Long Break, Same Old Sharks: Another Close Loss, 3-2 to Flames

The San Jose Sharks visit the Calgary Flames at Scotiabank Saddledome.

Macklin Celebrini and Tyler Toffoli scored, but the Sharks lost late 3-2.

Period 1

Celebrini goal: Great job by Toffoli to find Celebrini. Toffoli was covered, but backhands it to slot. Celebrini told Remenda that he was communicating to Toffoli.

6 left: Good hustle by Kunin on backcheck after he turned it over entering OZ. Backcheck, takes the puck, hits Graf for the pass in NZ, Sharks have chance this time on entry.

Kadri goal: Kunin and Graf first over boards for kill. Good sign for Graf. But then a Kadri shot deflects off Walman into net.

8 in: Good patience by Celebrini, late find of Mukhamadullin trailing into zone.

9 in: Determined job by Zetterlund, attacking directly Weegar, forcing a penalty.

Good puck movement by PP1. Best chance was Eklund bumper short pass to Smith on flank, and Smith changes the calculus with hard pass to Celebrini at other flank, Celebrini quick pass to Toffoli in front. Remenda says Andersson got some of Toffoli’s stick there, otherwise a gimme. But good job by Eklund, Smith, and Celebrini to stretch out kill.

6 left: Puck skitters to Smith along the wall, he moves it quickly to Ferraro. Small sample size, but so far tonight, Smith is looking very comfortable with NHL pace, knowing when to go fast, when to go slow, how to use pace to his advantage, like how he used to short, lulling Eklund pass and rifled a pass to Celebrini at other PP flank.

5 left: Celebrini takes it from Backlund along wall, then floats it to Duehr for slot pass. Duehr can’t claim it, Flames get it. That’s an example of what I wrote today, how Celebrini loves to pressure the slot, it’s a turnover, but you understand what he’s trying to do. Honestly, a better Sharks team will find more of these slot passes.

4 left: Graf forces a turnover on PK.

Georgiev has been solid so far, stopped 13-of-14 shots. Flames came on strong, after San Jose Sharks had a pretty good start up to the last kill.

Period 2

2 in: Nice entry by Smith, keeps defense in front of him guessing, then drop pass. Subtle, but he looks confident out there.

Rooney goal: As Remenda notes, Dellandrea slow to rotate onto Rooney, who has a temporary 2-on-1 down low versus Ferraro. Earlier, Liljegren has a chance, under duress, to maybe make a better pass to Ferraro who was open in front of him. That led to chaos which Rooney takes advantage of.

5 in: What a pass by Zetterlund for Smith breakaway. Zetterlund also had a scorching one-timer. Big saves by Wolf.

10 in; Kadri attacking, Walman does nice job, skate and stick, staying with him on the rush. I think that’s more Walman’s defensive strength than the down-low stuff. Then Georgiev a big slot save on Kadri.

9 left: Duehr does nice job pressuring Bean on forecheck, leads to Frost delay of game. That’s Duehr’s game, when he’s on, straight-line power and speed.

6 left: Smith goes back and forth in OZ corner, looking for an open man. Earlier in the season, I think he would’ve forced a pass into the slot that wasn’t there. Tonight, he holds, goes back to point. Eventually, Smith gets it back and hits Zetterlund for a one-timer chance, post. No points for Smith so far, but I like how he’s playing.

4 left: Third line with chances, San Jose Sharks have been stringing shifts in this period.

2 left: Big Georgiev save on Frost, Remenda makes good observation about Thompson, he gives way too much space on entry, especially with Celebrini backing him up in the slot.

Eklund penalty: That was a little too aggressive of a cross-check in OZ, chasing puck. Sharks should feel good about their game, but they’ll need Georgiev and a big kill here.

Period 3

Toffoli goal: Sharks continue their pressure from the second period. A solid effort from the Sharks tonight. Mukhamadullin does nice job keeping puck in zone, Eklund quick pass to Toffoli, and Toffoli does outstanding job swinging his rebound in.

Thrun saves a sure goal, slapping puck away from Huberdeau.

5 in: Very nice breakout from blueline to blueline from the top line. Executing well.

Coleman penalty: Dellandrea draws the penalty, good job, though Coleman thinks he embellished.

Oh man, Celebrini hit Smith with a Grade-A feed. Not sure what happened there, Smith just flubbed it? Smith has had a really good game tonight, I think, but the game was on his stick there.

8 left: Dellandrea backchecks hard, then blows up Zary. Like. Flames don’t like it, but it was clean, and Dellandrea draws another penalty…wait, Dellandrea is getting a holding? What?

Hanley goal: Maybe should’ve been a power play for the Sharks, but instead, looks like Walman got puck-watching, chased the puck and a Flame who was covered, Huberdeau finds Hanley walking down on his own.

5 left: Great spin-o-rama by Eklund, gave him a window of space for the pass. Got wide of Hanley there. Sometimes, that move feels like window dressing, doesn’t create space, but it did there, a beaut.

Thrun penalty: Man, that’s a heartbreaker, puck over the glass. Reminds of Celebrini penalty versus Vancouver. This game is similar too, the Sharks have showed something tonight.