San Jose Sharks Barclay Goodrow (32) can’t control the puck against the Carolina Hurricanes Sean Walker (26) and Shane Gostisbehere (4) at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh NC on Tue Dec 10, 2024 (AP News photo)
By Mary Walsh
The San Jose Sharks fell 3-2 to the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday. Shayne Gostisbehere, Brent Burns and Jalen Chatfield scored for the Hurricanes. Pyotr Kochetkov made 21 saves for the win. Luke Kunin scored twice for the Sharks and Vitek Vanecek made 25 saves in the loss.
This was the Sharks first game after the trade of Mackenzide Blackwood to the Colorado Avalanche on Monday. Vitek Vancecek was in net, with his last appearance being in the first period in Tampa Bay two games ago. After Tuesday’s game, Luke Kunin said, of Vanecek: “He was great, he’s been great for us all year. Kept us in that one early. Yeah, our goaltending’s been phenomenal.”
William Eklund also credited Vanecek with keeping them in the game despite the team’s regrettable third period: “It’s just, obviously we’ve had good third periods this year. That’s been our thing I felt like. And today it wasn’t our thing. We shoot ourselves in the foot a little bit.”
Shayne Gostisbehere scored the first goal of the game at 4:26. As Gostisbehere skated in from the blue line, he caught a pass from Wiliam Carrier in the slot and snapped the puck past Vanecek. Assists went to Carrier and Jack Roslovic.
Luke Kunin tied the game at 18:51. Macklin Celebrini brought the puck in and then found Kunin with a pass to the slot. Kunin snapped it by Kochetkov. Assists went to Celebrini and Cody Ceci.
There were no penalties called in the first period. The Hurricanes outshot the Sharks 11-9.
Kunin scored again to give the Sharks a lead at 11:44 of the second period. William Eklund took the puck below the goal line and behind the net before sending it back up to Kunin. Kunin was just arriving by the net and tapped it past the goaltender.
The teams were very close in shots during the second period, 8-7 Hurricanes. The Sharks took three penalties and the Hurricanes took two.
Brent Burns tied the game back up at 4:11 of the third period. A turnover at the Hurricanes blue line sent the home team racing the other way. Sebastian Aho’s pass found Brent Burns approaching the Sharks net with Vanecek unable to get across. Assists wet to Aho and Martin Necas.
Jalen Chatfield scored the game winner at 17:21 of the third period. He intercepted a failed clearing attempt and sent it back to the net through traffic.
The Sharks next play on Thursday in St. Louis against the Blues at 5:00 PM PT.
Sports Radio Service 