Blackwood Outduels Georgiev, Sharks Lose Another Late Lead 4-2

The San Jose Sharks welcome the Colorado Avalanche into SAP Center.

Both Mackenzie Blackwood and Givani Smith return, just a little more than a week after the big trade.

Carl Grundstrom and William Eklund scored, but the Sharks blew another late lead 4-2.

Period 1

Blackwood receives a nice round of applause when his name is announced in the starting line-up

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) December 20, 2024

Nichushkin goal: Not an ideal start for the San Jose Sharks, Grundstrom penalty. Trying to establish position in front, which you like, but careless with his stick doing so. Looks like Walman thought Makar in high slot was going to flank with puck? Or just going to flank because Makar had two Sharks in front of him, just benefitted from bounce off the end boards.

Givani Smith raises his stick as Sharks fans applaud him on the scoreboard

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) December 20, 2024

8 in: Ceci plays MacKinnon tough outside of zone, as Mackinnon trying to get revved up again with puck. But Sharks being slammed, 7-1 shots.

9 in: Grade-A chance by Will Smith though, beaut passing Wennberg to Eklund to Will, huge Blackwood save, 2-on-1. Sharks fans have seen that before.

10 in: Big Georgiev save. O’Connor give-and-go on entry, no Shark stays with O’Connor as he goes. Poor team defense. Grundstrom was last man, though not sure if on him.

7 left: Wennberg cool-and-calm on exit again. Ferraro under pressure, hard to handle pass to Wennberg, Wennberg doesn’t smoke it away, he passes it to the corner to himself, then picks it up and goes D-to-D to weakside Mukhamadullin. I should do a Wennberg being calm exiting with puck highlight reel haha.

6 left: Good cycle from Toffoli to Kovalenko to Celebrini. Celebrini gets a step on Makar going to the front. Makar recovery forces backhand though.

Mukhamadullin does a nice job shaking F1 Kelly, but can’t complete the next play.

5 left: Rutta does a nice job in-zone on Rantanen. In-zone, he’s still a capable defender, long, strong, smart, can cover decent ground in small spaces. Puck-moving and open-ice mobility is where I think he gets exposed. Credit to the San Jose Sharks, they’ve bounced back after slow start. Now to put something on the scoreboard.

3 left: Ceci might have saved a goal, good job staying with MacKinnon in front.

Long shift for Granlund line against MacKinnon line, not pretty. Granlund does do a smart job checking Rantanen right as puck is coming on rim to him, puck passes Rantanen and Granlund able to clear it. Finn on Finn crime. Icing though.

1 left: Not sure why Walman knocked Mittelstadt down in corner, away from puck. Rantanen goes hard into fracas. Walman still talking to Mittelstadt, not sure why he’s so upset at him, don’t see anything in 20 seconds or so prior. Maybe Walman was upset to be on the ice for so long, that was like an almost three-minute shift for him.

Shots close, Avs 12-10, but Avs 29-14 5v5 Shot Attempts seems accurate. Sharks have 10 blocked shots to Avs’ 1, which is more a credit to Avs, not Sharks.

Period 2

Three good plays by Granlund to start PK: Won center ice faceoff, stood up Avs’ entry at blueline, protected puck along wall into zone. Killed about 30 seconds there.

2 in: What a shift by Celebrini, took Girard’s soul in corner. Was wondering how small-but-quick Girard would defend him. Got audible reaction from pressbox, Celebrini’s slickness.

Video game move from Celebrini, entering "It's not so much me as Celebrini; he's good" territory https://t.co/s4CyEiwjxC

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) December 20, 2024

Grundstrom goal: Goodrow starts it in D-zone, good read on Avs’ low to high pass, gets it to Granlund, who goes to work. Rutta shot, Grundstrom rebound.

Grundstrom! Snaps 26-game goalless streak, career-worst was 28 games last year. gotta be a weight off his shoulders!

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) December 20, 2024

6 in: That Will Smith backhand pass on entry to Walman is a great idea, but you can’t miss there, Avs’ counterattack the other way.

Eklund goal: Great work by Eklund to poke it past Makar, another errant low-to-high Avs pass. Wennberg does good work to attack net, going from backhand to forehand. Kunin hits Ceci in the high slot with a good pass. Ceci good read to jump on loose puck in slot, keep it alive for Sharks. Then Eklund!

Colton and Eklund going hard at each other there.

7 left: Good loose puck recovery by Thrun, turn, and hits Wennberg with pass. Like.

Love that NZ effort by Sturm, de Haan has puck, Sturm just reaches his stick out legally to jam the spokes of de Haan’s ability to move puck up. Little things.

Celebrini penalty: Celebrini doesn’t like the hooking call, ref comes over when Macklin is in the box, that’s a gold mic’d up moment if they release that.

5 left: Nice PK work, Ceci closes on MacKinnon in corner, a familiar foe, and Ferraro behind net able to misdirect forecheck and clear it out.

2 left: Really good period for the San Jose Sharks. A lot of good hockey there, from Wennberg behind-the-back NZ pass for entry, an active Thrun. This is one of Thrun’s better games so far this year, good for him.

1 left: Big Georgiev glove on Rantanen, Rutta might’ve fanned on a one-timer, 2-on-1 for Avs. Rutta tracks back hard to take Rantanen’s pass option away.

Sharks in familiar recent position of needing a strong third to finish the game off.

Period 3

1 in: Big Georgiev save on Nichushkin. Good goaltending duel so far!

3 in: Georgiev comes across on Toews! Sharks need to push back with offense and possession, period so far is following familiar script.

4 in: Solid Wennberg shift, weak shot in end, but good puck protection, earns an OZ faceoff.

Kelly penalty: I think Celebrini draws another? Good PP, Macklin post.

Rantanen goal: Didn’t look like much on Goodrow. But doesn’t matter, Sharks need to get themselves off the mat.

Lehkonen penalty: Another penalty drawn by Celebrini!

10 left: Good deception by Smith to avoid Makar right on top of him on PK, Zetterlund had a hard pass into Smith’s feet. But Sharks’ power play fruitless…

But another power play, Wennberg tripped. No doubt, San Jose Sharks putting pressure on Avs, credit to them, that’s more of the “killer instinct” they’re looking for. That said, gotta come up with a goal.

Kiviranta goal: Think Georgiev needs to have that. Also, power play ending, Smith makes a hope pass high in zone, that wasn’t going to work. He honestly can’t do that there, tied game, PP over, Eklund covered. Actually think the Sharks have played a decent third so far, better than previous games. Even power play had quality chances, wasn’t amazing, but it was good, I’d say. But yea, between Georgiev and Will Smith, this goal shouldn’t have happened.

5 left: Good job by Zetterlund to come back hard when Avs maybe thought they had an exit, good shot, big rebound, Eklund just tied up.

Kiviranta goal: Oh man. Celebrini can’t get it out, Avs able to set up the one-timer.