Sharks Locker Room: This Is the Way

This is the way.

This is just the second time this season that the San Jose Sharks have outshot their opponent in consecutive games.

They outshot the Vancouver Canucks in a 2-1 OT loss on Thursday, 34-24.

Tyler Toffoli was San Jose’s lone scorer, and Vitek Vanecek made 23 saves in his first start since a scary mid-December face injury.

What was most unusual?

“I think we had them for eight chances 5-on-5 against,” head coach Ryan Warsofsky said. “So any time you keep a team under 10, you should win hockey games.”

How many times in the last two years have the Sharks defended that well?

Not often — San Jose gave up an NHL-worst 35.1 Shots Against Per Game last year, and a still league-worst 32.1 Shots Against this season.

Leading the way defensively was 18-year-old Macklin Celebrini, whose performance was marred by a delay of game penalty and a penalty shot against call, both which led to Canucks goals.

Ignore those mishaps: Celebrini was terrific defensively.

Warsofsky agreed: “Really good defensively.”

Playing good hockey this year is a stepping stone to better hockey next season, and one day, great hockey once again.

Win or lose, as long as the San Jose Sharks compete like this, that means that you have some players worth building around.

2024 first-overall pick Celebrini is the obvious one.

But maybe that’s also 24-year-old fourth-line center Ty Dellandrea, who led a physical effort by the fourth line? Dellandrea, Carl Grundstrom, and Walker Duehr had 11 of the Sharks’ 26 hits, in limited ice time, while creating more than their fair share of offense.

“I thought in the third period, they were one of our best lines,” Warsofsky said.

Or linemates 19-year-old Will Smith or 25-year-old Fabian Zetterlund, both who tied for the team lead with four shots apiece? Smith had a couple partial breakaways that he couldn’t finish.

“I thought we competed hard. I thought we worked hard,” Warsofsky said.

“We have played two really good games here,” Zetterlund said, including Tuesday’s 4-3 loss to the Montreal Canadiens.

Let’s see if the Sharks can keep the momentum up for their final test before the 4 Nations break on Saturday, against Mikael Granlund and the Dallas Stars.

Vitek Vanecek

Neither Vanecek or Warsofsky liked the penalty shot call.

Vanecek: "I don't think that was a penalty shot, but it is what it is."

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) February 7, 2025

Vanecek, on how much sleep he’s getting with newborn son Tobias:

Sleep? (laughs) It’s a new life, for sure. But my wife’s mom is here. So before the game, she always takes the kid, and then she’s sleeping with the mom. So I have a pretty good sleep. So I’m really happy that she’s helping me, and then my wife too. She understands that I have to sleep and get some energy. So it’s really good, actually, right now. We’re gonna see when the mom’s gonna leave.

Ryan Warsofsky

Warsofsky, on the San Jose Sharks’ effort:

I thought we competed hard. I thought we worked hard. Our puck play was a little iffy at times, but I thought we did enough to win a hockey game, that’s for sure. I think we had them for eight chances, 5-on-5 against. So any time you keep a team under 10, you should win hockey games.

Warsofsky, on Vanecek’s performance:

Really good tonight.

Warsofsky, on Macklin Celebrini’s defensive game:

Really good defensively. Closing on people. Good stick, more alert. Not running around from side to side.

Warsofsky, on the fourth line:

Really good. All three guys were using their skating. Getting on the forecheck. I thought in the third period, they were one of our best lines.

Fabian Zetterlund

Zetterlund's message to a distraught Celebrini, giving him a stick tap after the delay of game penalty: "It's fine, it happens. It's hockey out there & it goes fast. Mistakes happen. Yeah, he flipped it. He didn't want to do it, but it happens. We just help each other out."

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) February 7, 2025

Zetterlund, on the Toffoli goal:

Yeah, we got structure there, get the puck deep and just trying to win the puck and create from there. And Toff got a first, second, and third [shot] on it, and went in.

Zetterlund, on his five-game goalless streak:

I want to improve, I want to shoot more. I want to do things the right way. I just kind of work everyday, get better and better, and the goals will come. If I work, they will come.

Zetterlund, on how the Sharks are different without Granlund:

We miss him. He’s a great player. But at the end of the day, the guys in here [have] to do it. Can’t do anything about [the trade] right now. I think we have played two really good games here, and unfortunately, we couldn’t get a win today.

Tyler Toffoli

Toffoli, on how the San Jose Sharks could’ve created more offense:

I don’t think we really won a whole lot of 50-50 battles in the O-zone. So we didn’t really create the best opportunities. But I thought when we got our chances, they were really good looks.

Toffoli, on his game-tying goal:

Just a forecheck, one of their guys passed it to me, and I had four shots to score.