Sharks Stage Late Comeback, Double Up Coyotes 4-2

The San Jose Sharks welcome the Arizona Coyotes to SAP Center this late afternoon. Is this the last game in teal for Jake Middleton, Alexander Barabanov, and James Reimer? The Trade Deadline is tomorrow. Bonino got the Sharks off on the right foot with an early first period goal, then Timo Meier, Noah Gregor, and Rudolfs Balcers scored to finish off a 4-2 Sharks’ victory.

Period 1

No scouts here today the day before the Trade Deadline — guess they were like forget this team after Hertl got re-signed haha. Joking!

Bonino goal: Great work by Gregor to transport it from DZ, then dump it in to himself.

Barabanov hits Balcers in front by himself, but Balcers can’t get the shot over the pad. Second gimme chance — give credit to Vejmelka too — that Balcers has missed on as many nights.

Thought Couture did some nifty work protecting puck on first San Jose Sharks play. He’s one of few Sharks who I think has raised his game since All-Star break.

Two left: Have no idea how that wasn’t called a hook? Karlsson lugging it up, parallel stick hooking him. I rarely complain about refs, but that clear as day.

Feels like Sharks could be up more and SPORTLOGiQ agrees: SJS 4-1 Slot Shots.

Period 2

1 in: Gorgeous Meier to Burns inner slot seam pass.

5 in: Not sure why Reedy, at center ice, gave it back to his defense there instead of just dump and go to work.

7 in: Hertl is high man there as four San Jose Sharks rush, he absolutely cannot let Galchenyuk get behind him on the breakaway.

10 left: Karlsson gets a good defensive stick on a rushing Schmaltz.

8 left: That’s a place where I think Reedy, who did good job to help win puck on forecheck, needs to buckle down and attack the net.

Kolyachonok with a cheap little cross-check into Barabanov's numbers near wall, awkward fall, but AB OK. Hertl quick to Barabanov's defense, #SJSharks power play

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) March 21, 2022

A better team, honestly, would’ve put these Coyotes away. Arizona not very good so far today.

Yup: Kessel goal after Megna seems to puck-watch and not notice Kessel right behind him. Broken play, but Megna can’t be that puck-focused. Good pass gets through, that’s one thing, but not that.

Period 3

Meier and Balcers flip-flopped, Meier-Hertl reunited, Balcers-Dahlen with Couture

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) March 21, 2022

5 in: Karlsson not outstanding here, but does a fair job on Crouse on rush. He was not very good in defending rush last year, but I see some improvement now.

Looks like puck comes up and hits Dahlen's mouth, he goes right off

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) March 21, 2022

Looks like Gregor promoted up with Couture in Dahlen’s place.

10 left: PP1 has done a nice job with puck possession, but not a lot of great chances.

Reimer stops Hayton on SH breakaway. He’s been good recently.

7 left: Vlasic pass into Viel’s feet, clank, turnover. Some players can do something with a bad pass like that, some can’t. Just thinking about that today as a key distinction between a top-nine forward and everybody else. Noticing today, you throw it at Barabanov, Hertl, Meier’s feet, they kick it up, it doesn’t really stop them.

Change-up fools Reimer there. Tough to give up after a very solid game.

Meier's first 5-on-5 goal since Jan. 17

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) March 21, 2022

Vejmelka with a couple softies there. Looked lost there on Gregor wrap. Good fake by the snake-bitten Gregor. Far from Vezina netminding last few minutes here.