Sharks Sing Trade Deadline Blues, Lose 6-3

The San Jose Sharks welcome the St. Louis Blues to SAP Center. Alexander Barabanov and Logan Couture gave the Sharks a quick lead, but they lost 6-3.

Period 1

Barabanov goal: Like the battle from Ferraro in corner to win the puck in DZ. Then Johnsson flips it, Barabanov makes Faulk and Greiss look bad.

Couture goal: Saad a little slow to take trailer Couture, wonder if Karlsson manipulated that, have to watch the replay. Wouldn’t surprise me. But Karlsson slides a pass right in Couture’s wheelhouse just as Saad gets there, the captain blows it by Greiss.

9 in: Fantastic shift from Couture line, started by Bonino forecheck. He’s a guy, I don’t get the fan hate. I mean I sort of do. Fans always love to take things out on some veteran who’s not high-scoring, seen as a coach’s favorite. He’s also had prolonged slumps in both seasons with San Jose Sharks. But he also does a tremendous amount of little things well, and it’s not his fault that he’s getting played higher in the line-up than he might on a winning Sharks squad.

9 left: Leivo beats Karlsson to outside, Reimer stop.

Then, Zetterlund with a slot shot. He’s got a hard shot.

3 left: Karlsson makes forechecker Alexandrov look bad behind Reimer haha.

Period 2

Parayko goal: Too easy. Lindblom low, so I think Lorentz has to rotate and make sure he’s got the point man covered.

4 in: Hertl holds off Faulk behind the net, great work, then hits Zetterlund for a Grade-A one-timer. Really nice work by Tommy. The goals aren’t there, but in general, we’re seeing a better game from Hertl recently.

6 in: Not sure how Lindblom didn’t draw the call there? Hertl was banging the stick for Ferraro stretch pass, which was delivered, Sharks had a brief 2-on-1 but Hertl didn’t have the touch on the pass to Lindblom.

8 in: Blues 2-on-1, Karlsson stuck down low, but that’s one, I don’t blame him, the forwards needs to help. But the San Jose Sharks are getting too loose.

Brown goal: After a great first period, the wheels are off. Gregor can’t skate it out, then Sharks coverage gets all scrambled up. Another “too easy” goal.

10 in: Bonino falling effort behind Greiss, great pass to point. Then Karlsson under pressure, slips it to Barabanov, who makes a pretty pull-and-drag move, shot goes high. Nice sequence though.

Karlsson-Couture-Hertl-Barabanov-Bonino to start power play, followed by MacDonald-Benning-Zetterlund-Svechnikov-Johnsson

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) March 3, 2023

4 left: Just saw the Blues blow a 2-on-0, if you’re wondering what I’m doing tonight.

Boo-lue birds are other to end that middle frame.

“Coach, you played a first period, what happened in the second period?” Somehow, feel like that’s been asked a few times this year…

Period 3

4 in: One pass to many by Sturm. Passed up a good chance off the rush.

5 in: Bad Labanc penalty, I think. Skate with the man, defend.

Lorentz goal: No sure how Greiss lets that in? Bet he’d like that back.

8 in: Decision-making pass I don’t love from Zetterlund. Of course just nit-picking. But insists on getting it to point, deflected, Sharks OZ work snuffed out. Forget though how young he is, has to judged more on tools than complete package. Hope also that fans don’t see him as a Meier replacement and he can just focus on what he’s good at.

5 left: I have no idea what MacDonald was thinking there.