Sharks Stun Golden Knights in Thrun’s Debut, 4-3 OT

The San Jose Sharks welcome the Vegas Golden Knights to SAP Center. In Henry Thrun’s NHL debut and Thomas Bordeleau’s return to the Sharks, Mario Ferraro, Oskar Lindblom, Tomas Hertl scored, Thrun netted two assists, and Logan Couture scored the OT winner for a 4-3 Sharks win.

Period 1

1 in: Yoink! Ferraro tries to cut off lead puck carrier, but Zetterlund can’t catch up with Eichel, so Eichel has clear lane for post. Wonder if Ferraro should’ve just played 2-on-1? Then Bordeleau, trying to escape pressure, skates right into I think Eichel on exit. Turnover.

3 in: Instructive Karlsson vs. rest of world play. Kaut in tight space handcuffs Karlsson high with a pass, turnover. Karlsson in tight space gets puck back later, feathers it to Hertl high.

Ferraro goal: Couture battles Roy to standstill, Bordeleau quick to jump on loose puck, get it to Thrun up high. Henry’s first NHL point!

6 in: Bordeleau exits, this time, problem solves beautifully, soft backhand chip along wall through two Golden Knights, right to Couture, easy exit.

PP2 is MacDonald-Labanc-Kaut-Zetterlund-Gregor

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) March 31, 2023

10 in: Not a good play by Gregor, takes too long to move puck under forecheck pressure, taken off his stick.

9 left: Confidence with puck by Thrun there, retrieves in NZ, VGK forecheck right on him, but he calmly skates backwards, delivers a soft backhand NZ pass to Hertl. Doesn’t quite connect, but like the confidence.

They appear to be trying to set up Bordeleau one-timer on power play. Look forward to that.

Lindblom goal: Great work by Thrun to find the open man, Ferraro to read the play and step into attack. Thrun’s decision opened up attack. By the way, Lindblom’s first goal since Jan. 27, 24 games between goals.

That's two assists for Thrun! He made a really good play there, whipped a hard pass to weak side open man Lindblom, who was on the other side

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) March 31, 2023

Hague goal: That’s a bad one to give up. Innocent dump-in, Reimer doesn’t move it quickly enough, and it’s a scramble after that. Reimer doesn’t get a lot of help either there. Hague takes advantage of a flailing Reimer.

2 left: Exhibit of Thrun’s skating there, not the most fluid. That will be a work in progress.

Henry Thrun becomes first #SJSharks player to record 2 points in the 1st period of his NHL debut. He also joins Scott Hannan (Oct. 9, 1998 in Tokyo) as the only SJ d-men to record two points (2 assists for each) in their respective NHL debuts. #NHLStats #HockeyTwitter #VGKvsSJS

— Darin Stephens (@SharksStats) March 31, 2023

Period 2

Before Roy penalty, liked Thrun’s work prolonging attack.

Oskar Lindblom took one shift in the second period. Didn't play in the final 16:31 of the period. https://t.co/lgCsVrMySR

— Corey Masisak (@cmasisak22) March 31, 2023

8 in: Got a better look in person than on TV, but looks like Thrun did work to tie up Kessel run in front of Reimer. Also walled him off. Actually it’s Marchessault, ruining my Star Wars joke.

10 left: Nice job by Thrun to cut off Cotter along wall. Earlier, I thought he did good work on 2-on-1, not overextending himself. Managing his own skating limitations.

Hertl goal: Starts with a nice MacDonald stretch bounce pass to Peterson. Kaut does nice job on 3-on-2 to hang back, stay open for Peterson’s vision. Golden Knights forwards are way too slow helping. They’re kind of going through the motions tonight so far.

5 left: Maybe Thrun’s first clear mistake that I can see, he tries a spinning NZ pass up the middle, intercepted at center ice. Doesn’t lead to anything anyway.

4 left: Don’t force the attack, try a bounce dump-in to Sturm. Mature decision by Thrun.

Period 3

1 in: Good work by Gregor to snatch it off wall.

3 in: Good hustle by Peterson, almost beats Dorofeyev to loose puck in front.

5 in: More good San Jose Sharks wall work, this time by Labanc.

6 in: Peterson good tonight, take nothing away. But that play, jumps on loose puck, has center lane wide open for a second…but Stephenson comes from behind to bat it off…that’s Peterson’s issue, per a source, pace.

9 in: Thrun hangs with Eichel behind Reimer. Good looking work.

Amadio goal: Well, this game won’t help Reimer’s drive to .900. Can’t fault him there though, Ferraro couldn’t tie up Amadio in front. Unlucky bounce for Ferraro too. That kind of season for San Jose Sharks kind of goal.

10 in: Like that Thrun backhand pass to Viel.

Then off draw, Bordeleau again quick to pounce on loose faceoff.

7 left: Good job by Bordeleau, only D option, to body off Cotter.

3 left: Thrun bumps off Roy there net front. That’s solid.

OT

Couture-Bordeleau-Karlsson to start.