Sharks Can’t Close Out Panthers, Lose 5-3

The San Jose Sharks welcome the Florida Panthers into SAP Center.

Mike Hoffman and Tomas Hertl and Luke Kunin scored, but the Sharks lost 5-3.

Period 1

Tough turnover by Okhotiuk, leads to 2-on-1. Blackwood bails him out.

1 in: Good pick by Vlasic on Panthers forechecker hunting for Sturm.

2 in: Hoffman bad angle shot, Stolarz has trouble but handles it. Like seeing Hoffman think shot first.

5 in: Ferraro razzle-dazzles Stenlund a little bit, skates back with puck then turns up quick. Nothing comes of the sound and the fury there.

Then Hoffman passes up a decent shooting opportunity and doesn’t connect on his high-low pass. It’s a better chance if he connects, but it’s nothing if he doesn’t.

8 in: Granlund PP breakaway, Stolarz glove. Great Eklund pass.

10 in: Big Rutta stick saves a likely goal.

Lomberg goal: Zetterlund turnover, he hasn’t been sharp tonight. Right before was an Eklund turnover, looking for the middle. Not a good turnover, dangerous. Then Eklund has a chance at the puck again, lucky bounce, but he doesn’t really go to get the puck. Maybe he thought Hertl cruising by would get it? Lomberg then beats Blackwood with maybe one the goalie would want back.

6 left: Hertl line has multiple chances to get it out, don’t, by the time they do, they’re too tired to attack.

Hoffman goal: His first goal in 16 games. Gotta be a load off. Carpenter does a good job beating his checker Bennett to dump-in, that’s hustle. Then Hoffman just crashes the net on Rutta point shot, good work there too.

In a move that will surely be popular, looks like Eklund has been switched to the 4th line, Hoffman goes up to the first line

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) November 15, 2023

Not all shots are created equal, #SJSharks 9-8 shots, but #TimeToHunt in more dangerous areas: pic.twitter.com/VLKryhYyYT

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) November 15, 2023

Period 2

Looks like it was just an end-of-period thing, Eklund did have a bad turnover on the Lomberg goal. But Eklund is back with Hertl: https://t.co/0rZpJ0MjXN

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) November 15, 2023

8 in: Vlasic creates a disturbance on forecheck, he’s got a little more of a step tonight. But Labanc pass doesn’t connect with Zadina, maybe a little too fancy.

9 left: Best shift of the game so far from Hertl line. Zetterlund skates toward blueline, curls back, creates a step in the slot, fires it, big rebound.

Then Gushchin tries some move, defense tight on him, he tries a between the legs shot, pure circus. Like.

Danil Gushchin is too beautiful for this world. pic.twitter.com/H8Sr7vFKf5

— JD Young (@MyFryHole) November 15, 2023

Reinhart goal: At first glance, didn’t think that was much on Smith. Maybe a little high. Anyway, Panthers eat up a Blackwood rebound.

7 left: Good Zadina hustle to 50-50, almost connects with Hertl in front. Like.

6 left: Outstanding puck recovery by Kunin, quick and strong, then pass to Gushchin for a Grade-A. Stolarz stands tall.

3 left: Like. Zetterlund dips low, puts his shoulder down on Kulikov, wards him off and gets to net with puck. Then off draw, looks like Eklund beats Verhaeghe to loose puck, wins the faceoff for San Jose Sharks.

2 left: Gushchin comes up with it on the forecheck, holds ground on the wall.

Period 3

That was an awful San Jose Sharks power play to start.

5 in: Sharks get another PP chance, Eklund to Hertl, then Hertl tries to return to Eklund. Eklund goes hard to the net, taken down.

Hertl goal: Tic-tac-toe, that’s the last thing I’d expect so far tonight. Good for Granlund, who negotiates his way on entry, breaks down the PK, then goes to weakside Zetterlund. That stretches Florida PK apart. Barkov maybe falls a little asleep on Hertl. Great vision and execution by Zetterlund.

Kunin goal: That’s just being in the dangerous areas. Good on Luke, got a lot of flak early in the season, some deserved, some not.

Verhaeghe goal: Kunin had the chance to clear there, deflected.

Stenlund goal: Nice deflection in the slot.

Bennett goal: Blackwood has been so good this year, but that doesn’t look like a good one.

But Blackwood is bailed out by the offsides, the San Jose Sharks are still alive.

6 left: Zetterlund off the crossbar? Really nice work between Eklund and Zetterlund. Fabian head of steam, crosses up Kulikov.