San Jose Sharks
Sharks Locker Room: Officials Didn’t Lose Game
Cody Ceci is right.
The officials did miss obvious and pivotal calls on Utah Hockey Club in the San Jose Sharks’ 4-3 loss, from Kevin Stenlund boarding Macklin Celebrini to Logan Cooley hitting Mikael Granlund’s head.
Close up of the hit that sent Celebrini headfirst into the boards.
Luckily he avoided injury. If anything he came out fiery the very next shift fueled by frustration of the non-call.#TheFutureIsTeal pic.twitter.com/RAO4IEhJpQ
— SnipeCity420 (@SnipeCity420) December 15, 2024
Here's another look at the uncalled Cooley shot on Granlund that got #SJSharks heated at the end of the game.
Looked worse on first view, it wasn't an elbow, but still a head shot. pic.twitter.com/EEGVxKEYN0
— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) December 15, 2024
But it wasn’t the refs that outshot the Sharks 16-2 after Fabian Zetterlund gave San Jose a 3-2 lead.
Utah scored two late goals to wrestle the lead away.
“The biggest thing for us was we were a little too much on our heels, I think, in the third and allowed them to get their chances and find their way in, back into the game. So I think that’s the biggest takeaway from the game,” 12-year NHL veteran Ceci said. “Officiating, yeah, it’s quick, and it goes either way sometimes. So we’re not going to blame too much on that.”
It’s a hard truth for a young, understandably emotional San Jose Sharks team to learn.
“Next step would be to get the killer instinct in the third and not be on our heels too much and try and survive games,” Ceci, who went to the Stanley Cup Final with the Edmonton Oilers last year, said.
A better team takes control of its destiny, instead of leaving it in the hands of others.
The Sharks are getting there, but not today.
After the game, Ceci talked about standing up for Celebrini, while Celebrini talked about standing up for the team.
Zetterlund discussed his in-game promotion from fourth to first line.
Warsofsky spoke on the team’s response to the hits on Celebrini and Granlund.
Cody Ceci
Ceci, on his response to Kevin Stenlund after Stenlund boarded Celebrini:
I didn’t like just the way he pushed him in from behind. Would have liked to see a call maybe there. I was first one there, so just trying to get him off him, and that was it.
Ceci, on if he was frustrated with the officiating tonight:
Yeah. I mean, it’s a fast-paced game. Last call there, I felt like my stick was lifted. Like I said, just out of our control. We got to find a way to kill it off and then get a point out of the game.
Again, that’s out of our control. The biggest thing for us was we were a little too much on our heels, I think, in the third and allowed them to get their chances and find their way in, back into the game. So I think that’s the biggest takeaway from the game. Officiating, yeah, it’s quick, and it goes either way sometimes. So we’re not going to blame too much on that.
Ceci, on what happened in the third period:
They definitely had a push in the third. We tried to handle it. I think going forward, we’ll try and get more of a killer instinct than we have in the past. Now we’ve taken a big step to be in these close games and get wins now, so I think next step would be to get the killer instinct in the third and not be on our heels too much and try and survive games.
Macklin Celebrini
Celebrini, on Ceci stepping up for him after Stenlund board:
I mean, I appreciate Cec stepping in there. That’s why he’s one of the leaders on this team. I mean, the refs didn’t think so. So I don’t know.
Celebrini, on what refs said to him after the boarding:
Nothing.
Celebrini, on what set off scrum at the end of the game:
I don’t know. I don’t know what set it off. But if any of my teammates are in a scrum, I’m gonna go help. I can’t leave them out to dry. So I just saw Eky kind of get jumped and just stepped in.
Fabian Zetterlund
Zetterlund, on Cooley high hit on Granlund:
We stick up for each other. Someone gets hit bad, we have to step up and be there. We can’t just leave it. Doesn’t matter what the score is, what time it is in the game, we just have to step up for each other.
Zetterlund, on his game:
I would say I played better than I have [recently]. So yeah, gonna move forward.
Ryan Warsofsky
Warsofsky, on tonight’s officiating:
I’m not going to talk about the officiating.
Warsofsky, on if there could’ve been more of a response to the board on Celebrini and hit on Granlund:
No, it was a good response. I know Dellandrea was trying to mix it up with Stenlund. That’s just the way the game is. I thought when there was scrums, there was five guys in there, and we were protecting each other. I didn’t mind our response.
Warsofsky, on what happened to the San Jose Sharks after the Zetterlund goal:
We just stopped playing. We look for someone else to do each other’s jobs, instead of just worrying about what our job is.
Warsofsky, on the message to Zetterlund:
You need to skate and go, go out there and get on the attack. And I thought he did a really good job tonight. That’s why I moved him back up.
There’s bad officiating that loses you a game, and there’s bad officiating that makes you feel unsafe on the ice. As a player, the latter is aggravating beyond belief. It’s one thing to miss calls. It’s quite another to fail your task as a safety valve. I don’t blame the Sharks for sitting back, honestly. It’s a lot easier to injure someone when they’re working hard and moving their feet. I’m just glad we dodged any kind of injury to Celebrini. Circle the calendar for the next one with these guys and goon it up.
if they are really were sitting back, it gives a bad signal to other teams, lay couple of big hits and the game is done, refs can be blind, but it doesn’t mean team should stop competing, Sharks were not present in the 3rd.
Agreed. Can’t fold. Yeah I would sit back in rec league if someone was getting away with unsafe plays, but the NHL you have to stand up for your self and take it to them. One thing about the old Jumbo led teams, if there was a hit that angered the team, they almost always woke up and pummeled the other team and won. Didn’t want to wake the sleeping bear. This team needs some of that still. This is why Grier keeps drafting size as much as possible.
I agree, no sitting back. I would rather they push back. Be physical and play harder. Make them earn any point they get.
If they want tp get a little payback, just dump the puck in a corner and go hit someone. Play hit for hit and then some.
Putting on the foil coach!
What lost the game was piss-poor goaltending. Again. Again. Meanwhile, the best young goaltender in the world rots away in the minor leagues. Then again, Mike Grier doesn’t want to win games. No, the General Mismanager wants a higher draft pick so he can prove how smart he is.
You need to stop beating this drum about goaltending, its getting so tired. Especially on a night where Vanecek actually played good. You don’t even watch the games but just moan about goaltending. Go away.
STFU & GFY
And change your name as you are dissing our Rocket winner.
Thats definitely a take, however it’s easy and frankly lazy to place blame on goaltending. Vanacek was BLASTED with shot after shot in the third due to sharks being pinned in their zone. Score easily could have been even more lopsided. Come up with some more insightful views bud and quit trolling
I don’t know if I agree with this
Clueless.
This bit has gotten bizarre.
Do you have nothing else to live for? Get over this copy and paste routine of Askarov “rotting” away. What’s going to finally happen when he gets here? Will the de-rottification commence? What a maroon….
lol! Only shows up after a loss. You’re an idiot dude.
Asky not gonna get his chance till after trade deadline. Vitek and George both UFAs. GMMG has to play them both to have a chance to get something back for either of them at the deadline. No need to keep complaining about current goaltending.
So, I guess GMMG has to change his development plan for a couple more wins in a season that was earmarked for player development because they are a little ahead of schedule in the rebuild? I guess you did not read the interview with GMMG where he stated he was not changing his development plan for Asky? He said he would re-evaluate in a couple months, or de he not? I am tired of fans saying GMMG traded Blackwood to tank. Why in the H-E- double hockey sticks would he have acquired Kovalenko if he was going to tank? Yeah,… Read more »
With the game on the line, Vanecek gagged up the winner. Kochetkov had no such problem. Stop whining about the refs and start putting the onus where it belongs, people . . .
You never answered, how did the best young goaltender in the world become part of the Sharks organization?
I’m not usually a fan of using a lineup spot on a face puncher. But, for the January 10th game against Utah, I’d be supportive of signing Scott Parker or Jody Shelley to a 1-day contract just to hand it to Kevin Stenlund.
The Sharks had opportunities to make plays and didn’t, but it makes it a lot harder to win when it feels like you’re playing against the refs too.
I get the sentiment but those old guys would get beat down by this generation of players. Stenlund isn’t exactly a small dude at 6’4”. He’s trash but not an easy KO.
I think the Sharks could recall Sabourin but my money is on Klim being that guy. If you watch tape on him both in Edmonton and Detroit, he can and will fight. But that is not good enough. One of the hosts of Fear the Fin had it right. Every player on the ice when Celrbrini was boarded should have went after Stenlund. I do not care about the size difference. And I do not care who was boarded. This was a possible career ending injury that could have resulted from that hit. If he had not put his hands… Read more »
Tell you what, that tussle with about 90 seconds left… Celly is a frickin bull. He just overpowered the other player and drove him into the ice. He’s only going to get stronger over the next few years. Won’t be long until he’s hitting guys and knocking them out of games like JR and Forseberg used to.