Blackwood Shuts Out Devils, Sharks Win 1-0

NEWARK, N.J. — The San Jose Sharks visit Prudential Center to take on the New Jersey Devils.

Nico Sturm scored, and Mackenzie Blackwood shut out his old team 1-0.

Period 1

1 in: Tough backhand pass through NZ to far wing by Liljegren…and it works. Toffoli then just misses an open Celebrini streaking down the slot. That’s what Timothy can do for you. Off Ferraro killing a play too.

3 in: Big Blackwood save early, a little bit of breakdown, Jack Hughes snaps it on a 2-on-1.

4 in: That’s a great play by Thrun: His shot lane was blocked, so he went for the rebound off the backboard, to the left of Allen, and Goodrow pounced on it.

6 in: Outstanding Liljegren pass to Zetterlund, bounce stretch pass, beats a Devil.

7 in: San Jose Sharks starting on time. Not a clean defensive effort so far, but they’re hunting pucks on the forecheck and crisp on the breakout. Granlund just with a pretty high-to-low feed to Ceci.

8 in: Outstanding power play to start, Liljegren-Celebrini-Toffoli-Wennberg-Granlund. Playing fast. Now Thompson-Eklund-Zetterlund-Kunin-Goodrow. PP2 loses momentum for the Sharks. Here’s where missing an extra creative (Smith? Gushchin? Kostin?) hurts.

9 left: Zetterlund does a good job stepping up on Luke Hughes. But then Ferraro, errant pass up, makes Sharks defend for too long. Hopefully, Liljegren can take more of the puck-moving load. When that part of Mario’s game is simple, the rest is better.

7 left: Nice puck protection exit by stationary Celebrini, turns, Devil on him in DZ, hits Liljegren in stride.

Sturm goal: Sturm can’t corral a partial breakaway pass, but doesn’t give up on the play, centers it back into slot…and it’s still Timo Time for the Sharks: Sturm centering pass hits Meier, goes in. Obviously, luck there, but the San Jose Sharks have played well, it’s a deserved lead.

1 left: Sharks get away with one, Devils overpass it, they had the Sharks dead to rights on a 4-on-3. Bad line change, I think, from Goodrow and Kunin.

Liljegren has had a great period with the puck.

Period 2

3 in: Nice play by Thompson, goes back for puck, there’s a forecheck on him, he’s able to stop up so Devil passes him, collect himself for short simple pass up.

5 in: Nice play by Givani Smith in slot, puck control while being checked, draws a penalty.

Much better PP2 this time around. But eventually leads to Goodrow icing, that forces a rare 4F-1D DZ draw. Which leads to…

9 in: A merciful Blackwood glove. Think Eklund was on the ice for 3-plus minutes on that shift. 3:26 for Eklund, 3:27 for Kunin, 2:50 for Zetterlund…and 3:47 for Thompson.

9 left: After that extended San Jose Sharks’ defensive shift, Devils coming on, a Celebrini icing leads to Dowling Grade-A, maybe off Blackwood then post?

What a play! Terrific Eklund set-up. Hits Granlund from the wall, Granlund right by Allen. Huge save. Also credit to Granlund. He kept it alive, as he often does, when it looked like it was going out for sure. To Eklund, who found him when he zoomed back to the front.

No-goal: Tough luck, outstanding shift by that line leads to Zetterlund goal. Puck was free. Looked like Zetterlund’s stick might’ve pushed Allen, but the puck was loose. Moot point, great way for San Jose Sharks to wrest back control of the game, credit to them. Momentum-changing shift by that line, which start with Granlund’s refusal to let the puck go out easy and be one-and-done.

6 left: Outstanding Celebrini shift, shakes Hamilton like a 10-year pro, just heels his eventual point shot, but then he’s there as F3 to intercept stretch pass. Followed by great shift by Granlund line. This might be the best Sharks team, Celebrini and Granlund up the middle. Granlund at the wing diminishes his impact a little.

3 left: Cotter schools Thompson, from wall to the front.

2 left: Rutta stays on the bench after a little bit of a cheap hit by Haula. Big Sharks power play coming up.

Or not. Celebrini has had a good game, I think, puck management too, but rough power play there for him. They basically fritter away another PP.

That said, this is one of the best games that the Sharks have played all year. Hopefully they got one more good period in them to close it out.

Period 3

1 in: I laughed. Celebrini with the puck on a string, leads a train of two Devils high.

2 in: Great toe Blackwood save.

3 in: Thrun self-pass, deceives Palat forecheck.

6 in: Another marvelous Eklund set-up, this time to Zetterlund all alone in slot. Big Allen save.

10 left: Outstanding job by Celebrini to draw attention high right, then put it weakside for Ceci. Underrated elite play.

Devils coming on, big test for the Sharks, who are bending but not breaking.

5 left: Not a good turnover by Celebrini right there. Be aggressive, yes, but at this point of the game, you risk, it’s huge. Better be sure. Leads to Ferraro hooking penalty…which, I know will enflame the Mario haters, but that was a cheap call I think.

What a performance by Blackwood, win or lose. Sharks starting to break as Devils pour it on, but he’s playing a whale of a game.