Sharks Lose 6-5 OT Thriller to Canucks, Makiniemi Makes NHL Debut

The San Jose Sharks are back at SAP Center, hosting the Vancouver Canucks. Nick Bonino got the Sharks on the board in the first minute, then Timo Meier, Logan Couture, Jonah Gadjovich, and Kevin Labanc scored, but the Sharks dropped a 6-5 OT thriller.

Period 1

If Bonino is duplicating last year, #SJSharks will take it.

Last season, went first 18 games w/o a goal, scored 16 goals in his last 62 games.

This year, first 24 games w/o a goal, now back-to-back games on the scoresheet

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) December 8, 2022

Joshua goal: Hedican doesn’t like Kahkonen’s position, which he blames for the rebound up the middle. Also, was Benning caught unaware there too? There were two Canucks in slot, Suess had one.

Simek's 2nd-career fight, per @hockeyfights, first one was in 2020-21 against Maxime Comtois. Simek hit Aman hard and clean, I think, Joshua stepped in to defend his teammate, good on everybody all around

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) December 8, 2022

8 in: Big Garland chance, Kahkonen steps up. Benning can’t stop the Ekman-Larsson pass to Garland, after OEL dusts Kunin at the point.

8 left: Beautiful give-and-go between Couture and Barabanov.

Suess penalty: Starts with a strange Karlsson play. He did a nice job beating his first forechecker, looked like he was going to make a strong forehand stretch pass, then pulls back, and backhands it softly to nobody. His backhand might’ve been altered by an Aman chop. Anyway, puck goes the other way, and Suess gets called.

#SJSharks are no longer the top PK unit in the NHL. With that Joshua goal, they now have a 85.2% kill rate.

The Bruins, up 4-0 now, have killed all 4 Avs PPs tonight, if that holds, they will be at a 85.3% kill rate

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) December 8, 2022

You’re probably tired of hearing this, but San Jose Sharks played well enough in opening frame, 6-3 Slot Shots at Even Strength, 5-2 High-Danger at 5-on-5.

Period 2

That's so Sharks: At one end, top line pounds Martin with 5 shot attempts, 3 shots, at least one Grade-A. At the other end, Labanc is backing up Megna, he gets tripped, no call, Hoglander has one shot, he beats Kahkonen for one I think he'd like back

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) December 8, 2022

Unless Makiniemi is completely unplayable, and it is a tough spot to put him in, I know, but I’d pull Kaapo. You need a shot in the arm from your goalie, and it’s not coming from him right now.

Meier goal: Good F.U. power play by Sharks. There was purpose and being direct.

Challenge: I think you gotta call that back. Puck might’ve headed in without Joshua contact on Kahkonen, but Joshua never gave Kaapo a chance for the stop. But boy, Sharks can’t let Canucks get inside like that. It’s a reprieve, but they need to get a man. Kunin looks like he gets beat to the middle for a second, Benning reacts. Chain reaction, outnumbered down low, Vlasic versus two Canucks.

#SJSharks first short-handed goal this year, needed it

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) December 8, 2022

Good patience by Megna, nice pass to hit Couture.

Nice, soft clear by Bonino, tired PK, Kunin no stick, he clears it soft straight to Martin, full change.

8 left: Hertl looking very careful with puck on entry, Quinn seems to want to kill that urge to make that blind pass on gaining zone that often leads to the counterattack.

3 left: Not sure if Megna will ever get a better chance to score a goal. Karlsson shot ricochets to him, he’s down low, but he can’t corral it, Martin down and out. But speaking of, that shift starts with Vancouver trying to create their own offense, trying to force it, turnover on Hughes stretch pass as they gain zone, Sharks go back the other way.

Mikheyev goal: San Jose Sharks just can’t get out of their own way. Play an outstanding period, but then, Svechnikov tries to stop a clear with his hand, misses, he’s covering for Karlsson. That’s the danger of having a forward play D, Karlsson had turned it over, albeit deep, in the O-zone. Mikheyev sneaks behind Svechnikov’s spot, breakaway, and you do not get the big save. You feel for Svechnikov, who’s reacting like any hockey player would to a puck coming at him, but you miss that, you’re the D, oh boy.

We heard a loud whack of the stick at the Sharks bench at the end of the period, as the players were leaving ice. Kahkonen? Not sure. But if they don’t pull out the win, it’s going to be an angry room, I think.

As #SJSharks were getting off ice at end of 2nd period, Svechnikov whacked his stick so loud against the boards, we could hear it all the way in the press box. Let's see if Sharks can channel anger, frustration into something positive in the 3rd period. They played a great 2nd

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) December 8, 2022

Labanc, by the way, hasn’t played since midway through the 2nd period. His last shift was before the Harrington penalty, which came off a pass up the middle exiting the DZ that didn’t quite connect with Hertl. I’m not sure if he was on the bench or not, we’ll see.

Period 3

Gadjovich goal: He just jacks OEL. Good for him and gotta feel amazing to do that to his old team.

6 in: Meier on entry, instead of east-west to Labanc, just puts it forward where he can retrieve. I think that’s what Quinn wants.

7 in: Megna high turnover in O-zone, reversal of roles, Karlsson comes back HARD to even up counterattack. That’s an engaged EK65 all over the ice, love to see it.

#SJSharks 8:28 into final frame, and about to go on power play, still haven't allowed a shot on Makiniemi. You just saw Karlsson come back hard to even up a Canucks odd-man, they're defending hard

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) December 8, 2022

9 in: That shift might be everything that David Quinn wants. San Jose Sharks under some duress, Sturm doesn’t skate and try to force offense, he just clears it with touch all the way to the other side. Canucks try to force offense with a no-chance stretch pass, Karlsson picks it up, sizes up situation, and hits Hertl with a definitely has a chance stretch pass, drops it to an open Labanc, hopefully game?

5 left: What a PK shift from Sturm sans stick.

Kuzmenko goal: You can’t stop that, tough to allow a guy to stand right there for the dunk too. Let’s see if Sharks have one more rabbit to pull out of the hat.

OT

They don’t.