Gushchin, Cardwell Impress in 3-2 Sharks’ Win

The San Jose Sharks head to Honda Center to take on the Anaheim Ducks in their third preseason game.

Tristen Robins, Klim Costin, and Luca Cagnoni scored, and the Sharks pulled out a 3-2 OT win.

Period 1

First couple shifts, haven’t minded Musty moving the puck quick. He had been holding the puck too long. Nothing important, but when there’s nothing there, it’s important that you don’t turn it into a negative.

5 in: Think Sharks are defending differently in this way, have to re-watch last year. Cagnoni steals it high, Halttunen and the other winger sag, clog up box. Like man-to-man up high, but a zone low. Cagnoni steps up, leads rush, exciting, good stick from him.

9 in: Cagnoni needs to get to the point where his skating and strength is enough to significantly bother the much bigger Regenda on the breakaway. Not there yet.

As Jamal Mayers notes, like Gushchin leaning into his strengths, attacking the middle with his quickness, firing away. If he can do that in the NHL consistently, that’s going to give him a chance.

5 left: Pretty spin-o-rama move by Cagnoni on Carlsson.

3 left: Like Cardwell beating McKeown to corner for puck. That’s a Cardwell staple.

Halttunen turnover pass there, no play, get it in deep. Don’t try to advance unless you’re 100 percent.  Those NZ turnovers will kill you. Young play.

1 left: Watching Dickinson round corner behind his net with puck, love that skating. He had a pretty bad turnover earlier on attack in period, trusting his skating too much. Will need to control that swashbuckling, most likely, when he gets here permanently.

McTavish goal: Not just on Cagnoni, but he’s got to do better tying up the stick there, of course. On Ducks entry, I don’t think the San Jose Sharks sorted it out defensively. Zegras was by himself for too long, they had a down-low 3-on-2. Would say from beginning, you want maybe a more urgent forecheck. Cagnoni and Sturm also got caught on McTavish high in zone, wonder if you want Cagnoni to hand off to Sturm. That could’ve made it a 3-on-3 down low.

Period 2

Kostin turnover to open period leads to odd-man the other way. Haven’t loved his play tonight.

Robins goal: Cardwell forecheck, takes it from, hey, the much-bigger Regenda. Impressive. Gushchin had a nice pin on Connor Smith on forecheck. Then more than forcing the turnover, quick Cardwell centering play to Gushchin, who slides it, soft skill, to wide-open Robins.

Tristen Robins ties it up for the #SJSharks!
Gushchin and Cardwell with some nice work.
1-1 pic.twitter.com/gGedsUaeTs

— JD Young (@MyFryHole) September 27, 2024

6 in: Want to see more escape from Cagnoni on Ducks’ forecheck, I think it’s Pastujov and Myatovic.

Halttunen showing more pop with his feet than I used to, good forecheck on Dellandrea to Eklund Grade-A chance. Big-time Dostal save.

Musty penalty: Mayers says it all, not a good penalty, NZ. Kills momentum, San Jose Sharks had been rolling in the period. Hooking was also right after a Musty turnover, pass that was a little ahead of Kostin in the NZ.

Now Musty draws a penalty, good work. He might be a guy who draws a lot of penalties in his career.

4 left: Cagnoni has done a good job, from what I’ve seen, of keeping puck in the zone on the power play.

Period 3

2 in: Nice slide by Cagnoni on PP blueline, Duck screaming at him, sidesteps him, gets puck back down low.

Looks like Coe pulled off power play for Cardwell?

Carlsson goal: No reason for the Musty penalty. Been a tough camp for him, as I’ve noted. Hope he learns from it, still an excellent prospect.

5 in: Beaut backhand Cardwell pass on rush to Gushchin, crossbar then post.

Danil Gushchin was this close 🤏 to tying it pic.twitter.com/LvDTKEF8vX

— JD Young (@MyFryHole) September 27, 2024

Let’s not forget, vet Colin White has been a big part of the line with Gushchin and Cardwell.

🤣 5 minutes left, Gauthier has 11 shots, 16 attempts.

Gushchin leads #SJSharks with 4 shots, 10 attempts so far

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) September 27, 2024

Musty has been pulled off the top PP for Gushchin.

Kostin goal: Gushchin with a couple outstanding passes on the PP. First to Eklund, then Kostin. Kostin has had a better period.

OT

Gushchin-Dellandrea-Furlong to start. Gushchin feels like a reward.

Cagnoni goal: Whoa, nice individual effort by Kostin! Chumps Gauthier. Lesson for Musty too, you can have a rough start, thought Kostin did, but you can rev up.