Blues Snap 8-Game Losing Streak, Beat Sharks 5-3

The San Jose Sharks visit the St. Louis Blues at Enterprise Center. Timo Meier got the Sharks on the board, then Tomas Hertl and Logan Couture added a couple, but the Sharks dropped another 5-3.

Period 1

Krug goal: Not a stellar start by the San Jose Sharks, they look a little sleepy to start, but Kahkonen cannot let that in.

3 in: Good patience by Labanc to wait for Hertl below goal line, who finds Meier in the slot.

6 in: Fourth line with some effective forecheck, Gregor and Gadjovich make some small plays. Good momentum, but then negated by Ferraro penalty.

Kahkonen does rally back with a strong kill.

10 in: Bad hope pass by Barabanov in NZ. Leads to Faulk chance.

7 left: Beautiful stretch pass by Karlsson, opens up 3-on-2. Labanc with a dangerous chance.

5 left: Like Gregor cutting in toward net instead if circling net when going wide. Good shift by him. Then Simek does a nice job one-on-one. Vlasic turnover puts them on firedrill, but Gadjovich able to get it out.

Meier goal: Nice work by, well, everybody. Like especially Meier tracking back, getting loose puck in NZ, and finding Hertl, who makes a pretty move on entry.

Slow start, but impressed by how San Jose Sharks came on. They need to be a little more careful with puck in middle, that’s been a problem. But otherwise, strong pushback.

Period 2

2 in: Blues out of sorts, have potential 3-on-2, somehow go off side. Maybe Thomas surprised by Sturm and Benning standing up on him. Thomas looks up in frustration.

3 in: Another pinpoint Karlsson stretch pass to spring Hertl. Karlsson pushing momentum, his accuracy and execution catching everybody by surprise.

5 in: Momentum shift here? Fantastic start by Sharks, but then Karlsson flubs a puck high, Megna takes Kyrou down to prevent breakaway. Good penalty, but big spot.

Kyrou goal: That’s a way to kill your buzz. Can Sharks keep coming 5-on-5?

9 in: Big toe save by Kahkonen. Good to see him bounce back after rough start.

9 left: Lindblom just has to get that out, Sharks have been pinned down for a minute, he has time and space, tries to make a play, which you get, but Sharks are pinned for another 30 secs.

Hertl goal: That’s pushback by Tommy. Blues had last 12 shots, but it just takes one good shift from the top line. Good work by Labanc to just fire away, Hertl gets the rebound.

But then next shift, Hertl, crossing the line, goes for the pass toward the middle instead of chipping it off wall to Labanc. Turnover. Tarasenko comes back 2-on-1, misses net. Sloppy.

Saad goal: Labanc has a chance to get it out, but it doesn’t go out. Then Blues put Sharks through spin cycle. Labanc has another chance to clear, granted, tough pass from Couture, but he takes a beat, it looks like, instead of just shoveling it out. Maybe thought he had time and space that he didn’t.

2 left: You don’t see that everyday. Vlasic rims it to Benning, who’s uncovered and goes to get it behind the net and build speed. A play that I’m sure Benning has made a billion times. But Benning doesn’t know where he is on the ice, he skates into the net and trips. Turnover. What’s going on?

1 left: Now Barabanov back with Hertl-Meier. We’ll see if Quinn keeps that going.

Period 3

Okay Quinn starts with Labanc back with Hertl.

Karlsson now has 21 points in #SJSharks first 15 games of season, that ties Patrick Marleau's franchise record, set in 2009-10

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) November 11, 2022

6 in: Karlsson might have got away with one, while Meier makes a dangerous pass on exit that quickly turns around. Granted, it was Meier defensively on backdoor who might have saved goal. Both teams feel like they’re trying to give it away. Can San Jose Sharks calm their game down here and pull it out?

7 in: “That’s called hustle.” Hedican says it, what an effort by Meier on forecheck on Schenn, doesn’t allow the easy exit. Meier did something similar on his goal earlier, tracking back on puck hard.

Rosen goal: Kahkonen stops the puck, but doesn’t get it out or make the right play to get it out. Hedican doesn’t like Kunin letting the pass to the point. But it looks clean through, need a stop too?

10 left: On no. Looks like Sturm fanned on a gimme. Great feeds by Kunin, then Vlasic. Loose Blues defense, Sharks can’t finish.

5 left: Situational awareness, Ferraro may be just needs to get it out there, as Hedican noted.

3 left: Ferraro does good job using Benning as a decoy to get out, but then he can’t get it past the red line.

You can’t play Karlsson 60 minutes.