Sharks Almost Author Great Comeback, Lose 6-5 to Rangers

NEW YORK — The San Jose Sharks visit Madison Square Garden to take on the New York Rangers.

Anthony Duclair and Ryan Carpenter and Jacob MacDonald and Fabian Zetterlund and Alexander Barabanov scored, but the Sharks squandered a 3-2 lead to lose 6-5.

Period 1

Duclair goal: What a move! Same as his second goal against the New Jersey Devils. Good read by him, it looks like, he saw Burroughs was going to win the puck, so he stretched out. Nice job by Burroughs, maligned for his puck-moving at times, but look at that.

Anthony Duclair makes it 1-0 #SJSharks! pic.twitter.com/aCis95KnpO

— JD Young (@MyFryHole) December 3, 2023

Duclair & Grandlund connect for the 2nd time tonight. 🚨

Safe to say there’s some chemistry building between these two. #SJSharks pic.twitter.com/W7geRB9ShL

— SnipeCity420  (@SnipeCity420) December 2, 2023

7 in: Granlund all over the puck on the PK. Whatever happened to him in Pittsburgh, he is a good player, and he’s starting to show it shift in, shift out.

Panarin goal: Back-to-back penalties will kill you. Panarin just tosses it soft on goal from the middle of the ice, Benning deflects it in.

Eklund might’ve been a bit slow to pick up Brodzinski on the penalty. Not egregious, in my mind, but a young player still needing to think faster.

10 in: Looks like Hoffman taking the draws on this Frankenstein fourth-line with forward-defenseman MacDonald and enforcer Smith.

Carpenter goal: All forecheck from Carpenter, Labanc, and especially Bailey. Everybody on their toes.

Panarin goal: However, not on their toes there. Panarin slips unnoticed, Duclair was rotating on Trocheck, so I think Granlund has to commit more in that high-danger area.

7 left: Carpenter line responds with a good forecheck, deflection chance.

5 left: That was a ridiculous indirect by Granlund.

Ridiculous indirect pass from Granlund to Duclair pic.twitter.com/4I41Tg9qT7

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) December 3, 2023

Zibanejad goal: The one negative that I’ve seen from Bailey, I think, is his defensive coverage, his alertness there is not great.  Not quick enough there, to notice Zibanejad. When looking for reasons why a bottom-six guy might not stick in the NHL, that might be it.

1 left: Should be 4-2 Rangers. Zibanejad pounds a one-timer high, Blackwood was moving. Z looks up to the ceiling. Another Rangers PP.

#SJSharks not doing badly at even strength, at least in terms of scoring chances, per @SPORTLOGiQ, NYR 5-3 Slot Shots, 3-3 High-Danger Chances through one period…BUT all the penalties that the Sharks are taking are because Rangers are putting more offensive pressure on them

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) December 3, 2023

Period 2

Fans just cheered for Ryan Carpenter, he was shown on the Jumbotron. He looked surprised by it, pleasantly so, but was like really? He played just 22 games with the Rangers…and 51 with the Hartford Wolfpack, all last year. Carpenter got a warmer reception than Quinn last year haha.

Even Carpenter was laughing. I don’t think he was expecting this. #SJSharks pic.twitter.com/QJ089yUmwR

— Max Miller (@Real_Max_Miller) December 4, 2023

3 in: Nice Ferraro move on Pitlick, coming down point for shot. I know points don’t reflect it, but I wonder if he’s marginally better offensively this season. I’m noticed a few more plays.

4 in: Not a good lead pass by Benning, intercepted then counterattack, but Hertl’s defensive stick high bails him out.

6 in: Marvelous sprawling Quick save, side to side, on Granlund. Wow, vintage.  That rush was initiated by a sharp Addison indirect pass.

7 in: That was really good work by Addison off PP draw to keep puck alive and in San Jose Sharks’ possession. Like here’s exactly why he’s on PP1 on this team-why.

MacDonald goal: From point, squirts through. He’s got to be the only guy who alternates from forward to defense regularly in a game that I’ve seen. Duclair with screen.

It was Addison-Hertl-Eklund-Zetterlund-Granlund on PP1, MacDonald-Barabanov-Duclair-Hoffman-Labanc on PP2.

Lafreniere penalty: Just a rough game for Benning. That might’ve been more bad bounce than anything. But Blackwood!

8 left: Addison fires it. Haven’t seen him blast it too much.

7 left: Barabanov couldn’t get his stick on a pretty Duclair lead pass in front of Quick. Wonder if there’s timing issue there. Then Duclair post. He’s playing with obvious confidence.

5 left: I like that from Eklund, direct, felt pressure, bounced off, went to the net on wraparound. Not always looking for that perfect pass.

Cuylle goal: But I don’t think Eklund tracks back hard enough on Cuylle. That can’t happen, whoever you want to blame. When I say not hard enough, I don’t see this as effort, but Eklund, I think, was puck-watching. Pure focus on Cuylle would’ve helped, skate with him, you know what he’s trying to do. However, Hedican says Rutta too far too his right.

2 left: That’s a fantastic keep high by Hertl. Benning was strong one-on-one defensively on that shift too, a couple plays there.

1 left: Looked like Panarin was thinking Michigan goal for a second there.

Period 3

Rutta with good defensive positioning there.

1 in: Ooh love that Eklund spin down low on Miller. That’s the stuff.

Panarin goal: Ouch. Zetterlund turnover, now a bit of a tough pass by Duclair with forecheck on top of Z, but he’s got to be better, the puck has to get out. Then Panarin beats him to the front for the garbage. Back-breaker all around.

Miller scored, but San Jose Sharks just pushing for offense. But uhh…

Zetterlund goal: Just simple, off the rush.

Barabanov goal: Hertl does Hertl stuff to gain the zone, then Addison takes advantage of the open space with a beaut pass to Barabanov. And it’s now 6-5.