Sharks Give Another One Away, Go Into Christmas on 5-Game Losing Streak

The San Jose Sharks visit the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena.

Mikael Granlund and Tomas Hertl and Fabian Zetterlund and Jacob MacDonald scored, but the Sharks lost 7-4.

Period 1

Kuzmenko goal: Not a good Zetterlund turnover, though granted 200 feet away, then you want a stop there. But like Remenda says, the San Jose Sharks aren’t on top of it defensively either. Kuzmenko not challenged enough. Starting slow.

5 in: Good Bailey forecheck leads to some Sharks’ possession…but then Hoffman takes an OZ penalty.

6 in: But then, Bailey on PK, got an easy clear opportunity, goes for the pass that’s intercepted. That can’t happen.

Kuzmenko goal: Beaut Miller shot-pass for tip. That Bailey misfire put the PK on its heels. It’s all connected.

9 in: Not many Sharks highlights so far, but that’s a nice Ferraro flip pass to Studnicka open along wing.

9 left: Hoffman passes up a shot that you might want him to take on rush. Turnover.

Granlund goal: Sharks have nothing going, until that. Good down-low defense between Ferraro, Burroughs, and Granlund. Then Granlund does fantastic job of occupying Zadorov, becoming a double-screen for Duclair shot.

Hertl goal: Great work by every forward. Hertl on the forecheck, Eklund touches it back to the point, playing fast, Zadina provides traffic, Hertl outmuscles Myers to loose puck, slides it under Demko.

2 left: Questionable Thrun pass, but he recovers OK.

1 left: Golden Duclair chance, beaut Granlund pass, right in front of Demko. Started by, small plays, MacDonald sticks with puck on solo chance, instead of ceding easy Canucks breakout. Effort plays like that mean something.

Gotta give the Sharks credit, they looked dead in the water to start, came to life. Per SPORTLOGiQ, 3-3 Slot Shots, 2-2 High-Danger at Even Strength.

Period 2

3 in: Don’t like that from Zetterlund, fiddles around with puck too much on PK instead of getting it in deep, allowing Ferraro and Rutta to change. Rutta out there for whole PK, Ferraro about three minutes. Immature play, I think. San Jose Sharks survive.

Aman goal: Not a good pass by Ferraro. Intercepted diagonal pass in NZ, leads to 2-on-1. Right after a Sharks power play, snatching defeat from the jaws of victory, as usual. Lethargic PP, anyway. All the plays matter, are connected. A better PP, even for momentum, leads to better puck decisions.

Lafferty goal: Not a smart play by Bailey, trying to block that point shot with his blade. Canucks possession started by Hertl blowing a tire on a promising short-handed attack. That’s how it goes.

Lafferty now has 6 goals in 10 career games vs. #SJSharks. Doesn't have more than 2 against any other team. 32 career goals

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) December 24, 2023

10 left: Nifty Granlund move, should’ve been a Hronek hooking.

Zetterlund goal: Great read by Ferraro to jump up after Eklund falls, fill in, retrieve that soft Granlund entry pass.

Zetterlund crossbar: Eklund works hard to retrieve puck on PP. Hoffman then does nice job working hard, getting puck from short-handed Miller later. But in all, not a great PP, even for momentum.

4 left: Good defensive backcheck by Eklund. His shot-pass goes nowhere, but he’s first forward back with ease.

2 left: Like Eklund’s decisions there to shoot on PP.

What a Blackwood pad save on Pettersson.

Joshua goal: That hurts. Puck goes deep, but there’s zero forecheck. 3-on-2 the other way. F1 Bailey might’ve been at the end of a shift there, not a lot of pop on the forecheck. Ugly hockey.

Period 3

5 in: Huge Blackwood save on Pettersson again, defensive breakdown.

9 in: Demko answers with a big pad save on Granlund.

7 left: Good steal by Duclair, San Jose Sharks needed a breather. Then Thrun with a great chance.

MacDonald goal: Looks like he switched back to defense.

Suter goal: Gets his stick out there. Off the draw, big Miller win vs. Hertl. Hughes shuffles over, gets a point shot.

3 left: Duclair goes after Juulsen after hard hit on Granlund.