Zadina Scores Twice, But Sharks Lose 3-2 to Flyers

PHILADELPHIA — The San Jose Sharks visit Wells Fargo Arena to take on the Philadelphia Flyers.

Filip Zadina scored twice, but the Sharks lost.

Period 1

2 in: Nice little play at end of kill, Ferraro to Granlund to Sturm. A little bit of each player’s best right there, Ferraro skating it out with ease and hitting that first pass, Granlund navigating the entry and tossing a gorgeous backhand pass to the front, Sturm skating hard to the front and beating his check for a dangerous tip.

Farabee goal: Ugly. Farabee gets behind Thrun then Vlasic. It is a gorgeous sauce lead pass to him, not an easy one by Frost. Vlasic is last Shark back, but Farabee might have been Thrun’s man. Replay shows that Farabee made a great read, maybe you can’t put it on Thrun either. Farabee might have cherry-picked a little, it just worked out.

7 in: Looks like Ferraro gets himself in a little trouble, in corner, Flyers FC coming, goes right along the wall instead of left up the middle, gets converged on. Doesn’t lose it in DZ at least, but Flyers grab the puck in NZ.

9 in: Beaut backhand exit pass by Addison to Barabanov. Leads to some San Jose Sharks’ OZ time.

10 in: Bordeleau surprises, instead of obvious cross-slot pass to Kostin, turns and fires it at trailer Sturm. Flyers penalty. Daring plays maybe starting to work for him at this level again.

Looks like MacDonald-Kostin-Barabanov-Zadina-Kunin on #SJSharks power play 2

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) March 12, 2024

5 left: Barabanov just misses Zetterlund for the tap-in. Can argue he should’ve shot it. But I like Barbie’s jump tonight, like I did last game.

3 left: Competitive first, Granlund draws a call. He then dances the blueline beautifully on a subsequent PP entry. Then loses it later, I don’t think he’s managed the puck well so far in general, just a bit risky.

Zadina goal: Beaut Kunin pass. Great move on the goal, of course. Kunin had a pretty good PP shift, previously, before Flyers cleared, he had done a nice job keeping the puck alive in zone.

Zadina with his 11th, new career-high in goals, his 6th goal in the 13 games since the break

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) March 12, 2024

Period 2

1: San Jose Sharks have a nice cycle, but Barabanov pass high gets blocked and out. But good job by Barabanov, it’s the details, he gets in the Flyer’s way, not sure who, soft pick, to prevent a counterattack.

Good Thrun pass on exit to Eklund before he’s stapled. Leads to quality Zadina chance.

2 in: Another good Thrun backhand exit pass to Zadina, who clears.

Bordeleau penalty: That got him in a little trouble with the Sharks earlier in the season. Trying hard defensively can’t mean NZ hooking calls. Think this is the best that Bordeleau has looked in the NHL since his first stint in 2021-22, and definitely the most mature. The first cup of coffee was free-wheeling do what you want hockey. But penalties like that are things to learn from.

5 in: Good battle between Eklund and much-bigger Poehling in corner. Eklund doesn’t win it, but he certainly competes there.

Frost goal: Broken play, but puck lands where Frost can light it up, and he picks a corner. Chrona can’t quite get over, his side to side might need some work?

Zamula penalty: Good job by Barabanov to put Zamula in the jackpot.

About 40 seconds left in Sharks PP, Flyers get called again. Sharks seemed to be in no rush to get on the two-man advantage, frittering away 30 seconds, granted have some chances, but I think you hurry and get yourself 5-on-3.

Zadina: Kunin again! What a pass. Kostin registers his first San Jose Sharks point. Kostin doesn’t look out of place on the power play.

4 left: Good job by Barabanov by himself, his linemates were changing, to stop it up on the forecheck.

1 left: Alert defense by Zadina prevents a stuff right in front of Chrona.

Sharks get lucky that horn sounds there. Ugly end to period, but unscathed. They’ve really had trouble this year defending off a lost face-off.

Flyers are starting to roll 5-on-5, when they’re not in the box.

Period 3

1 in: Three small plays by Eklund that I like on that shift, carrying in NZ and gets bumped but keeps going, on a counterattack entry he can’t get to the puck but he locks sticks with a Flyer that has a step so his teammate can get to it, and then a forecheck steal.

Marvelous Zetterlund move, leads to Barabanov Grade-A.

Tippett goal: Gotta watch replay on the original Zetterlund penalty, but first look, looked like just two guys reaching for puck.

Thrun penalty: I think this happened earlier this season with Blackwood in Tampa.

Flyers 14-3 shots barely halfway into period.

9 left: Kostin rockets a pass back to point, good job by Ferraro to handle.

3 left: Ferraro creates turnover, but he gets too clever with the drop pass to Zadina that doesn’t connect.