‘Won’t Tank’ Labanc Leads Spirited Sharks’ Comeback, Lose 4-3 in OT to Avs

The San Jose Sharks welcome in the Colorado Avalanche to SAP Center. Kevin Labanc scored twice, as did Jacob Peterson, and the Sharks, but the Sharks lost it 4-3 in OT.

I’m going to have a special focus on Jacob Peterson and Thomas Bordeleau tonight. While it may seem that I’m giving them undue credit or blame, I’m just following them around the ice to do my best to watch them close.

Preview/Lines #77: Peterson ‘Pleasant Surprise’ for Quinn

Period 1

Opening shift, Peterson has a good effort on backcheck and does slow down MacKinnon, though can’t stay on his feet.

1 in: Nifty moves by Bordeleau…to dump it in. It worked though. If he didn’t, he might have heard something back at the bench.

2 in: Zetterlund hung in there, took a big hit by MacDermid to dump it in.

Johnson goal: Not a shift to remember for Bordeleau. Off draw, he’s quick on loose puck, good, but loses battle to Malgin, bad. Malgin advances it to Nichushkin, the big Russian treats Gushchin on him like a gnat. Bordeleau stands and watches a little there, feet not moving. Then, there’s a rebound in front, Bordeleau gets it, but feet aren’t moving enough, he just gives it up to the wall. It might be the best of all options, but you’d like to see a little more, at least create a reasonable chance to clear it, instead of an immediate turnover. That might be a working on that first step element.

That was the kind of shift to replay over and over again for those who cry bring up the kids at every moment. Impressing with the Barracuda is a long way from the details required for NHL success.

Rodrigues goal: Yeah, Peterson needs to bulk up, I think. Hertl high OZ turnover, that’s bad. Peterson does backcheck hard and forces his own high turnover, picking off a drop pass to Toews, but with puck high in DZ, has a chance to clear, bodied off by Rodrigues. Then later in sequence, has a chance to clear puck out of high-danger area but Rantanen stick check prevents a clean clear. Turnover, goal.

9 in: Two Peterson attempted exits held up by Avs. They look locked in tonight.

8 left: Whoa Hertl almost slid into Karlsson like he was breaking up a double play. Maybe Hertl trying to hurt Karlsson to keep him in San Jose haha. Karlsson jumps, survives.

7 left: OZ faceoff, Quinn loads up with Karlsson-Thrun-Couture-Hertl-Peterson. Sharks have done little tonight, so makes sense. Pointed out to me by Max Miller.

6 left: Peterson does a good job with Nichushkin draped on him behind the net to keep it alive. He survives that with stick and feet, he is outmuscled, but able to at least get it to Hertl.

4 left: Good pin by Bordeleau on Girard on OZ forecheck, allows his teammate to scoop up puck.

Period 2

Opening shift, Peterson does a good job of recognizing that Toews has come down slot. He is a smart player.

5 in: Girard does a very nice job of following Karlsson all over zone, not biting, eventually blocking Karlsson’s shot. Impressive display of Avs’ man-to-man defense.

7 in: Great pass by Lorentz to streaking Zetterlund down slot. Toe save by Georgiev prevents Zetterlund from his first in teal.

9 left: Bordeleau attacking can’t quite elude two Avs. But then, leads to a lightning Gushchin one-timer strike, nice pass by Couture.

Labanc goal: He’s got a wicked shot. Too bad he can’t uncork it more, he might have the best shot on the team. But there’s a difference between having that and being able to get it off every game. Karlsson up to 96 points.

3 left: Nice move by Peterson to get inside. But then a little too aggressive on forecheck on Malgin, not a great angle. Malgin slips free, advances it, leads to O’Connor chance. Then OZ faceoff…

MacKinnon smokes it. Not blaming Peterson, of course, but everything is connected in hockey, right? A not ideal F1 forecheck leads to a lot of chaos.

Hertl in and out this period, left twice, came back the first time. We’ll see if he comes back for the final frame.

Period 3

2 in: Whoa Lorentz with another Grade-A feed, this time to Vlasic on PK. Kahkonen certainly has been strong and kept the San Jose Sharks in it, but Georgiev has made some Grade-A saves.

FUN #SJSharks PP1 Karlsson-Gushchin-Bordeleau-Peterson-Couture…Gushchin just found Peterson for a goal!

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) April 5, 2023

Peterson was very good on the PP, made a great one-touch pass to Bordeleau, almost got the Avs PK fooled. Then he finds the soft spot and Gushchin makes a terrific pass. As he does at the AHL, Gushchin looked very comfortable on the San Jose Sharks PP.

Labanc goal: Outstanding effort by Gregor, just insists on attacking the net with Byram on him. Good for him. That’s the kind of F you they want from Gregor. Then Labanc does a nice job of melting away from Girard for the spin-o-rama shot. But again, love Noah’s assertiveness. Bottle that up.

Kevin "Won't Tank"

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) April 5, 2023

8 left: Like that Gushchin follow-up effort. First shot, in there for the rebound. Nothing doing, but the right tenacity.

5 left: That’s a fun superstar sequence, MacKinnon wipes out Karlsson trying to sneak down wall.

3 left: Good shift by Zetterlund.

2 left: Gregor rattles Erik Johnson in corner, big hit.

OT

Couture-Bordeleau-Karlsson to start. Actually Sturm, he’s coming on for draws then leaving.