Sharks Will Finish Below .500 This Year, Lose 5-2

The San Jose Sharks welcome the Anaheim Ducks into SAP Center for the last home game of the year. Brent Burns and Scott Reedy scored, but Anaheim topped San Jose 5-2 in the race for lottery balls. With the loss and just two games left, the Sharks have no chance to finish at .500 this season.

Period 1

Meloche starts off the game doing a nice job taking out Lundestrom in the corner. Best of what he can do defensively, rangy. Then Gregor with soft, perfect lead pass that Balcers smashes off the crossbar.

2 in: Bordeleau does well to get a shot off there, Shattenkirk draped over him, on partial break.

Zegras goal: What a perfectly-placed shot. Got stuck top of the net, wow. We couldn’t even tell that he scored, nobody could except for Zegras.

Feels like the Bordeleau line has had a good chance on every shift so far tonight

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) April 27, 2022

7 in: Bordeleau forces a center ice turnover, sets up Gregor for the one-timer.

Terry goal (?): San Jose Sharks get a reprieve with no goal call, they haven’t play badly, but almost down 2-0. Maybe Bonino tied up Terry’s stick last second to force a kick.

Sorry watching Vegas-Dallas — what a pass by Mark Stone to William Karlsson with a minute left in regulation.

Sharks 8-2 Slot Shots at ES per SPORTLOGiQ, 5-2 High-Danger at 5v5 per Natural Stat Trick. One of those periods.

Period 2

2 in: Comotis just overpowers Merkley up high to win the puck.

Comtois goal: Ugliness all around. PP seconds dying, do not like Meier agitating for offense, stationary stand-up against the wall. Shattenkirk blows by him, and maybe San Jose Sharks could’ve had numbers, Hertl might’ve caught trailer Shattenkirk, but Merkley tries to play the pass high, leaving Comtois low uncovered.

Milano goal: Kahkonen looks surprised by backhand. It’s a good shot, but he’s gotta have that.

9 in: Great individual play by Chmelevski. Keeps it from Ducks, tight rope up high, then circling back, hits Balcers open in slot for a dangerous deflection.

That's first power play point of Bordeleau's career

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) April 27, 2022

Also for Burns, double-digit goals. It would’ve been his first time in an 82-game season since 2009-10 that he hadn’t scored 10-plus.

Jaycob Megna doing his best imitation of Brent Burns there, nice shot-pass

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) April 27, 2022

Also on the Reedy goal: Chmelevski first on forecheck against an, uh, perhaps checked out Shattenkirk. Sasha got in front of him with complete ease. But credit where credit is due, first in, deserves an assist. Good hands by Reedy on the deflection.

Kind of a reversal of the first, Ducks were better at 5-on-5, but it’s the Sharks who got more on the scoreboard. San Jose still down a goal.

Period 3

Sparse #SJSharks crowd still knows when to cheer for a big #VegasBorn loss pic.twitter.com/0Q3zA4XNOi

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) April 27, 2022

2 in: I like Chmelevski moving puck forward there, as opposed to Meier. But then Sasha gets knocked down by Drysdale high — maybe just off balance?

Wish Nieto had some finish: His line — and Nieto has been a big part of it with his speed and tenacity — has created a lot tonight. But a big goal eludes them.

Two posts on same shift: Gadjovich then Burns. Then Gadj steps up on Hunter Drew, who had blasted Gregor. Drew’s first NHL game, good scrap.

8 in: Nifty Bordeleau one-touch pass to Gregor.

Mahura goal: Mahura beats Bonino up the ice, Couture probably got to do a better job of watching the center lane too. Maybe wanted a save from Kahkonen there too.