Sharks fall to Jets 4-3 in Georgiev’s first start at home

Alexandar Georgiev (40) skating through the shark head ahead of their matchup on Tuesday, December 17th 2024 against the Winnipeg Jets. (Via SanJoseSharks/X)

By Madison Montez

SAN JOSE- The San Jose Sharks faced off against the Winnipeg Jets for the second meeting this season. The first time was on October 18th in Winnipeg when the Sharks fell 8-3. Newly acquired forward Nikolai Kovalenko and goalie Alexandar Georgiov will be making their home debuts.

Winnipeg got on the board first at 1:52 with Kyle Connor scoring his 18th goal of the season assisted by Mark Scheifele and Gabriel Vilardi. Tyler Toffoli tied the game at 1-1 at 12:18 of the second period with Nikolai Kovalenko and Macklin Celebrini registering the assists. That was Kovalenko’s fifth point in just his fourth game with San Jose.

At 7:09, Shakir  Mukhamadullin took a hooking penalty against Adam Lowry. 20 seconds later, Mark Scheifele scored his 17th goal of the season to give the Jets a 2-1 lead. Coming into today, the Jets were first in the league on the powerplay with a 30.3%. “Their PowerPlay is the best PowerPlay in the league, um they’ve been together for a few years now and they make really good plays and they played a good game tonight”. Said Tyler Toffoli.

At 16:06, Macklin Celebrini drew a tripping call to put them on the powerplay. A minute and five seconds later, Celebrini scored his 11th goal of the season to tie the game again at second period. Jake Walman and Tyler Toffoli registering the assists.

At 4:44 of the third period, Fabian Zetterlund gave the Sharks their first lead of the game scoring his 11th goal of the season, assisted by Jake Walman. At 11:56, Kyle Connor scored his second of the night to tie the game at 3-3. With 2:30 left in the game, Adam Lowry scored his ninth goal of the season to secure the win for the Jets.

THREE STARS OF THE GAME:

  • 1. Kyle Connor
  • 2. Macklin Celebrini
  • 3. Mark Scheifele

“I think everyone’s frustrated by the result, I think we’ve made some strides from last game, I thought we played harder tonight.” said Head Coach Ryan Warsofsky. The Sharks will be back in action on Thursday hosting the Colorado Avalanche SAP Center in San Jose. Goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood and defenseman Givani Smith will be making their first return back to San Jose since getting traded on December 9th.

NHL podcast with Len Shapiro: Bruins Marchand scores gamer in OT to beat Flames; Panthers win 6th straight game with 6-2 win over Preds; plus more NHL news

Boston Bruins left wing Brad Marchand right celebrates his goal with teammate defensemen Charlie McAvoy (left) in overtime at the Boston Garden on Thu Nov 7, 2024 (AP News photo)

On NHL podcast with Len Shapiro:

#1 The Boston Bruins Brad Marchand with 20 seconds left in the overtime stanza to help the Bruins with a 4-3 win over the Calgary Flames at Scotiabank Arena in Calgary. The Flames battled earlier scoring two goals in the third period forcing a tie.

# 2 The Florida Panthers are hot they have now won six in a row defeating the Nashville Predators on Thursday night 6-2. The Predators have won five of their last six games. The Panthers Carter Verhaeghe had three points scoring a goal and with two assists.

#3 The New York Islanders Bo Horvat scored a goal and had two assists and stopped the Ottawa Senators from coming back in the Isles 4- 2 win at Canadian Centre in Ottawa. The Isles Anders Lee scored a goal and an assist, Jean-Gabriel Pageu and Oliver Wahlstrom added goals.

#4 The Utah Hockey Club’s Dylan Guenther scored what later be the game winning goal with 3:21 left in the game as Utah defeated the St Louis Blues 4-2 at Enterprise Center in St Louis on Thursday. Guenther had an assist at 16:39 intercepting a pass by the Blues Jordan Kyrou when his centering pass deflected off of the Blues defensemen Colton Parayko.

#5 Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck stopped all 35 of the Colorado Avalanche’s shots for a 1-0 shutout at the Canada Life Centre. The Jets set a record with the win becoming the second NHL team to win 13 of their first 14 games ironically joining the 2007-08 Senators. The win was the Jets fifth straight.

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

San Jose Sharks podcast with Mary Lisa: Eklund, Celebrini injury updates; What’s missing during SJ’s losing streak

San Jose Sharks William Eklund skates against the St Louis Blues on Sat Apr 6, 2024 at SAP Center in San Jose. Eklund did not play against the Winnipeg Jets on Fri Oct 18, 2024 due to an upper body injury. (AP News photo)

On the San Jose Sharks podcast with Mary Lisa:

#1 Mary Lisa, the San Jose Shark William Eklund didn’t play against the Winnipeg Jets on Friday due to a upper body injury. Eklund a part of the offense his injury impacts the Sharks line up.

#2 Macklin Celebrini missed his fourth game in a row due to a lower body injury. Celebrini has been on retroactive injury reserve dating back to Oct 10. Celebrini the Sharks No.1 draft pick is expected back any day now.

#3 Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky said before Friday’s game that his benching Will Smith was just part of the plan and that it had nothing to do with Smith’s performance. Smith is the Sharks No.4 pick out of the 2024 NHL draft. Smith was a healthy scratch again on Friday night against the Jets.

#4 Sharks forwards Danil Gushchin and Givani Smith both sat out Thursday’s game in Chicago. Gushchin and Smith both played on Friday night in Winnipeg.

#5 The Sharks have now lost all five of their first five games to start the season. The Sharks closet games were against the St Louis Blues and Dallas Stars both one goal loses. Mary what seems to be the problem a lack of finesse on offense, not enough aggressiveness in crashing the net, not enough defense at the blue line and too much time on their end of the ice by the opposition.

Mary Lisa does the San Jose Sharks podcasts each Saturday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Sharks Defeated 8-3 by Jets, Take a Big Step Back, Loss is Fifth Straight

The Winnipeg Jets Gabriel Valardi (13) and Nikolaj Ehlers (27) celebrate Ehler’s goal as the San Jose Sharks Mikael Granlund (64) skates by in first period action at Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg on Fri Oct 18, 2024 (Canadian Press photo via AP)

By Mary Walsh

The Sharks fell 8-3 to the Winnipeg Jets on Friday. Josh Morrissey, Nikolaj Ehlers, Neal Pionk, Kyle Connor, Cole Perfetti and Vladislav Namestnikov scored for the Jets, with two goals each from Ehlers and Perfetti. Connor Hellebuyck made 19 saves for the win. Tykler Toffoli, Luke Kunin and Fabian Zeterlund scored for the Sharks.MacKenzie Blackwood made 13 saves on 18 shots before being replaced by Vitek Vanacek, who made 15 saves on 18 shots.

After the game, Sharks forward Nico Sturm said:

“The truth is, we did take a big step back these last two games. I thought we looked really really good the first three games of the season. I thought we looked really good in Dallas, on the road against a Stanley Cup contender. And then we took two massive steps back these last two nights. It felt a lot like last year, these last two games.”

Josh Morrissey opened the scoring for the Jets at 1:59. Nikolaj Ehlers carried the puck in to the goal line before passing it back to Colin Miller at the point. Miller passed it along the blue line to Morrissey for a long shot into the far corner of the net.

Ehlers scored the next one for the Jets at 9:25. Mark Scheifele passed the puck to Gabriel Vilardi at the net. Instead of trying for the shot, Vilardi sent the puck back out to Ehlers in the faceoff circle. Ehlers did take the shot.

Tyler Toffoli made it 2-1 with a power play goal at 11:43, tipping a shot from Jake Walman at the point. Mikael Granlund also got an assist.

Ehlers scored his second of the game at 13:31. Cole Perfetti took the puck away from the Sharks in the neutral zone and passed it to Ehlers, who skated into the Sharks zone and scored.

Neal Pionk made it 4-1 at 18:48 with a wrist shot from the point. Assists went to Ales Iafallo and Vladislav Namestnikov.

At the end of the first period, the Sharks had been outscored 4-1 and outshot 15-8. They also took three penalties, two of which overlapped for some five on three time and the third was a too many men penalty. Altogether not a good period for the Sharks, but they did score a power play goal.

Kyle Connor made it 5-1 with a wrist shot from the slot less than two minutes into the second period. Assists went to Pionk and Valardi.

The Sharks changed goaltenders after that goal.

Luke Kunin scored to cut the Jets’ lead to 5-2. Cody Ceci took a shot from the point but it went off of Iafallo. Carl Grundstrom gathered it back up and passed it back to Kunin in the slot.

At the end of the second period, the Sharks had again been outshot 14-8, but were not outscored in the period.

Cole Perfetti made it 6-2 with a power play goal at 9:50 of the third period. Iafallo carried the puck almost to the net before passing it back to Perfetti in the slot for the shot. An assist also went to Namestnikov.

Fabian Zetterlund showed some push back with a goal less than 20 seconds later. Toffoli carried the puck in two-on-one with Zetterlund and made a late pass to set up the shot. An assist also went to Granlund.

Perfetti scored his second of the night, another power play goal at 12:55. Pionk and Namestnikov assisted. Namestnikov scored with a wrist shot in the final minute to make it 8-3. Pionk and Perfetti got the assists.

The final shot count was 36-22 Jets.

The Sharks next play on Sunday back in San Jose, against the Colorado Avalanche at 5:00 PM PT.

NHL Stanley Cup Playoff podcast with Len Shapiro: Maple Leafs live another day with win over Bruins; Hurricanes move to next round with win over Islanders; plus more news

The Toronto Maple Leafs left winger Matthew Knies (23) celebrates scoring an overtime goal on Boston goaltender Jeremy Swayman (1) in game 5 of the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at TD Garden in Boston (AP News photo)

On the NHL podcast with Len Shapiro:

#1 The Toronto Maple Leafs survived being eliminated defeating the Boston Bruins 2-1 in overtime. The Leafs trail the Bruins in this first playoff round 3-2. The Leafs Matthew Knies scored at 2:26 in the overtime stanza for the game winning goal.

#2 No time like the present with the New York Islanders playing for their lives down 3-1 they were in a 3-3 tie until the third period and couldn’t hold on as the Carolina Hurricanes rallied with three goals in the third period with goals from Jack Drury, Stefan Noesen, and Evgeny Kuznetsov for the come back 6-3 as the Hurricanes advance to the next round.

#3 The Colorado Avalanche had a 3-2 lead going into the third period in game five and the series lead as well at 3-1 against the Winnipeg Jets. The Avalanche added three more goals in the third period to put away the Jets and came away with a three goal 6-3 win in Winnipeg.

#4 The Nashville Predators came into game 5 down 1-3 against the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena in Vancouver and were facing elimination and defeated the Vancouver Canucks in razor close game 2-1. All the scoring took place in the third period with the Canucks Nikita Zadorov scoring to start the period at 3:11 on a wrist shot, then the Predators came back with two unanswered goals by Roman Josi at 7:15 to tie it 1-1 and Alexander Carrier at 12:46 for the winning goal for a 2-1 final.

#5 Tampa Bay Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois said on Tuesday that signing Steven Stamkos is a priority. BriseBois told the media two days after the Florida Panthers eliminated the Lightning at locker cleanout day in Tampa Bay that Stamkos “needs a contract and we want him part of that group.”Stamkos signed an eight year $68 million contract back in 2016 with the Lightning

Len does the NHL Stanley Cup Playoff podcasts each Wednesday or Thursdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs podcast with Len Shapiro: Capitals in trouble down 0-2 against Rangers; Panthers go up 2-0 after OT win over Bolts; plus more news

Washington Capitals goaltender Charlie Lindgren (79) and Martin Fehervary (42) protect the net from New York Rangers’ Artemi Panarin (10) during the second period in Game 2 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series, Tuesday, April 23, 2024, in New York. (AP News photo)

On the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs podcast with Len:

#1 In game two the New York Rangers (2-0) edged the Washington Capitals (0-2) 4-3 at Madison Square Garden. The Rangers Vincent Trocheck, Mika Zibanejad, Jack Roslovic, and K’Andre Miller each scored goals. Trocheck and Zibanejad each had an assist. The series goes back to Washington on Friday night at the Capital One Center at 4:00pm PDT.

#2 The Florida Panthers (2-0) Carter Verhaeghe scored at 2:59 into the overtime stanza to get the Panthers by the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2 at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise on Tuesday in game 2 of the playoffs. The Panthers and Lightning play game 3 Thursday in Tampa Bay giving the Lightning hope they can pick up a win on home ice.

#3 The Colorado Avalanche (1-1) defeated the Winnipeg Jets (1-1) convincingly 5-2 at Canada Life Center in Winnipeg. The Aves scored four times in the second period. Artturi Lehkonen scored a goal and got an assist. The Aves goaltender Alex Georgiev saved 28 out of 30 shots.

#4 The Nashville Predators (1-1) evened the series against the Vancouver Canucks (1-1) at Rogers Arena in Vancouver in game 2 with a three goal 4-1 win. Nashville scored three of the game’s first unanswered goals and Nashville goaltender Juuse Saros held off the Canucks to just 18 shots allowing just one goal.

#5 The San Jose Sharks announced today the firing of head coach David Quinn who in his second year as head coach lost the first 11 games of this season. The Sharks finished the season with a (19-54-9). They also failed to qualify for the post season for the fifth consecutive year. Sharks general manager Mike Grier said that Quinn was a good coach but even a better person. That Quinn and his staff worked hard over the last two seasons under difficult circumstances. The Sharks have not named a new head coach.

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

#1

NHL podcast with Len Shapiro: Canucks Demko out with lower body injury; Sharks eliminated from playoffs for 5th straight year; plus more news

Vancouver Canucks Goaltender Thatcher Demko (35) is out with a lower body injury and is listed as day to day. (Canadian Press via AP file photo)

On the NHL podcasst with Len Shapiro:

#1 The Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko the number one goaltender for the Canucks is listed week to week with lower body injury. Demko left with the injury on Saturday against the Winnipeg Jets in a 5-0 win. Demko had 12 saves when he had to leave in the second period at 6:40. Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet says he’s not worried.

#2 NHL analyst and NHL six time Stanley Cup Champion legend Mark Messier said the Vancouver Canucks are in a great position to win the Stanley Cup this season. Vancouver is 42-17-7 and are first in the Western Conference.

#3 The San Jose Sharks loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday night 3-2 eliminated the Sharks from post season play. Causes for the elimination were the injuries to Logan Couture and Tomas Hertl. The Sharks have the worst record in the NHL at 16-41-7 this the fifth straight season that the Sharks have not made post season.

#4 NHL analyst and NHL six time Stanley Cup Champion legend Mark Messier said the Vancouver Canucks are in a great position to win the Stanley Cup this season. Vancouver is 42-17-7 and are first in the Western Conference.

#5 If the NHL Playoffs were to start today there are four teams from Canada that would qualify, the Vancouver Canucks, Winnipeg Jets, Edmonton Oilers, and Toronto Maple Leafs. The last time a team from Canada won the Stanley Cup Finals was 31 years ago.

#5 Chicago Blackhawks rookie Connor Bedard demonstrated why he’s all the hype against the Anaheim Ducks getting a career high of five points as the Blackhawks lit up the Ducks with seven goals in their 7-2 win in Chicago.

Join Len Shapiro for the NHL podcasts Thursdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

NHL podcast with Len Shapiro: Preds GM Trotz says they want to hang onto Carrier; Rangers end 10 game win streak; plus more news

The Nashville Predators defenseman Alexander Carrier (45) will most likely stay with the Predators. The Predators are trying to get him to sign a new contract before he becomes a free agent at the end of the season. (AP News photo)

On the NHL podcast with Len Shapiro:

#1 Nashville Predators general manager Barry Trotz said that defenseman Alexander Carrier will stay and defenseman Tyson Barrie might be on the trade bubble. Goaltender Jusse Saros has a deal with the Predators through next season. Teams are seeking Carrier’s services but the Predators are trying to sign him as his contract runs out after this season. Trotz said Barrie is a player any team in the NHL would interested in.

#2 The Columbus Blue Jackets ended the New York Rangers hot ten game win streak Sunday at Nationwide Arena 4-2. The loss stops the Rangers from tying their all time win streak record at 11.

#3 Len, even though the Edmonton Oilers Connor McDavid has not scored a goal in his last ten games he has scored at least a point in his last eight games. So there’s really no way to keep McDavid down.

#4 Len, have to ask you about the Winnipeg Jets their attendance is down a quarter and their not getting the expected 90% line expectation for NHL crowds. The Jets are one of the winningest teams in the NHL, they have a shot at the Stanley Cup, they have speed which buries their opponents, they have the league’s best goalie and they can score yet no one is coming

#5 Len the San Jose Sharks absolutely got clobbered on Wednesday night at SAP Center in San Jose 7-2 by the New Jersey Devils. The Sharks lost their goaltender MacKenzie Blackwood after playing some good hockey in the first 17 minutes to an injury. Backup Kappo Kahkonen came in late in the first period for Blackwood, he surrendered three in the second period and four in the third period.

Len Shapiro does the NHL podcasts each Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice

San Jose Sharks podcast with Mary Lisa: Sharks open four game homestand starting with Columbus tonight at SAP Center

The San Jose Sharks Justin Bailey is dazzled after scoring a second period goal against the Calgary Flames at the Saddledome in Calgary on Thu Feb 15, 2024 (Canadian Press via AP photo)

On the San Jose Sharks podcast:

#1 The San Jose Sharks Filip Zadina scored two goals and had two assists and scored a career high four points in the Sharks 6-3 win over the Calgary Flames on Thursday night a contrast from their loss to the Winnipeg Jets the night before on Wednesday night 1-0.

#2 Zadina did point out that his line hadn’t scored in awhile but was glad to get the points and help the team, “We haven’t scored as a line in a little bit but we got rewarded for the work we’ve done recently.”

#3 Zadina did have a break out game on Thursday he had only one goal and two assists in his previous 18 games before facing off against the Flames.

#4 The Sharks did have a good offensive night against the Flames with Luke Kunin scoring twice and Justin Bailey with a goal and two assists it was Bailey’s first multi point game. Mikael Granlund also contributed with a goal.

#5 The Sharks have a go with the Columbus Blue Jackets at SAP Center in San Jose tonight for a 7:30pm PT face off. The Jackets are last in the Metropolitan Division at 16-26-10 with 42 points. They oppose the Sharks who are 15-33-5 and have 35 points. The Sharks are opening a four game homestand.

Join Mary Lisa for the Sharks podcasts Saturdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Jets Shut Out Sharks 1-0, Ferraro and Granlund Return, Hertl and Couture Out

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (37) deflects the puck that goes wide as the Jets Dylan DeMelo (2) defends against the San Jose Sharks Mikeal Granlund (64) at Canada Life Center in Winnipeg on Wed Feb 14, 2024 (The Canadian Press via AP photo)

By Mary Walsh

The San Jose Sharks were shut out 1-0 by the Winnipeg Jets on Wednesday. Morgan Barron scored the only goal in the game and Connor Hellebuyck made 17 saves for the shutout win. Kaapo Kahkonen made 38 saves in the loss.

After the game, Sharks goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen said, of the many shots he faced: “They’re a pretty high shot volume team but overall I think what we did well was, even though they got a lot of shots on net, I think we boxed out, we kinda kept them outside so that was good for me.”

Sharks Head Coach David Quinn had a more dismal view of what the Sharks were doing with the puck:

“We had plenty of opportunities to make crisp passes and didn’t do it, I thought our puck play was really slow. I thought we were standing still when we got pucks. That really was the story to me of the night. I didn’t think we had any pace to our game with the puck.”

The Sharks started well in the first period, getting four shots on net before the Jets had any. The Jets turned that around and had 15 shots without allowing the Sharks any more in the period.

With 2:13 left in the period, the Jets scored. Morgan Barron deflected Adam Lowry’s shot from the point for his ninth goal of the season. Assists went to Lowry and Neal Pionk.

The Sharks took one penalty in the first period and allowed one shot to the Jets power play.

At 17:10 of the second period, it looked like Anthony Duclair might have tied the game. A review showed that the puck was stopped by Mark Sheifele, who had slipped in behind his goaltender.

The Jets again out-shot the Sharks in the second period, 16-8. Each team took a penalty in the second period. The Sharks allowed one shot to the Jets power play, and had one short-handed shot. They had no shots in their own power play.

Midway through the third period, Nico Sturm left the game after a hit from Logan Stanley, Stanley’s knee came up behind Sturm’s legs as Sturm fell, causing Sturm to hit the ice head and shoulders first.

In the final minute, Kaapo Kahkonen sustained what appeared to be a lower body injury. He was able to get to the bench so the Sharks could add an extra skater.

The final shot count was 40-18 Jets. In the face-off circle, the Sharks won 38.5% of the draws. Nico Sturn led the team in shots with four.

Mario Ferraro and Mikael Granlund were back in the lineup after being injured before the All Star break. Both Tomas Hertl and Logan Couture were out. Hertl had scheduled knee surgery after the All Star Game. The team had advanced notice and, while the surgery was not emergent, it was needed. Logan Couture is having problems with the same lower body injury that kept him out for most of the season.

The Sharks next play on Thursday at 6:00 PM PT in Calgary against the Flames.