11 Again: Sharks Lose 11th Straight for 2nd Time This Year

The San Jose Sharks welcome the Toronto Maple Leafs into SAP Center.

Mikael Granlund scored, but the Leafs prevailed 4-1.

Period 1

I really love Granlund’s game, but wonder how much better it’d be with a little more careful puck management. Tends to hold pucks for too long or tries too many tough passes. Of course, he also makes a lot of plays with his risk-taking, so there’s a balance, you want him to try things too.

3 in: Tricky move in OZ forecheck corner by Zadina to finesse puck away from Kampf. But then Z loses it.

6 in: San Jose Sharks thought they were going to have some OZ possession time with nifty Barabanov to Eklund to Hertl NZ puck movement, but Giordano just shut down Hertl along wall on entry. Just by being strong. That doesn’t happen a lot to Hertl.

8 in: Doesn’t feel like Leafs have dominated, but they’re already up 9-2 shots.

10 in: Good backcheck effort from Zetterlund.

Mile away, think you could see that Ferraro stretch pass wasn’t going to work.

9 left: Bad team 101, Okhotiuk makes nice stick check on Tavares, turnover, then…

#SJSharks just blew a clear-cut 3-on-2 with an offside, if you want to know how it's going. Leafs 11-2 shots through 11-plus minutes

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) January 7, 2024

7 left: Zetterlund with outstanding FC effort on Knies, he’s one of the few Sharks who really have the work boots on so far.

6 left: That isn’t a good Eklund touch off a Barabanov entry pass. Eklund doesn’t have a lot of options, granted, but get it in deep instead of trying to touch it back to Barabanov with two Leafs right there. That’s a turnover most of the time, and in a dangerous place, at the blueline. That’s a live to fight another day play.

The second post of the night for Leafs, Nylander on the power play. Like last game, Sharks just starting the game on snooze.

Granlund trying to be clever, if you’re not trying to cheat, you’re not trying, but not a good penalty there.

Marner goal: San Jose Sharks chanting, “Ref, you suck!” But honestly, they should be saying, “Sharks, you suck!” But Blackwood again, has managed to keep it close. Oh, and the post. Leafs just hit their third one.

Sharks playing like Mike Grier is still in Sweden watching the World Juniors.

Best chance on #SJSharks side in that period. Outshot 18-3 in 1st pic.twitter.com/VXQbPbTRaA

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) January 7, 2024

Period 2

2 in: At least Rutta then Emberson trying to get point shots through so far. That’s the right mentality right now.

6 in: Nice Duclair pass to Granlund on entry, a long shot, but at least one from up the middle. The San Jose Sharks are doing a better job of standing up the Leafs, not allowing them to get out on rush, and they’re just pounding point shots. It’s boring but probably best chance of keeping them in game.

8 in: Ferraro does nice job preventing Knies from bullying his way to net. Then in the corner, erases him. Sharks can’t get it out without an icing though.

Good positioning and stick by Kunin to prevent the high-to-low cross-slot pass.

6 left: Carpenter down low, good defensive work.

5 left: I’ve liked Zetterlund’s game tonight, but wonder why he didn’t shoot there. Five shots so far for the entire San Jose Sharks team.

3 left: An honest-to-goodness Grade-A Sharks chance. Kunin does a good job getting in front there, beating his check, for the stuff-in. A frustrated Kunin, hasn’t scored in a while and obviously the Sharks are struggling here, slams his stick into boards after the save. But good effort.

Jarnkrok goal: That hurts. San Jose Sharks honestly have played fairly well this period, Toronto 8-5 shots to this point. Couple Sharks turnovers on exit though. And Blackwood lets one through that he probably shouldn’t. That’s tough with 42 seconds left. In fairness to Blackwood, he’s been good tonight.

I know no one cares about moral victories anymore, but in a close game, #SJSharks did do good job, for the most part, defensively in that second period, 7-7 shots, good considering how the game started.

Per SPORTLOGiQ: 3-3 Slot Shots, SJS 2-1 High-Danger in the 2nd period

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) January 7, 2024

Period 3

1 in: Strong shift from Granlund line.

4 in: I know Eklund tired, but I would’ve liked to have seen a harder play there, a better third effort, so to speak, trying to get inside on the granted bigger and strong McCabe. With Barabanov circling up top, a chance there, Eklund the only Shark near front. Again, emphasis on third effort. Not saying he’s not trying. I know McCabe strong. Maybe Eklund three years from now, more mature, could get in there more so.

Another post, this time Domi.

Nylander goal: That’s a $92 million goal!

Hertl just put on a stickhandling clinic through Kampf.

Granlund goal: Another strong shift from that line. Did Zetterlund know that Granlund was there?

5 minutes left, #SJSharks have actually outshot Leafs since 1st period, 17-15

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) January 7, 2024

Nylander goal: Blackwood with a highlight reel cross-crease save on Nylander, was a beaut, but then Nylander gets the cheap but clever throw it off the goalie and in on the rebound. Nothing Blackwood could do there.

That’s five posts for Toronto…Ryan Leong from Sports Radio Service tells me it’s six.