Another Winless Start to Season: Sharks Lose 4-2 to Blackhawks

CHICAGO — The San Jose Sharks visit United Center to take on the Chicago Blackhawks.

Tyler Toffoli and Fabian Zetterlund scored, but the Sharks lost 4-2. They’re now 0-2-2 to start the season.

Period 1

3 in: Good skating recovery by Walman after it looked like a Ceci D-to-D pass was a little short. But then, that’s what imprecise hockey can do, Walman sticks it out by accident for a penalty. I mean the D-to-D pass, one play leads to another.

Mrazek didn’t like that Eklund forecheck, he waved his mitt into Eklund’s face.

Hall goal: Hall one-on-one takes advantage of Rutta’s relative lack of mobility.  Not sure Smith should’ve bought the pass to the wall, he sunk down there, opening up middle. But it was a true one-on-one that you wish Rutta could’ve angled off more.

7 in: Eklund draws a penalty, San Jose Sharks need a good power play to get momentum on their side. Walman-Wennberg-Granlund-Eklund-Toffoli is PP1. Thrun-Smith-Kostin-Zetterlund-Kunin is PP2.

9 in: Weak Smith exit pass intercepted, but he gets another chance, gets it out the second time.

10 left: Smith going down the right lane, got entry and his wingers coming down with him. He opts for a tough pass into slot, sticked away. You don’t want to take that out of his game though. That’s one, either you tell him to take it to the net, he had space, or he’ll execute that tough pass in the future because that is his game. Get the sense they want Will to try to play more free. He has been around the puck a lot more so far tonight than in Dallas, that’s good. Just needs one goal for his confidence.

9 left: Wennberg sets up Zetterlund for good slot chance. Moving Wennberg up is also about getting Zetterlund going, not a lot of 5-on-5 chances for him so far. Wennberg on back check does nice job scooping up puck after LHD erased the attacking Hawk.

5 left: Smith held on too long on 2-on-1 with Kunin. Another one to learn from.

Sharks doing a little too much defending in this period. Forecheck hasn’t made life hard enough for Chicago.

3 left: Big block by Ceci on Foligno. Bedard had shed Wennberg behind the net, Wennberg was off just one second, Bedard slippery, then pass to Foligno.

Goodrow penalty: You love Goodrow persistent on the forecheck, but never love an OZ tripping penalty.

Bertuzzi goal: Walman had a chance to clear on his forehand, and he didn’t. Then Teravainen finds a sliver of space for high-to-low Bertuzzi tip. Looked like Sharks very Bedard-focused here, understandably so, that’s why Bertuzzi had a bit more space.

And now Rutta to the box for high sticking, Hawks will start second will almost-full power play. Disastrous opening frame for Sharks.

Period 2

How will the San Jose Sharks respond to a poor first period? Another one of those tests for a team that is trying to learn to win.

Foligno goal: How did that seam open up? Guess overcommitting to Bedard opens up space? Granlund let the Bedard seam pass to Teravainen, then too easy to Foligno.

2 in: Offsides on a power play. Sharks PP sucks like Toffoli said.

3 in: Good Smith set-up to Kunin in front. Deflection went wide but good chance.

7 in: Bedard off the post. Vanecek hardly moved on it. Wow, what a shot. Shot like a cheat code.

Sharks’ pushback, so far, has been unremarkable. Haven’t seen a good shift in a little while.

Benning penalty: There might be wholesale changes tomorrow. You could argue for the Sharks’ current line-up, I think, based on strong performances against Anaheim and Dallas. Not so here. Remenda, by the way, says it was bad luck for Benning, so not saying necessarily him. But obviously Gushchin and Givani Smith and Thompson waiting in the wings.

9 in: Good one-on-one battle by Granlund to get it out down two men. That’s a good play.

San Jose Sharks 30 seconds away from escaping 5-on-3 then 5-on-4. Gotta build momentum from it.

10 left: Gorgeous Wennberg lead pass to Kunin for breakaway, first good Sharks chance in maybe a literal hour. Gotta string together some good shifts.

7 left: Solid defensive shift by Wennberg on backcheck, a pro.

6 left: 4th line forecheck leads to Chicago icing. Gotta start somewhere.

4 left: Good cycle shift from Kunin and Goodrow.

Toffoli goal: Great hockey here, Granlund keeps puck alive in OZ when it looked like it was going out, he had done too much with the puck. Smith needs that gumption, that third effort drive one day. Eklund does fantastic job of beating Murphy wide, then Toffoli teaches young Nolan Allan a thing about NHL hockey, turns his body, Allan trying to cover him bounces off. Sharks’ best scorer wide open.

Zetterlund penalty: Another forechecking tripping OZ penalty. Again, balance between overly aggressive and just penalties you don’t want to take. Another big kill for Sharks.

And another 5-on-3 for the Hawks. There’s that balance between too aggressive, taking too many penalties, and here we are.

Period 3

Big kill for the Sharks, still in the game.

Dickinson goal: Poor Thrun offensive touch, his low-to-high pass, maybe deflected, misses, leads to Chicago rush. Then Dickinson makes a gorgeous play there, but not sure why he was so alone.

Zetterlund goal: Granlund to Zetterlund connection again, deflection.

9 in: Nice move by Walman high, Kunin point shot. Sharks are playing better 5v5 but maybe too little, too late. Then good stick by Walman on Hall. Really good D there.

Dellandrea and Kostin have switched places on lines.

6 left: Good forecheck there from Goodrow, Kunin, and Benning, but no chances.