a 5-3 lead on Liam Foudy’s goal at 2:20 of the third period. Less than four minutes later, Kevin Labanc scored – from Matt Benning and Fabian Zetterlund – to close the Sharks’ deficit to 5-4.

Nikolai Knyzhov’s first goal of the season – assisted by Logan Couture and Alexander Barabnov – tied the game at 5-5 at 11:20.

San Jose (19-38-7, 51 points) took its only lead of the game at 8:00 of the first period, when Barabanov picked up his 14th goal of the season on a power-play, with assists from Couture and Tomas Hertl. Gaudreau responded with the equalizer for the Blue Jackets at 12:27 of the opening period.

Columbus built a 3-1 lead less than six minutes into the second period on goals by Kent Johnson (at 1:34) and Boone Jenner at 5:28. William Eklund’s first goal of the season pulled the Sharks to within 3-2 at 10:24 before Jenner ‘s 21st goal at 17:17 put the Blue Jackets up 4-2. Gaudreau earned his 44th and 45th assists of the season on Jenner’s goals.

Couture scored one second before the second intermission on assists from Derrick Pouliot and the 65th helper of the year by Erik Karlsson.

Blue Jackets goaltender Daniil Tarasov made 27 saves on 32 San Jose shots. Kahkonen made 42 saves on 48 shots by the Blue Jackets.

The Sharks host the Seattle Kraken on Thursday.

Wild use balanced attack to defeat Sharks 5-2

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The Minnesota Wild’s defenseman Jared Spurgeon (46) scores the first goal of the game against the San Jose Sharks goaltender James Reimer (47) in the first period at SAP Center in San Jose on Sat Mar 11, 2023 (@mnwild photo)

By Daniel Dullum
Saturday, March 11, 2023

Five different Minnesota players scored, John Klingberg and Ryan Hartman each assisted on two of its goals, as the Wild defeated San Jose 5-2 Saturday at SAP Center.

It was the third straight loss for the Sharks after beating Winnipeg on the road on Monday.

The Wild (38-21-7, 83 points) opened the scoring at 1:44 of the first period on Jared Spurgeon’s 10th goal of the season, giving Minnesota a 1-0 lead t the first intermission.

San Jose (19-36-12, 50 points) tied the game at 1-1 at 10:19 of the second period when Logan Couture scored on the power-play on assists from Erik Karlsson – his 64th helper – and Tomas Hertl. It was Couture’s 23rd goal of the season. Minnesota regained the lead just over two minutes before the second intermission on a power-play goal by Frederick Gaudreau.

The Wild extended their lead to 3-1 30 seconds into the third period when Marcus Johansson scored his 14th. Hertl’s 19th goal of the season, a power-play tally, pulled the Sharks to within 3-2 at 8:36. But Mats Zuccarello scored for Minnesota on the power-play at 11:00 and Matt Boldy addd an empty-netter at 18:03 to put the game away.

Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 35 of 37 shots for Minnesota, while Sharks netminder James Reimer faced 28 shots, stopping 24.

The Sharks’ homestand continues on Tuesday, when they host Columbus.

Karlsson Matches Franchise D-man Mark, Sharks Get Swept By Blues in 4-2 Loss

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The St Louis Blues center Robert Thomas (18) is jazzed as the Blues defeated the San Jose Sharks at the Enterprise Center in St Louis on Thu Mar 9, 2023 (@StLouisBlues photo)

By Matthew Harrington

Erik Karlsson matched the San Jose Sharks single-season record for points by a defenseman, but the Sharks still fell to the St. Louis Blues 4-2 Thursday night in the Gateway City, suffering a season sweep at the hands of their Midwest foes. Tomas Hertl scored the Sharks other goal and Alexander Barabanov had a pair of assists in defeat. The Blues (28-31-5) received goals from four different players. The Sharks (19-35-12) had a 26-19 shot edge heading into the third period, but were tied at 2-2 before the Blues cracked the game open late. San Jose had two possible goals called back for not crossing the goal as well.

Karlsson will certainly smash the franchise record, set by Brent Burns in the 2018-19 season. Burns set the mark over 82 games with 16 goals and 67 assists for a Sharks team that picked up 101 points for a second place finish in the regular season standings for the Western Conference. What makes Karlsson’s feat all the more impressive is that this iteration of the Sharks will finish somewhere…. much lower in the standings.

For Karlsson, the team feat matches an individual achievement. The Swedish defenseman’s previous career high in points was 82, coming in a rare full season for the injury-riddle d-man for the 2015-16 Ottawa Senators. He sits one goal off his career high of 21 in 2014-15 and three back of matching his career high in assists of 66 in his previous career-best year. He also now has the second best point total by a defenseman 32 years or older since Ray Bourque had 91 points(1993-94) per Curtis Pashelka of the San Jose Mercury News. Brent Burns was also 34 when he had his 83 point season.

Karlsson scored his 20th goal of the year much like he scored many of his others 10:23 into the first period , beating Jordan Binnington on a snap shot through traffic that had eyes. He’s mastered the dying art of goal scoring by a defenseman this season even as goals have been hard to come by for San Jose.

The Blues Torey Krug tied the game up at the 12:31 mark of the period after he was sprung on a two-on-one with Robert Thomas carrying the puck. Thomas passed the puck to Krug while Nico Sturm backchecked Alexei Toropchenko into Kaapo Kahkonen in the Shark’s net for a 1-1 tie.

The Blues’ Sammy Blais skated in on the breakway before going fore-hand back-hand on Kahkonen at the 10:06 mark of the second period to score his third of the year, but Tomas Hertl answered back with his 18th of the year with 5:29 left in the period. Alexander Barabanov forced a turnover on the forecheck, passed the puck to Hertl streaking down the center lane and picked up the assist when Hertl beat Binnington clean for a 2-2 tie.

Just 2:53 into the third period the Blues took the 3-2 lead on Jakub Vrana’s first goal with the Blues after a shot went wide on the Sharks net. Pavel Buchnevich tried to bank the rebound off Kahkonen’s back side but didn’t convert. The rebound was there for Vrana to bat home though.

Robert Thomas sealed the game for the Blues on a power play goal with 4:58 left in regulation. The Sharks offense sputtered in the final frame, putting only eight shots on the Blues net while surrendering 12. Despite the late power play strike, the Blues were only 1 for 4 on the power play while the Sharks failed to convert on any of their four opportunities.

San Jose returns home to face the Minnesota Wild Saturday night. It kicks off a four-game home stand with tilts with the Blue Jackets, Kraken and Islanders looming at the SAP Center.

Avalanche Crush Sharks 6-0; Karlsson loses it after officials miss call

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San Jose Sharks defenceman Erik Karlsson sits on the bench assisted by the Sharks trainer just before throwing his helmet on the ice and receiving an unsportsmanship like conduct after taking a non call high stick to the mouth against the Colorado Avalanche in Denver Wed Mar 7, 2023 (still photo from NBC Sports and SJ Hockey Now)

By Matthew Harrington

The San Jose Sharks got a glimpse of just how far off from Stanley Cup contention they are Tuesday night in Denver, getting steamrolled by the defending Cup Champion Avalanche 6-0. The Sharks were stifled to just 13 shots, all turned aside by Alexander Georgiev.

Cale Makar and Valeri Nichushkin had four point nights and six different Avs scored in the rout. Kaapo Kahkonen made 19 saves on 24 shots against Colorado (35-21-6) and James Reimer stopped 18 of 19 in relief playing in back-to-back contests.

The Sharks (19-34-12) opened the game flat, managing only a pair of shots on goal in the first period. They found themselves trailing 3-0 after Cale Makar scored his 14th goal 4:08 into the game. Nathan MacKinnon doubled the lead at the 12:51 mark for his 26th of the year and Mikko Rantanen scored his 42nd on the power play with 2:59 left in the period. Colorado put 19 shots on goal in the period.

San Jose raised its shot total to five shots in the middle period, but again the Avs peppered the Sharks netminders to the tune of 15 shots. Nichushkin scored his 12th of the year just 1:22 into the period on a tip-in, Dennis Malgin made it 5-0 Colorado just 1:23 later and Arturi Lehkonen pitched in his 18th of the year, this one on Reimer who replaced Kahkonen after the Malgin goal.

Reimer finished up the game strong, stopping all nine Avs shots. The damage had already been done and the Sharks wound up committing two misconducts, one on Erik Karlsson and the other on Marc-Edouard Vlasic in the final period. They had 30 penalty minutes in total on the night. Karlsson was hit in the mouth with a high stick by the Avalanche’s Alex Newhook after being attended on the bench by the trainer Karlsson threw his helmet on the ice and said after the game he was disrespected by the officials Gord Dwyer and Corey Syvret for not making the high stick call.

The Sharks face the St. Louis Blues Thursday night in game three of a three game road trip. They’ll return home Saturday to face the Minnesota Wild at SAP Center.